10 tips to help you choose the perfect name for your new cat

Felix, Pickles or Milo?

Choosing cat names is a lot of fun, but it can also be a challenge. The most important thing to remember is to pick a cat name that you like, and that also suits your cat. With this in mind, we抳e put together 10 cat-naming tips to help inspire you and keep you on the right track:

1) Make sure you know your cat抯 gender. 燭his may sound like a no-brainer, but I抳e known many pet owners who have suddenly realized that their 慗ack?is actually a 慗ill?

2) Choose a name that you can imagine calling out dozens of times each day.?

3) Keep it simple. Two-syllable names are easiest to call out and for your cat to understand.?If you really want a long name like Sergeant Pepper Paws, make sure it can be shortened to something like 揝erge?or 揚epper?for everyday use, and that you like the shortened form.

4) Don抰 choose a name that you will be embarrassed to call out in public. 營 named one of my first childhood cats, a calico cat, 揅hocolate Fart Bum?? It was immediately changed to 揅hocky?when my mother took her for her first visit to the vet!

5) Let your imagination run wild. Cat names can be witty, famous, regal, related to your hobbies厀hatever appeals to you. A friend of mine is a golf fanatic so he named his cats Putter and Birdie.

6) Let your cat抯 appearance inspire you. 燱hen you first get a new cat, it may take you a while to get to know its true personality, and as it grows, its behavior may change.?Your cat抯 appearance, on the other hand, is much more likely to stay constant.?

7) Use your cat抯 breed for inspiration. For example, choose a Thai name for your Siamese or a Scottish name for your Scottish Fold.

8) Consult cat naming books and websites for ideas. These resources will provide you with hundreds if not thousands of options.

9) Let your cat guide you. Create a shortlist of names that you like and then try calling them out to your cat.? Its response just might help you pick the perfect one!

10) Be respectful ?don抰 pick names that will demean your cat.

If you use these guidelines to name your cat, chances are you won抰 go wrong. And if you do卍on抰 worry, you won抰 be the first person in history to change their cat抯 name. I should know!

Further resources:

http://catnamesplace.com

http://petnamesplace.com/cat-names/