by Alexandra Heep

Created on: February 09, 2009   Last Updated: December 13, 2010

Naming your cat is almost like naming your child. Much thought should be put into it. Contrary to popular belief by people who are not into cats, cats can learn to recognize their names. Also, cat names need to have a pleasant ring to them, as you will be using them around family members and friends while addressing your cats.

Cat names come in two basic categories:

1. Popular Cat Names

These could be names that would be given to a human boy or girl. Another popular choice is to name your cat according to a physical feature or color. Naming your cat after a famous person also falls into this category. You could also name your cat after cartoon or animated cats.

2. Unique Cat Names

Cats with pedigrees often have unique names that are quite long or unusual. Often the breeder's names or location of the cattery are part of the cat's name. The long name goes on their papers, but the owners generally choose a nickname for daily use. Your cat does not need to have a pedigree though to enjoy a unique cat name.

Regardless of the category, the first step is to determine the gender of the cat. It's something you should be aware of not only for the sake of naming your cat, but for neutering or spaying purposes, if needed. Then ask yourself if you want a common or unique name.

The best common cat names can be found in books with baby names. There are also books out with popular cat names, or you could just go online and use any search engine to find websites with lists of names.

Websites and books list several hundred choices, or even thousands, for each category. For male cartoon cat names Garfield tops the list, followed by Tom (from Tom and Jerry), and Heathcliff. For female cats, Duchess became a popular choice due to the movie Aristocats.

How to Create a Unique Cat Name:

You can take a person, character, place or any thing really and make up a unique spelling. For example, a cat could be named after King Tutankhamun with his name spelled King Tut Uncommon, with a nickname of King Tut.

Another option is to observe the cat's behavior and personality and name him or her accordingly. You could even bring mythology into the picture. For example, a very loving female cat could be named Aphrodite and a male cat who constantly grooms himself could be Adonis.

No matter which avenue you choose, it's important to put a lot of thought into naming your cat. Once a name is decided upon, it should not be changed. It is also important for the name to have a positive feeling to it, because visitors will adopt a negative attitude towards your cat if he or she has a negative name. The pet in turn will sense this attitude and may react unfavorable towards the humans.

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