More Kitties To Name

Last week I introduced you to my cats named after a Christmas carol, a Russian heritage, and a French wine. I clearly have quite a system going!  But I have more kitties’ names to share with you.

After Noelle, Tatianna, and Taittinger was—yes—another orange marmalade cat!  She was named Katarina after Olympic gold medal figure skater Katarina Witt. I loved this name, but also called her “Katie” at times. Katarina was spirited just like the figure skater. Tatianna and Katarina lived most of their long lives together. I often referred to them as the Reign of Tatianna and Katarina due to their royal sounding names.

During the Tatianna and Katarina era, a stray black cat worked its way into my heart.  Before long, Marnie, named after one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, joined the household. I always referred to her as “my little angel kitty” since she arrived during a difficult time in my life.

The latest cat I have is named after a character in a book written by one of my favorite contemporary authors, Nicholas Sparks. The librarian in True Believer is Lexie. When another stray cat blew into my yard after Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances, I was reading this book. But, I wanted two names strung together. So what better name for a Southern kitty than Lexie Lee! Occasionally I refer to her as Lex, or say,”Linda loves Lexie Lee.” Yes, Linda loves alliteration!

Although I don’t have any cats to name at the moment, I have always wanted a pair of kittens with old fashioned names—Emma and Lottie. I wonder what Lexie Lee would think about two new sisters?

But is you don’t like my system for naming cats, help is on the way. An electronic search led me to numerous cat sites with hundreds of names. You can scroll through lists that are alphabetized. If you don’t have a letter preference or don’t have the time and patience, you can even ask for a random sample of twenty-five names—kind of like the computer picking your lottery numbers! And if you don’t see any suitable names, just ask for another random list!

What is the most unique cat name you have ever heard?

Bountiful Blessings!

Name That Cat

 

“I tell you a cat must have three different names.”—T.S. Eliot

Naming a cat is no small undertaking. I have named six cats in my lifetime, and each time I used a different approach. None of my cats’ names are on the Top 20 Cat Fanciers’ list that was last week’s blog topic.  My first cat in my adult life was a beautiful orange marmalade cat with green, gleaming eyes; white boots; and a fluffy white throat. The minute I saw her my fascination with orange marmalade cats began. She arrived in my life during the Christmas season, so I named her Noelle, after my favorite Christmas carol, The First Noel.  She filled my heart with countless hours of joy and contentment over the next ten years.

The next kitten to make its way to me was a Siamese and domestic short-hair mix.  I wanted an unusual and distinctive name for what was quite an unusual- and distinctive-looking cat. I wanted a name that danced, a name that had a harmonious lilt to it. The name had to be different and sound pleasing and playful to the ear. Additionally, I wanted a name that could be shortened for fun. Russian names had always intrigued me. So the little gray kitten was named Tatianna. It fit her perfectly.  Sometimes, I called her “Tattie” or “Tat,” and often I sang her names to her—“Tattie-Tatianna.” This always made her eyes dance and her ears perk up, because she loved hearing those sounds strung together. And so did I. Her other pet names were “Sweetie-Tweetie” and “Boo,” and she learned to respond to all of them. But the majority of the time I simply call her Tatianna.

My next blessing was another precious orange marmalade kitten. She was named Taittinger, after a French wine. I also liked the idea of have two cats with names that started with “T”—Tatianna and Taittinger. Sometimes, I called them Tat and Tat and they would both come running to me.

To be continued next week—Naming my other three cats!

How do you pick your cat’s name?

Bountiful Blessings!

What’s In A Name

Whenever I meet someone and they mention having animals, I always ask what their names are. I have always found the name selection quite interesting. According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the most popular one-word cat names based on registrations are the following:

1. Samantha
2. Gizmo
3. Tiffany
4. Sasha
5. Princess
6. Cleopatra
7. Jasmine
8. Angel
9. Sabrina
10. Chloe
11. Natasha
12. Tasha
13. Misty
14. Sebastian
15. Romeo
16. Samson
17. Smokey
18. Muffin
19. Sheba
20. Fluffy

Do you have a cat with any of the above names?  If not, what is your favorite name on this list and why?

Bountiful Blessings!

I Love My Pet Because Contest

I love animal contests whether they be essays or photographs. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better contest than this:  I Love My Pet Because! All you have to do is answer the question “why do you love your pet”, fill out a simple entry form and upload a photo of your pet. The pet owner with the winning story, along with his veterinarian will each win $1,000 on Valentine’s Day.

But what I really like about this contest is that a group of special dogs will also benefit. Summit VetPharm will provide one free month of flea, tick, and mosquito protection to puppies and dogs in training at the New Horizons Service Dogs, a non-profit  Florida-based organization that provides highly trained dogs to people in wheelchairs or with mobility problems.

Please go to http://www.ilovemypetbecause.com/

for the entry form, some sample pictures and stories. The deadline is midnight, February 14.

Bountiful Blessings!