Cat Names for Cats and KittensThere are literally thousands of cat names to choose from. Picking the right name for your kitten may be as difficult as picking a name for a baby. You can get the entire family into the act having them suggest possible cat names. You may want to wait a day or two before picking a name for your kitty. Don't let it go much longer than that as your kitten will need to have a name to respond to when you are talking with / to her.If the new family member happens to be an older cat, it may be best to keep using its given name instead of renaming it. Suppose she goes outside and you are trying to call her home, she may not respond to the new name. Also by keeping kitty's name, there is less stress adjusting to her new home. Three things to remember in picking a name are: - make sure the name suits an adult cat - know what sex your cat is so you don't give your female cat a male name - pick a name you won't be embarrassed to call outside if you have to call your cat If you have other pets, try not to pick a cat name that sounds similar to one you are already using. If your dog is named Stan and you decide to call your kitty Fran, you may find that they both come when you call one or the other. Sometimes you will get an inspiration for what name to use. Other times it may be a personality trait. Our first cat was named George after George of the Jungle because he kept crashing into furniture whenever he ran around the house. Other times the cat name describes the character of your cat like Friskie or Blackie. Then again the name may reflect your cat's breed like Sasha for a Siamese cat. The name you pick might be a name that's popular at the time like Simba from the Lion King. If you have small children, try to pick a name that they won't find difficult to say. Gone are the days of the TV cartoon cats' names like Sylvester (and Tweety bird), Jinx (Pixie and Dixie), Tom (and Gerry) and Felix the cat. Most cat names are two syllables because animals respond best to them. Traditionally about half the cat names are either human names or nicknames. Remember the name you pick will be the kitten's name for life. If you get stuck for a name for your cat, I have provided a list of the top 30 male cat names and the top 30 female cat names as compiled from the Veterinary Pet Insurance's 300,000 plus policy holders. Once you have picked a name, it is fairly easy to teach the kitten its new name. Begin by spending time petting her and using her new name repeatedly. Then later reward the kitten with treats every time she responds to you calling her by her name. Once she responds fairly regularly to her new name, start reducing the treats / rewards.
I realize these are all great suggestions but we all know that cats have a mind of their own. You may find that kitty will take her time coming to you when you call her by her name because she will respond as she pleases, even if it is only a minute or two later. Remember to the cat, she is the boss and we are the servants.
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