A Pet’s Pet Name

What’s in a name?

My parents just adopted a new cat. It’s a shelter cat that is 9 years old.  Within a day, the cat had settled in nicely, isn’t a picky eater, uses his box, and lounges around on the couch purring. They have (re)named him Sweety 5.

I also renamed my cats when I adopted them. Really, I’m not sure what difference it makes to the cat. If you are asking a cat a question, they know you are talking to them because your are probably looking at them and have the intonation of a question in your voice, right? As in “Tigger, do you want something to eat?” Of course you have the cat’s undivided attention at this point, and it’s not because you called him “Tigger”.

Anyway, my parents have owned cats for a long long time. I do remember 2 cat’s they owned when I was growing up that I think were named after cars. After that, all the cats they owned, adopted, rescued, and feral cats they fed, trapped, saved, brought to the vet, or cats that otherwise came in and out of their lives, they named Sweety. I don’t think there were ever more than 3 indoor cats at a time, but they were all named Sweety (Sweety 1, Sweety 2, Sweety 3.  Technically, I’m not sure what warrants a cat getting numbered or not). In the case of the outdoor/feral cats, my stepmother would just stand outside and yell “Sweety!!!” and cats within a 10 mile radius would emerge, come running out of the woods, appear, look sideways at the other cats, and wait patiently (yes, she was feeding them).  They even encountered a cat out hiking once that followed them on the trail back to the car. The next time they went hiking, the cat was there. They rescued the lost cat, took him home, named him Sweety, and eventually took him to a shelter to be adopted out.

They had a bobcat in their yard one time too. My stepmother: The Cat Whisperer.

I have nicknames or “pet” names for my pets too. Simba is often “goof” (as in goofball – he’s such a ham). There is always the standby “Baby” (no need to mention I never had kids of my own).  And, I am guilty of calling them both Sweety (but never Sweetybug – that was reserved for my one and only sweet Copper girl).

The one and only “Sweetybug”

So, welcome to the family Sweety 5! I am sure you will enjoy your retirement years with my folks.

My Sweety #2

Do you have Pet names for your Pets?