Do You Call Your Cat By His or Her Given Name?
Do You Call Your Cat By His or Her Given Name?
Originally published Feb 3, 2011
When Rags was 14 years old (I was 24), I decided to take him to a new vet. When they were getting ready to give him a shot for something or other, they told me to talk to him while they did it – so I started out, “Hi Freegie, are you my little Poo-Poos?” And the vet as well with the vet technician looked at me and said, “This is Rags Dean, right?”
I said, “Yes, of course.” And then realized that I hadn’t called him by his given name during the course of the shot, so I followed it up with the fact that I rarely call my cats by their given names. Some people have told me that it is really weird that I don’t.
So, it made me wonder, “Do you call your cat by his or her given name?”
Here are the list of cats that I have lived with and what I called/call them.
Rags = Poo-Poos, Raggle Muffin, Freegie, Freeg
Alley = Ms. Booder or just Booder
Caymus = Nussy, Cay-Cay Nusser, Baby New
Murphy = Beau, Cy Beau, Smurphy
Charlie = Charlamagne, Sharlie, Bubbie, Charlie-man-sers, Wubbie, WubbieBoo, Wubbie Boo Boo
Trigg = Chiggy Wiggy Woo Woo, Triggerman, Chigga, Triggy, Gaussy (after Carl Friedrich Gauss), Gausing
Trigg and Charlie are 5 years old, so their nicknames are bound to change and develop more.
If you have a nickname or a plethora of nicknames for your kitty, I would be curious to know what your kitty’s given name is and what you actually call them!
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
I’ve had “nicknames” for all my cats:
Moo-cat was “Moo”.
Morgan was “Beezer” and “Porgie Tire-biter” or “Tire-biter”.
O’Keeffe was “Keefer” or “Keeffer-cat”.
Ernie was just “Ernie” (he was one-of-a-kind)
Moishe Pupik was “Moishey” or “Pupik-cat” (Moishe Pupik is Morris Bellybutton in Yiddish)
Sassy is “Sassy-cat” or “So-Sassy” or “Sassy-fras” or “Sass-say”
Rubydee is “Ruby-tubes” or “Rue-bay” or “Dee-Dee” or “Ruby-tooby” or “Madame Tubes” or “Madame Tubacious”.
Sue, I think my favorite of all of yours is “Madame Tubacious” – love all the nicknames though!
I do call my boys by their names: Valentino and Romeo, I need them to recognize their name and come when called–which they often do. At times it’s Prince Valentino and Baby Romeo. Other times, it’s sweetheart and honey bun. But I also call them by nick names which change with my mood, I guess. Lately, it’s Baby Boo. Constantly, “Baby Boo!” ( I have no idea why ; )
Baby Boo is precious. Yes, I think it is important that they understand their names. Charlie gets the new name I call him after about 20 times – but he definitely knows “Charlie” is his name.
Sophie is Bean, Beanie-Weenie, Princess, Princess Bean-a, Princess Sophie Bean, Mouse, Kittengirly, and of course Number One Kitten.
Harry Houdini is Hairball, Hairballski, Pointy-Cat
Frank Sinatra is Frankie, Stinkbug (he has a bit of a gas problem), Stinky, Bunny Belly
“Stinkbug (he has a bit of a gas problem)” – hilarious! Frankie! Poor Frankster!
Oh my lordie, I’ve got 8 cats with multiple nicks! It would take me a very long time to list them all!!!
I wonder what it is that makes us want to call them by other names than their nicknames!
This is SO funny!! (I’ve long thought I was the only one who did this… ;))
Well, since you asked, my gorgeous bluepoint Ragdoll, Boomer, is Also Known As:
BoomBoom, Boomer Zoomer, BoomPants, BoomBoomPants, Pants-a-Roni, Pants-Mostaccioli (no idea why), Sugar Dumplin’, Booberry Vanilla Chinchilla, Fuzzy Britches, Sugar Puddin ‘n Pie, Boombuhdy, Boom-Diddly, Boom-P, Boomper, Senor PurrPants, Blueberry Vanilla Cream Pie, Dumplin’ Moose, and Baby Angel… for starters. ;D
(Clearly, I’m obsessed with his pantaloons. And with dessert. *sigh*)
My husband and I also love the pantaloons! They are so fluffy!
This is fantastic – the dog next door to me is named, “Maddie” but I call her “Maddie Pants” – HAVE NO IDEA WHY – but I do.
I know the obsession…just don’t try to taste the pants 😉
I forgot Beefy-Bear and Baby Beef. We had a large Snowshoe Siamese before Boomer, and one of his nicknames was Sir Beef… a) because he was rotund, and b) one of the many places we lived had a restaurant chain by that name (which my husband and I found amusing, to say the least). Anyway, Boomer is a strapping boy, who sounds like a “herd of buffalo” (or beefalo, because it sounds funny) when he runs… hence, the need for his own “beef” names.
“Beefy-Bear” – fantastic!
Wow there are a lot of comments on this! Nice! I tend to use the given name but I am curious to know whether cats become confused when one uses several names to call them. Do you think they still recognize their original name or even each and every nickname?
Yes, I definitely think they do. Charlie definitely knows his name. Trigg might not know his name as well as Charlie, but he definitely knows he is “Chiggy”
I am loving all these wonderful nicknames! We’ve only had Annabella about five months, so she’s just Annie most of the time, and Nanniebells. My hubby calls her The Princess or The Beautiful One. Great thread!!!!
Thanks, Brita – I am loving them too!
Sparkle Fun Cat aka Sparks, Bratface, Kittenface
Chantilly Lace aka Tillbug, Bugga, Buggabrow
Levi Strauss aka Mungojerrie, Mungo, Fatgo, Bluto
Jordache Moment aka Baby Kitty, Poo poo muffin cookie britches, Dr. Poop, Poopy hamster
Midas aka Mighty Mite
This might be my all time favorite of the day, “Poo poo muffin cookie britches” – that is fantastic!!
Bartok is Barty Boy, BlueNose, BlueEyes, TickleTummy, BabyBoy
Tasha is Tashee, TashaWasha
Sasha is Sashee, SashaWasha
My aunt had a dog named Tasha and called her “Tasha Washa” – too ironic.
You make an interesting point. My husband and I have thought for days when coming up with our fur herd’s monikers, yet as time goes by, they ALL get various nicknames. Here’s what you’d hear in our house (just like human kids, when the fur babies hear us say their ‘given’ name it’s because they are in trouble).
Zoe (aka Zo-Zo, Princess, Zoe Crawford – she had a mole on her lip like the supermodel)
Lobo (aka Lobes, Pudge – she has a ‘bit’ of a weight issue)
Rico (aka ‘ico, Little Buddy, O Boy 1)
Oscar (aka Ozzy, Oz, O Boy 2)
Lily (aka Flaca – skinny in Spanish)
Dahlia (aka Dolly, Doll-Doll)
The next 3 or our latest rescues and only 6 months old, so I’m sure they’ll get more nicknames as time goes on.
Pancho (aka Panch, Panch-ee, Weasley – after Ron in Harry Potter, Baby O Boy)
Rosa (aka Furry Potter – she has a red birthmark on her forehead)
Maya (aka Furmoinie – after Hermoinie in Harry Potter, Fluffy – she’s either a rag doll or Maine Coon, too early to tell)
Cat Spicer, I love all the Harry Potter-themed names! We have a shelter rescue named Nymphadora Tonks, and we call her Tonks (Tonkin, Tonkinator, Missy Tonks, and often Tonkin’s ‘Tocks, when she shows us her ‘tocks)
My Ragdolls are Isabella, Alexandria, and Cleopatra – but I rarely call them by these names. Isabella is Izzy, Izzy-Belly, Smelly-Belly, Bella, or Sweet Baby. Alexandria – is Ally, Ally-Ally-Oopy-Oopy, or Pretty Girl; and Cleopatra is Cleo, Crazy Girl, Beautiful Baby and Wild One. I also have a Maltese dog named Little Bit. I call him Bit-Bit, Bitty-Boo, Boo-Boo or Bitty-Bitty-Boo-Boo.
SO FUNNY – I wonder if I pronounce this how you do, “Ally-Oopy-Oopy” – when I was writing this post, I had to ask Bill (boyfriend) how in heck to spell some of the names I have for them!
Our ragdoll, Taro, also has many nicknames, some of which were mentioned by other commenters, which I think is hilarious:
Taro Tapioca (Jenny will understand this reference!)
Tarohead
Purrmonster
Fluffball
Flops
Fluffernutter
Poopie
Mr. T
Monkey
Rascal (when he’s been naughty)
Our first ragdoll, who died at a very young age due to FIP, was named Jasper, and we had lots of nicknames for him:
Sir Flops a Lot
Fluffernutter
Meatloaf
Kidneybean
Baker, Baker, Kitty Biscuit Maker
Senor Fluffykins
Purrball
Fluffball
Flying Capuchin
Princely Lion
I do understand it – “Taro Tapioca” – and love it!! I also love “Sir Flops A Lot” – all these great nicknames are making me smile!!
So, Artemis got these nick names: Artimass, Fartimas (the food he was eating gave him bad gas. Changed food and no more gas!), Artimoose (Can you do the fandango??), Arty (gramma calls him that), Furry Meatloaf, Fuzzball, and Fluffy Boy. Adam gets called Adams and that’s about it. Binkley gets called Baby (his name before daddy met him) and Binks. Fidget gets Fidg, Fidgy, or Fidgy Pie Poo. There is even a little song that goes with the last one, but we won’t go there. JLS
“There is even a little song that goes with the last one” – OH DO I HAVE SONGS!!! I love it. I often replace words from well known songs with their names! LOVE IT!
I call my Lucy:
Miss Lucy von Ragdoll
LucyBoo
BooBooKitty
Muffin
Poptart
I like LucyBoo!!
I call my Angel many different names, depending on our moods. :3 Mostly sweet little names like Muff-Muff, Sweetie, Girlfriend, she answers to them all. Sometimes I call her a naughty girl, but not often. She doesn’t like that. She can tell by the tone of my voice that I’m unhappy with her. As her name implies, she’s an Angel most of the time.
Charlotte = Charlie, Chuck, Chucklehead, Goofball, Charleston Q Floofenheimer.
Maisy = Miss Foof, Princess (she’s a very dignified Persian).
All cats have nicknames, or should. Our doctor calls Charlie “Girlfriend” and Maisy “Beauty.”
Coinneach – “All cats have nicknames, or should” – TOTALLY AGREE!!
OOPS, I meant Martina may
Her real name is Martina.
Mostly i call her Baby, or baby boo, or cutie pie.
My hubby calls her Martian May
My daughter calls her Tarmina (I hate this and yell at her all the time, good thing she doesn’t live with us anymore,LOL)
And of course Martina calls herself “Princess Kitty”
I wish there was a “like” button on my site for someone’s comment like there is on Facebook! Totally cute – “Martina calls herself Princess Kitty” – as she should – she’s gorgeous.
No doubt it is just me but I have a terrible time navigating through all the stuff on floppycats just to find ragdolls available for rescue. Is there a dedicated spot in the menu where I can just click and run down those available without having to see everybodys photos and stories and tada-tada-tada? Distance doesn’t matter to me and philosophically this is what I want to do but JEEZ! I know I’m probably just a da……ed grouch. Please tell me there is a quicker process.
HI Gaar,
Yes, of course. Try this link – http://blog.floppycats.com/blog/ragdoll-rehoming – of course, there are tons of Ragdoll Rescues that are available through different rescues and animal shelters as well – so it’s not an easy thing. I wish I could pay someone and have them organize it on a daily basis.
You want to check Craig’s List and also see what’s available. I post Ragdoll Rescues I find from Craig’s List on our Facebook page and send the owner an e-mail to please post them on the site.
Other than that, I would recommend checking out my tips on how to find one here – https://www.floppycats.com/ragdoll-rescue.html
Thanks,
Jenny
I love that you don’t call your cats by their given names. I don’t either (not all the time anyway)
My Ragdoll’s given name on his birth Certificate is Luigi Mollo Staffa of Long Island Rags.
So we call him the following names:
Louie
LooLoo
LooLoo Monsta
Fluffer Nutter (my fave)
Lupins
and Flops
then we wonder why he is the only cat in our house that doesn’t answer to his name when we call him 🙂
Totally love it!! I have called my cats, “fluffer nutter” too – so cute!
Gucci = gouche, McGouche, sir gouche, tuna boy, monkey, squeaks
Just out of curiosity, did you get your Ragdoll from somewhere in NY? we got ours from a breeder in upstate NY, but then found other breeders closer to us, on long island…..
Yes, I got her in PlainView Long Island, but honestly wouldn’t reccomend her for several reasons. But there are so many breeders on LI now.