# I have a new kitten! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2000, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911 "2000-11-27T20:55:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/41 "2000-11-28T07:43:55Z")
Well, I see that you already have a name but I will share anyway. I used to have a kitten just like the one you described and I called her “Milly”. See, she was a black cat–like a “familiar”–fa_mili_ar–Milly! Heh-heh. Of course, I guess it is good that you went with “Shadow”–try explaining to your mom, “Well, see it’s a black cat, you know, like in the stories where witches always had black cats as their spirit familiars and that’s where Milly comes from–the cat is our spirit familiar! No, it’s not Satanic, it’s really not…” ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/42 "2000-11-28T07:46:12Z")
Another kitten story–the last kitten I had, I named it Paka, the Swahili word for kitten. (I had just seen _The Lion King_ and the whole Simba=lion thing was fresh in my mind!) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/43 "2000-11-28T09:17:51Z")
I think “Darth Vader” would be a good name. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/44 "2000-11-28T09:53:48Z")
Mr. Bigglesworth!! or even Darth Bigglesworth. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/45 "2000-11-28T15:59:05Z")
I am partial to the name Zumba for kitties. (pronounced Zoom-ba) It is a fun easy to say word that people don’t get to use often enough. I also like Shadow, but it isn’t very original for a black cat. My sister use to have a black cat named Darion which seemed fitting. Or Rover which is what my father named a tom cat that took up with us when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/46 "2000-11-28T17:51:52Z")
I am a total cat namer… I name every cat I see but it depends on how they look or behave - like there was this cat who hid in an empty pringles box and was therefor called pringles A black cat with white feet - called socks The neighbours cat just looked like a “Skittles” to me (does it show I like sweets?) And a cat I knew was really called Puschkin I called pumpkin instead. A lovely name for a black cat would be white or whitey I guess… but I am weird 🙂 Old or anusual names are cool too if you ask me hehe What about dog? lol or mouse? dodgy hey! Why not call the cat dodgy? Okay… sorry… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/47 "2000-11-28T17:58:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zumba The Cat \* > **I also like Shadow, but it isn’t very original for a black cat.** That’s what I said. But she behaves like a shadow, the way she follows my mom around. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/48 "2000-11-29T08:54:58Z")
No vote for the name, but I did want to praise you for adopting the kitten! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/49 "2000-11-29T11:20:56Z")
[only fools & horses moment] they seek him here, they seek him there, that damned elusive sha’a’dow [/only fools & horses moment] Shadow is quite a nice name. If you can ever unglue the kitty from your mom, you might actually get to fuss it for a minute! ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/50 "2000-11-29T16:42:16Z")
Thanks for taking in the little thing, Silver. You scored a few extra karma points that day. I had a couple of names in mind for our 2 new kittens a couple of months ago, but my wife and son overruled me. (I thought that being a parent meant I got to be a benevolent dictator, but apparently I was wrong) Any way, how about Doc, or Widget? Or for the Christmas season, how about “Coal”. Anthracite, you don’t mind, do you? 😃 Oh, and another thing - by now you’ve noticed that kittens have lots of energy. If you have another cat in the house, the two of them will play together, and be less destructive. Think about getting a playmate for the critter. It’s twice as fun, and not that much more expense. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/51 "2000-11-29T18:02:43Z")
When my brother and I were kids, he had a black cat, much loved, that was named “Thirteen.” I always thought that was a great name for a black cat. ---
**Author:** ![Blondie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Blondie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blondie)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/52 "2000-11-29T18:21:53Z")
We just got a new kitten on Halloween. Her name is Echo. All teeth and claws, but cute as a button. Took a swim with me in the tub the other day! She sumo-wrestles with our other cat, but they are really great together. She’ll be 3 mos. old on the 3rd…I can’t wait until she stops teething! ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/53 "2000-11-29T20:32:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RalfCoder \* > \*\*Think about getting a playmate for the critter. It’s twice as fun, and not that much more expense. \*\* Well, I never thought my mom would have a cat in this house. In fact, if we had asked her to go to a pet store and pay for one, she would have said no. But she has a soft spot for homeless kittens, so this one was allowed. I doubt we’ll be getting another. (Unless we happen to “find” one again. Hmmm… 😉 ) Anyway, I wanted to name the kitten Una, (Una = Anthracite = coal = black) but Mom said no. I actually pulled for quite a few Doper names, with no success. So, Shadow it is. She really is an adorable kitten though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/54 "2000-11-30T02:14:25Z")
really mum, she just followed me home. can we keep her? will there be a picture link for shadow soon? ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/55 "2000-11-30T02:28:48Z")
My cat’s name is Phoebe- it’s a great name, and apparently lucky, as she is nearly 16 years old and healthy as can be. “Phoebe” also gives rise to some great little nicknames, e.g., Pheebs, Pheebers, Pheeber-Eebers, etc. But I swore if I ever get another pet, I’ll name it Zuzu. In the not-that-you-asked department- take the little bugger to the litter box from every room in the house, carrying it at a few inches above floor level. I know it sounds a little weird, but Pheebs and I have moved a total of 9 times and i ahve always used this method of, er, litter box familiarizing, and we’ve never had a problem. Good luck and bless you for giving the por little thing a good home. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/56 "2000-11-30T02:36:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rocking chair \* > \*\*will there be a picture link for shadow soon? \*\* As soon as I get one taken, get off my ass long enough to get the film developed, wait for that, go pick it up, scan the picture, link it, etc. It’ll be a while. I assure you, though, she’s the cutest little bitty kitty ever. Hehehe… My whole family is in love with this thing. Today she was curled up in a little ball on my dad’s lap, napping, while he just sat there petting her head. My father _ **hates** _ cats. He just does not like them at all. It was SOOOOOOOOOOO cute!!! When I giggled at my dad he just said: “I dunno, Sarah. There’s just something about this cat.” It was so cool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/57 "2000-11-30T03:50:41Z")
My dad didn’t like cats either, before he married my mom. Now our little one sleeps curled up at his feet-when she was a baby she slept ON HIS NECK. My dad is the biggest softy when it comes to the animals. He used to give Fluffy big plates of cut up provolone cheese, the really expensive kind. Even though she never finished it, and we yelled at him, he still did it. ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/58 "2000-12-01T21:28:21Z")
Nice kitty rescue SF… My two tabby tomcats are aptly called Ruckus and Havoc. The strangest cat name has to go to a friend, who named his cat 1984 Buick Regal (which shortened suitably to “Buick” as this cat weighed 25lbs). Seeing how you rescued this cat, and how lucky she is to have such a caring family, you should call her **L.C.** (short for “Lucky Cat”). 🙂 But Shadow is a good name too. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_and\_I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Cat\_and\_I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_and_I)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/59 "2000-12-07T17:51:08Z")
The only name for a black cat is Stripe. 🙂 Actually, you can use the one I always wanted for a cat, but just got as a username “Cat and I”. Now that I say it fast, it comes out “Catseye”, which would be good, too, for a green-eyed black cat 😉 ---
**Author:** ![fire\_me\_up](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@fire\_me\_up](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fire_me_up)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911/60 "2000-12-10T03:46:50Z")
All kittens should be named after girls. When they get bigger you can account for them actually being male. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-new-kitten/42911.md?page=2)