# Help name our new cat **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226 "2011-08-26T21:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/61 "2011-08-28T21:04:30Z")
Does the cat already know and answer to the name of Sandy? If so, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to withdraw Sunshine and go with Sandy, because once a cat has learned to respond to a name, it’s not fair to the cat to try to get him to change. Cats aren’t really that bright to begin with, and some cats never learn to respond to a name. If he has learned to respond to Sandy, then that’s how you should address him. I’m sorry, but this passes for logic in feline heads. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/62 "2011-08-28T21:30:36Z")
Cat doesn’t respond to “Sandy”, so we’ve no compunction about renaming him. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/63 "2011-08-28T21:34:16Z")
Pawtucket. Actually, I agree with giving the cat a very simple one- or two-syllable name that is not easy to confuse with anyone else’s name in the house. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/64 "2011-08-28T21:46:57Z")
The naming of cats is a difficult matter It isn’t one of your holiday games… You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/65 "2011-08-28T21:47:13Z")
I like Morris or Archie as suggested above. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/66 "2011-08-28T21:57:04Z")
Latest consensus: Formal name Wowbagger, shortened to Wowser. Wowser will appear on the tag. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/67 "2011-08-28T22:08:07Z")
You need two cats, named Fubar and Snafu. Or Fooey and Snaffey, fer short. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/68 "2011-08-28T23:18:53Z")
Personally, I wouldn’t name a cat starting with the letter “S”. It sounds like a snake hiss, or another cat, which cats are either afraid of or on defensive for a fight. And keep the name to one syllable. Easier for the cat to understand. (As far as cats can understand) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/69 "2011-08-29T03:00:24Z")
[I call my cat by a different name every day.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvw52TANLa0) I like to keep him on his toes, and his lazyness at bay. Someday we’ll find one that he knows, And he’ll turn to me and say: “These sounds that come out of my mouth and from my tongue Have nothin’ to do With what I think about all day long…” – Robin Bienneman ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/70 "2011-08-30T03:00:11Z")
Scratch. There oughta be a cat, somewhere, named Scratch. mmm ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/71 "2011-08-30T03:28:15Z")
Wowser fits him. He’s got some grin. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/72 "2011-08-30T14:06:01Z")
Sandy is right out, it’s too precious and I wouldn’t want to be hollering for Sandy from my porch. We had a tortoise named Penny who ended up being Genghis Tortoise due to her unique personality. I’m all for Genghis Khat. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/73 "2011-08-30T14:17:59Z")
Paul. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/74 "2011-08-31T20:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **LilyoftheField** : > Oh, gosh. I just went to the pet store the other day and bought four goldfish for my pond. I named the smallest ‘Pixel’. Within days, he came to an unfortunate end. Did you try pressing on him? Sometimes that works for dead Pixels. For the Mercotcat, I vote “other”, since neither of those names really fit. I presume that Tevildo was already used for one of your previous cats? Another good option is Tybalt (which could, of course, be shortened to “Tibby”, but doesn’t need to be). Or Beruthiel, for a female cat. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/75 "2011-08-31T21:40:42Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Latest consensus: Formal name Wowbagger, shortened to Wowser. Wowser will appear on the tag. Given your experience in treating addicts, I think perhaps you should trade names. The cat can be Qadgop, and you can be [Wowser](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wowser). ---
**Author:** ![Melysnl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Melysnl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melysnl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/76 "2011-08-31T22:09:55Z")
Wow, I have to choose other. My boyfriend won’t let me have a cat…yet. I’m slowly working on that though. If I had one, I’d name it Sushi or Vega. Pixel was cool too. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/77 "2011-08-31T22:17:33Z")
After I saw the picture I went looking for my cat to see if you had stolen him. Even the GRIN looks the same! My tub o’ lard is named Sunstone, and he answers to Sunny. He loves face rubs, and he’s a fantastic mouser. I voted for Ghengis, but after seeing the picture he’s absolutely a Wowser. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226/78 "2011-08-31T22:50:43Z")
There’s a ginger a few blocks down named Henry - a seemly name for a yaller cat, I think. Plus Henry VIII was a bit of a tyrant himself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-cat/594226.md?page=3)