Go for something kooky. I named the neighborhood stray, “Little Miss Pickle-pants” simply because I liked the way it sounded, and I can’t help but giggle when I say it. Cats like it when you sound pleased to see them.
We’ve named all the strays in our neighbourhood. Among them are Humphrey, a slender polite cat; Fang, the tough tomcat; Shadow, the tall dark stranger that appears only when the moon is out; Lolita, a vain longhaired puss; Stella, the hyper kitten and Shere Khan, the orange-striped leader of the pack.
My own cat, Mitten was named by my girlfriend. Because he did look a fuzzy mitt when we found him.
Yep, my first cat was named Bob.
The next was Snuffer, named after my favorite restaurant.
Next time I think I’ll go with Atonic.
why don’t you go for Jinx?? That’s a great cats name.
I’ve always found our cats named themselves.
Misha was named because I was reading a People Magazine article on Mikhail Baryshnikov (sp?). The cat, and the person, both had extremely blue eyes and the ability to leap and “hover” in mid-air.
Sheba was named because I “adopted” her from a landlady. The first day I met them both, the cat disappeared. I discovered later I was calling “Come Back, Little Sheba”.
Genius was named Eugene David after my father and late brother. Genius was short for Eugene.
Lucky was black, but named for the original Morris.
Sassers had huge feet, so was named Sasquatch, Sassers for short.
Generally, wait until you get to know said animal, and you’ll find the perfect name stares you in the face.
Without intent to offend anyone whose cat already has this name…
…just don’t name him “Tigger”! 
It seems like every cat I encounter lately has been named “Tigger.” It’s supplanting “Fluffy” as the cliche’ cat name, like “Fido” and “Rover” for dogs. The world does not need more Tiggers.
Okay, I’ll stop now.
–proud buddy of Tenshi the mighty-hunter Singapura and Meep the sweet purry Russian Blue
Oh, if only my cats did! No, my precious babies wait for me every morning. Their boxes are next to the toilet, because in my apartment there really isn’t anyplace else for them. When I visit the bathroom in the morning, they both clamber in (more often than not) and do their business. I try to think of it as a tribute.
I’m adopting a friend’s cat. The cat is about seventeen years old and will probably die in a month or two, but my friend had left her cat at her parents’ home when she moved out, and her nieces and nephews are a little too rowdy for an old lady cat. Thus, I’ll have a cat named ‘CD’ for some undetermined length of time.
(I should ask if the cat’s name is really ‘CD’ or ‘seedee’ or something else.)
When this one passes away, I intend to get another cat and name it “Script Kitty”. Ha! Ha! Um.
The naming of cats is a difficult matter.
It isn’t just one of your holiday games.
You may think at first I am mad as a hatter
When I tell you a cat must have three different names.
Well somebody had to say it!
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions and advice. I’ve written down the ones I like but, of course, he won’t be named until I’ve known him for a little while and know which name fits him.
He is, of course, a male and has already been neutered and declawed (not that I was looking specifically for a declawed cat, but I figure he’s better off here, where he’ll be an indoor cat, than he would be with someone who lets him outside) and he was not a shelter cat, but after two moves so close together (his old house to my brother’s, then from my brother’s down here), he’s likely to be skittish, but my brother says he’s very affectionate.
I bought food (IAMS) and litter already (he’s bringing his old litterbox, so at least that’ll be familiar) and plan to get the name of my sister’s vet tomorrow, but I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to take him in.
I actually don’t have that secluded a spot to put a litterbox–it’ll either have to go in a corner of the kitchen or the bathroom.
He might have a companion in the near future, too. My sister/roomie might be getting a kitten from my aunt, but they aren’t old enough to leave the mother yet. The one she likes is black with white feet. I already told her she’s not allowed to name it Socks.
Oh, a neutered male.
How about Liberace?
I have a cat named Snoopy and he definitely thinks he is a dog – very friendly even to strangers, hangs out with the neighbor dog, etc. But the personality came before the naming.
My other cat is named Kelly. I prefer names that end in the “ee” sound, so it’s easy to call them: “Here Kel-ly-Kel-ly-Kel-ly Kel-ly!”
I like using FELINE PINE cat litter. It is little ‘pills’ of pressed sawdust. You can flush it down the toilet…real handy if you put the litter box in the bathroom. You don’t have to empty the box as often. And,it smells like just cut lumber.Never use plastic bag liners in the box…it teaches the cat to pee on ALL plastic bags.
Try mixing half usual litter and half FELINE PINE until he gets used to it. And a new box in the right size to fit between the toilet and wall shouldn’t tramatize kitty too badly.
We named our kitten “ELLIS”.It is for L.S.
For ‘LITTLE SHIT’.
That is what we kept calling him when he would
attack out legs!
Whenever anyone asks me for a cat name, this is what I tell them:
Wait for it …
Mandu.
Well, he got here last night. He spent half the time staring out the glass sliding door and the other half getting his tummy scratched. I’ve already taught him to jump up next to me on the couch. When left to himself, he’s just a big cat-shaped lump of fur.
And his name appears to be Shan.
Oh, and he likes Chinese food. Orange chicken, to be precise.
This is important. I turned to Dopers to name our cat (I didn’t like the name “Nosey” that he came with) and tried and rejected numerous monikers before settling on Higgins. However, I still wish I’d waited a bit, because he’s really a bit too stupid and undignified to be a Higgins. I knew he was too stupid for a chess-related name, but I didn’t realize how stupid until he’d settled down a bit in the household. He needs a name that is a little more doofus-like, but it’s too late.
I like Shan.
Now I want another cat. Dangit.
Notdog!