What's in a Name?
– Rod Lauman, Board of Directors
I woke up at 3 am this morning and since I was awake I did what I often do to pass the time before falling back asleep. I started thinking of names to add to my list for cats that are surrendered to the Shelter. I am one of the volunteers that comes up with good names for cats.
You see, many of the cats that come in don't have names. They are found as strays, abandoned after the owners moved away and left them or they come with a bizarre name that won't help them to get adopted. Over the past 10 years, I have had the pleasure of naming hundreds of cats. I try to select names that reflect their personalities and characteristics in a very positive light. A name has to be assigned to the cat fairly quickly so it can be entered into the computer so the cat can enter the system and be given meds and what food should be fed.
A cat will come in and if I am asked to come up with a good name I want to see the cat first and assess things like gender, color, and personality to come up with the right name to help them get adopted. Sometimes I had to do it over the phone, the vet office that used to do intakes for us would call and need a name right off. We are able to do all of our intakes now right at the new Shelter, so it's easier to see them and give them a good name. I normally trend towards people names, I think it gives them more of a connection to us humans than a generic name like Fluffy or Blacky.
After a cat is adopted, many times the new family changes the name for various reasons. They use a name of a past pet, a name they just like, or a name they have already had in mind for their next cat. But almost as often, the family will keep the name given to them by the Shelter. It always makes me feel good when they choose to keep that name, it lets me know that I picked a good name that others like that helped get the cat adopted and will follow the cat for the rest of their lives.
Some of the cats currently at the shelter that I have named are Addie and Becky as well as Grant and Paisley. Other volunteers sometimes name them too or if surrendered by a family for some reason then we usually keep that name.
– Rod Lauman, Board of Directors
I woke up at 3 am this morning and since I was awake I did what I often do to pass the time before falling back asleep. I started thinking of names to add to my list for cats that are surrendered to the Shelter. I am one of the volunteers that comes up with good names for cats.
You see, many of the cats that come in don't have names. They are found as strays, abandoned after the owners moved away and left them or they come with a bizarre name that won't help them to get adopted. Over the past 10 years, I have had the pleasure of naming hundreds of cats. I try to select names that reflect their personalities and characteristics in a very positive light. A name has to be assigned to the cat fairly quickly so it can be entered into the computer so the cat can enter the system and be given meds and what food should be fed.
A cat will come in and if I am asked to come up with a good name I want to see the cat first and assess things like gender, color, and personality to come up with the right name to help them get adopted. Sometimes I had to do it over the phone, the vet office that used to do intakes for us would call and need a name right off. We are able to do all of our intakes now right at the new Shelter, so it's easier to see them and give them a good name. I normally trend towards people names, I think it gives them more of a connection to us humans than a generic name like Fluffy or Blacky.
After a cat is adopted, many times the new family changes the name for various reasons. They use a name of a past pet, a name they just like, or a name they have already had in mind for their next cat. But almost as often, the family will keep the name given to them by the Shelter. It always makes me feel good when they choose to keep that name, it lets me know that I picked a good name that others like that helped get the cat adopted and will follow the cat for the rest of their lives.
Some of the cats currently at the shelter that I have named are Addie and Becky as well as Grant and Paisley. Other volunteers sometimes name them too or if surrendered by a family for some reason then we usually keep that name.
Addie
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Becky
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Grant & Paisley
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Speaking of names, how do nicknames come about? They seemingly come out of nowhere and only make sense to the family. My boy Cody has become "Cod Cod" and years ago my cat Isabella became Izzy and somehow morphed into Izzles. These names help to endear us to our pets and sort of a secret bonding word and understanding with them.
What are some of your nicknames and how did they come about? Email us with your names and stories and we will post them in an upcoming issue of the newsletter!
What are some of your nicknames and how did they come about? Email us with your names and stories and we will post them in an upcoming issue of the newsletter!