Cat question...is it ok to change my new cat's name?

[VelmaD]

AS some of you have read already today I'm getting a cat in a couple of days. Someone abandoned it by my best friend's house and I'm a sap and I'm taking it home with me.

It has on a tag that says it's name is Carmen. Is that her name forever? Am I obliged to keep the name that was given to her by someone who was willing to abandon her? Should I let her keep it since she's going through big changes anyway? Or should I watch her for a few days and see if a new name seems to fit her?

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

1. Certainly!

The HART people had named our Morrissey "Bode" because they didn't know his name, and that was what they came up with. Well, I didn't like that name! I always wanted to name my next kitty either Morrissey or Hornsby. In the car on the way home I tried out different names, and Morrissey always meowed when I called him Morrissey, so that's who he is. I think it should be your choice. The kitty will soon get used to the new name as long as you call her by it over and over.

[KitchenWitch]

2. I would think a new name might be good for her.

[Lady President]

3. Not to sound crazy....

But, when I adopted my kitty I kept the name she had at the time as her middle name. Now, if she's being bad, I can sternly say her complete name. I called her by both names for the first few days, then dropped her old name. (Can you tell I have pets, not kids?)

[VelmaD]

4. That is too cute...

may have to try that.

[hyphenate]

21. Yes

with my brood, if they aren't being good little doobies, I call them by their whole names.

[Richardo]

5. She'll ignore you no matter WHAT you call her...

Them's cats for ya. :hi:

[VelmaD]

7. Excellent point

:hi: back atcha :)

[caty]

6. Yes--

but, wait a couple of weeks to pick a name that fits her personality. One of mine I got from a shelter and was named Tiger. She is so sweet and just lives to be petted and cuddled. She is a lover--not a fighter. We named her Cuddles. Fits perfectly.

[VelmaD]

8. That's what I was figuring...

on doing. Let her get used to the new environment and see who she really is.

Either that or just go ahead and name her Bob. (I named my ex's cat Fred sight unseen and it turned out to really fit her.)

[progmom]

9. absolutely

The "Peaches" we adopted became "Ellie" when she joined our house.

[VelmaD]

10. Sounds like we have...

a general consensus. I'll have to see what fits her and keep y'all posted. :)

[crispini]

11. Does she respond to the previous name,

and do you like it? I adopted a previously-named cat and I kept her name because she would actually come when called, using this name. And she still does! So I wasn't about to change it! :P

[VelmaD]

12. Dunno yet...

she's been hanging out on my best friend's front porch til I can go pick her up. They're feeding her the next couple of days while I get everything I need and cat-proof my house.

I'll try calling her name and see what happens...if she acts like a cat and ignores me...then I'll see about changing it. :)

[trof]

13. Don't agonize. She doesn't care.

Trust me on this.
;-)

[yewberry]

14. I had a dog who cared.

My Gracie was abused and starved as a little one; her name was "Carl" then.

She made herself as small as she could (for a rottie) and flattened her ears if she heard the name (or ever the word "car" for a short while.)

Renaming is sometimes a good idea.

[ZombieNixon]

15. Check this guy out.

He lived on our neighbor's roof and was called "Striper." Then we started feeding him and he was "the Gray Kitty" for a month. Then he came inside, we smelled his breath and called him "Dragon" for a few days. Then we got his teeth cleaned, realized he was very sweet-natured and settled on "Yoda."

[huskerlaw]

16. Goodness yes

Otherwise everyone who adopted a cat from the humane society would have a cat with a completely unoriginal name. For example, my cat came to me as "Sandy"...HE is now named Riley. Which fits ever so very much better.

[Orsino]

17. Of course.

The cat will permit you to change only things she doesn't care about.

Knock yourself out.

[SoCalDem]

18. Just add the "new" name onto the old one, and gradually

stop using the old one..

Sammy is Bubby more than Sammy
Sara is Sari-Sari or Droolie...Sara comes whenever ANY cat's name is called..she's very needy:)
Marvin is BabyBoy or Marbie or Marvinator
SweetiePie is Sweets
Uncle Willie is Woowee
mommie is often called "world's-most-annoying-cat" and she comes to that too:)

[Left Is Write]

19. I changed a cat's name.

When we got him, the shelter told us his name was Mufasa. To me, he looked like a Gunder. So...Gunder it was.

[hyphenate]

20. It depends largely on how old the cat is

because a younger cat/kitten is easy to rename, but if it's an older cat, it's not as easy since they've gotten used to it.

[pink-o]

22. I kept the name the shelter gave her

...I got my Bombay kitty just about 4 years ago, and on her shelter cage, they labeled her as "Patty". Since she's all black, I was gonna change it to Isis or Circe or something more mythological. But she's a total proletarian, kinda fat and not at all mysterious. (You can read this cat like a book, I'm serious! I knew nothing about felines till I took this one home, and she makes her needs obvious to a tyro like me!) Anyway, I now call her "Miss Patty" as a gesture of respect.

But honestly, she doesn't know her name. I call her "Little Girl", "Little One", sometimes just "Little" or "Miss Kitty". She'll answer to all of 'em--but only if it suits her!!!!!

[AussieDave]

23. Your cat will ignore you anyway, so it really doesn't matter.

[Eurobabe]

24. Name her what you want...she'll accept it

because you love her. :hug:

[NV Whino]

25. Cats not only earn their own name

They usually have several names. Let the cat tell you what its name will be.

[LynneSin]

26. Both of my cats had different names before I adopted them

I don't know what Abbott's name was - he's the abandoned cat that I found but I new someone owned him because he did have a flea collar on him.

Evita actually was given a different name from the cat rescue group. Ironically they called her 'Precious'. Personally, I don't believe in naming my pets after adjectives and in the year I've own Evita she's lived up more to the name Evita than she has the name 'Precious'

Your cat should be fine!

[Beware the Beast Man]

27. I don't see a problem with it.

When Cathy and I adopted Eleanor, there was no way she was keeping the name Brandy.