Can I change a cat's name?

[squashyhat]

I'm collecting my rescue cat next week. He's a beautiful 4 year old silver tabby - with a ridiculous name. I can't think of anything which sounds the same and would be less embarassing for both of us when I call him in. Can I change it altogether or would that give him an identity crisis?

[SoupDragon]

Cats do not care what name you pretend is theirs. They will ignore you and do as they pose regardless.

[Chocolate50]

What's the name now?

Its perfectly reasonable to change the name but he might not respond. And there's a lot of change going on for him if he's moving house & owner too. Lots of rescues do have they're name changed though.

[Finderscrispy]

Yes fine to change name. They ignore you anyway.

[dun1urkin]

‘He might not respond’

Change his name. It’s the first and only element of (perceived) control you will have over your new dictator

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

We adopted two rescue cats last year. One of them had a really stupid name which didn't suit her at all. We changed the names of both of them. They don't care, unlike dogs they don't actually know their names although they do respond to our tone of voice when we call them.

Naming cats just makes it easier for us to refer to them if you have more than one eg "I need to take Tiddles to the vet tomorrow" rather than "I need to take the black and white cat to the vet tomorrow".

We could call our cats anything we liked and they honestly wouldn't care as long as they get fed every day.

[Weedsnseeds1]

It's the tone of voice more than the name when calling them I think.
You'll end up calling him " Mummy's fluffy, wuffy, purry-poos" or some such cringe-worthy nonsense anyway!
Two syllable names seem to.work best.
Mine does respond to his name, but he is, of course, my "special, sqishy, clever boy".

[PersianCatLady]

I always thought that my cat specifically knew her own name but since I started looking after a dog at home a lot, I have realised that she doesn't know it rather it is the tone of my voice when I call my cat.

Whatever name I use (dog's or cat's or any other word) as long as I say it in a certain way, the dog and catboth come running.

[prettymess]

Yes change it. They don’t care as long as you feed them

[PoisonousSmurf]

I have a rescue black cat. His original name was 'Bobo'. He is now Ninja! Much better

[BulletFox]

Change it.

I changed mine when I got her but only after a few years. She had a really silly name and we could never decide what to change it to, then decided on something phonetically similar but a great deal less daft.

[CanYouHearThePeopleSing]

Absolutely! Our rescue cat (aged 3) was called Smudge, but we changed it to Cilla. She doesn't answer to anything - except the sound of a food pouch being squelched.

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

A neighbour's cat used to respond to his name. They were so proud until I coaxed them into calling 'STUUUPID' and 'FISHFACE' and 'FLEABAG' in the same tone of voice and he still came galloping but only at mealtimes.

What's the name OP?

[trevthecat]

I changed our cars name. He doesn't give a shit

[Want2beme]

What's his current name similar sounding to? I believe it's the sound cats and dogs react to. All of mine have had names ending in y, as I once heard that cats and dogs like that sound, so Toby, Monty, Milly, etc. Tabbies are fab . Happy catting.

[squashyhat]

Thanks all. I'm not keen, my sister thinks it's great and DH doesn't care! Think plural of young cat and change the first letter so it's something little kids wear on their hands.

OTOH I realise I'll just be staff so maybe 'Sir' will suffice...

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

Mittens! I'd call him Sir Walter (Mitty)

[Want2beme]

Mittens! I'd call him Sir Walter (Mitty)

I'm with Yet.

My next cat will be called Walter, Wally for short.

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

or 'Radar' if he predicts when the fridge door will open :)

[Toddlerteaplease]

My sister immediately nicknamed mine Fattycat and Snorgmaiden. Fatty is most offended as it's her sister who is fat!

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

I'm still amazed anyone can tell them apart!

[phoenix1973]

We did. Rescue cat called Bitzy.
Not on my watch!
We got her in december and she's pure white so she's called Snowy.

[MotherOfDragons22]

Ours have names but if either get underfoot they normally end up refferred to as 'bastard cat'

[FallenAngel89]

I was once going to adopt a cat named Buttons. I would have changed it if we'd have kept the cat but it turned out to be extremely evil and kept me and the kids hostage in the house for a fair few hours ! He did not live up to the cutesy name at all!

[MaxWeber]

Lolling at the notion that cats give a shit what we call them. I dread to think what they call us.