# The nameless kitten may be named at last (or maybe not) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953 "2009-01-05T16:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/1 "2009-01-05T16:45:01Z")
You may recall my [previous request for assistance](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=499189) in naming my new kitten. There were a lot of good suggestions offered, and some are still under consideration, with “Digit” a leading candidate among them. And yet, and yet… So I’m still waiting for the kitten’s name to make itself known, but I have a new candidate: Spooner. Here’s how it came to me: This little guy is a major snuggler, I mean he will find me in my recliner, say, snug into my lap, and stay there for hours if allowed. When I have to get up I can pick up his happily limp little body and drape it over the nearest surface, without protest from him. He’ll curl up there, wait for me to do whatever and return to my chair, then slip back onto me. He also loves to drape himself over my chest and shoulder. So, from that, the name “Draper” popped into mind. It certainly fits, and yet, it doesn’t quite sit right (plus it makes me think of Draper Labs). So I went hunting through a couple of online thesauruses and eventually came to the verb “to spoon”. Well, he does that with me at night, although given our respective sizes I’m the soup spoon and he’s the teaspoon. So: “Spooner”. I like the sound of it, and besides, there are some notable humans with that name. To wit: [The Spooners of Porthmadog](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spooners_of_Porthmadog) - a family of railway engineers who in the nineteenth century made important contributions to the development of narrow gauge railways both locally and throughout the world. [Richard Spooner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Spooner_(equestrian)) - an internationally successful show jumping rider, the tenth person to pass the one million dollars mark in prize money won. [Lysander Spooner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysander_Spooner) - an American individualist anarchist, proto-libertarian, abolitionist, all-around free radical crank and prolific writer of fiery screeds against the trammeling of individual liberty (born in Athol, MA) who started his own postal service to compete with the US Post Office (the government forced him out of business, but his competition forced the USPO to cut its notoriously high rates). And of course, the greatest Spooner of them all, the one whose surname has eponymously come to stand for that often hilarious mangling of the language we all fall prey to now and then: [William Archibald Spooner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Archibald_Spooner) - the gentle, kindly, learned Oxford don famous for what came to be known as [spoonerisms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism): > [@](#): > > A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis). It is named after the Reverend William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency. > > [snip] > Most of the quotations attributed to Spooner are apocryphal; The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (3rd edition, 1979) lists only one substantiated spoonerism: “The weight of rages will press hard upon the employer.” Spooner claimed[1] that “The Kinquering Congs Their Titles Take” (in reference to a hymn)[2] was his sole spoonerism. Most spoonerisms were probably never uttered by William Spooner himself, but rather made up by colleagues and students as a pastime.[3] Richard Lederer, calling “Kinkering Kongs their Titles Take” (with an alternate spelling) one of the “few” authenticated Spoonerisms, dates it to 1879, and gives nine examples “attributed to Spooner, most of them spuriously”.[4] They are: > > [ol] > [li]“Three cheers for our queer old dean!” (dear old queen, referring to Queen Victoria)[/li][li]“Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?” (customary to kiss)[/li][li]“The Lord is a shoving leopard.” (a loving shepherd)[/li][li]“A blushing crow.” (crushing blow)[/li][li]“A well-boiled icicle” (well-oiled bicycle)[/li][li]“You were fighting a liar in the quadrangle.” (lighting a fire)[/li][li]“Is the bean dizzy?” (dean busy)[/li][li]“Someone is occupewing my pie. Please sew me to another sheet.” (occupying my pew…show me to another seat)[/li][li]“You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted a whole worm. Please leave Oxford on the next town drain.” (missed…history, wasted…term, down train)[/li][/ol] So, what say you all? Ah. You say you want to see more pictures. Okey-doke: [See how he’s grown](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2547113470000735275OkiDFC) [Playing with Peanut](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2225763190000735275iOHMBJ) [Meeting the Roomba](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2546233780000735275KcwFEj) - which didn’t so much intimidate as confuse and intrigue him. In fact, he followed it around, bouncing close and away, once even rebounding off it when their paths abruptly crossed. [Ears to you](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2717223760000735275GfKEdC) ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/2 "2009-01-05T16:50:45Z")
Spooner is an \*awesome \*name. And Spooner looks and acts quite a bit like my Rio. Rio’s reaction to the Roomba was…meh…until at one point he tried to snag it with a claw. Also, Rio can be scooped up from any surface, and placed in your lap in the exact same position, or scooped from your lap and placed in the exact same position on another surface. Rio’s going on 5 now, though; no longer a kitten. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/3 "2009-01-05T16:55:14Z")
Squeee! Kittie! Spooner is a great name! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/4 "2009-01-05T17:02:52Z")
> [@TroubleAgain](#): > > Spooner is an \*awesome \*name. And Spooner looks and acts quite a bit like my Rio. Rio’s reaction to the Roomba was…meh…until at one point he tried to snag it with a claw. Also, Rio can be scooped up from any surface, and placed in your lap in the exact same position, or scooped from your lap and placed in the exact same position on another surface. Rio’s going on 5 now, though; no longer a kitten. Your Rio sounds amazingly like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Sorry; as I was typing the little bugger leaped into my lap and went for my face with cold wet nose and batting paws. He still can’t decide which part of me to drape himself on, so while he oozes about, purring madly, typing has gotten a bit problematic. Anyway, while he isn’t afraid of the Roomba, he does prefer to [observe it from a safe distance,](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2348569010000735275KKGBSd) just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/5 "2009-01-05T17:15:43Z")
My little tortie, Miss Morgan the Wise, was quite the lap kitten back in the day and has since grown into a full-sized lap cat… it’s gotten to the point that I don’t even notice her curling up on me half the time, at least not until I need to get up and realise I’ve got a lapful of cat. Lucky you! ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/6 "2009-01-05T17:33:53Z")
He’s very cute. There’s a town in Wisconsin called Spooner. I have a very bad kitty. He eats the dog’s food and so I’ve been trying to stop him by using a squirt gun. The little brat turns around and attacks the squirt gun! He doesn’t mind being squirted, and will put up with it long enough to steal a piece of food from the dog’s bowl. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/7 "2009-01-05T17:36:49Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Your Rio sounds amazingly like > > aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa > > Sorry; as I was typing the little bugger leaped into my lap and went for my face with cold wet nose and batting paws. He still can’t decide which part of me to drape himself on, so while he oozes about, purring madly, typing has gotten a bit problematic. Heh.😃 My [Rio](http://www.flickr.com/photos/troubleagain/2819996610/in/set-72157602651317786/). ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/8 "2009-01-05T17:45:02Z")
> [@TroubleAgain](#): > > Heh.😃 My [Rio](http://www.flickr.com/photos/troubleagain/2819996610/in/set-72157602651317786/). Oh, wicked handsome! And talk about laidback, eh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/9 "2009-01-05T17:52:21Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Anyway, while he isn’t afraid of the Roomba, he does prefer to [observe it from a safe distance,](http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2348569010000735275KKGBSd) just in case. He could learn something from [this cat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ-jv8g1YVI). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/10 "2009-01-05T18:00:53Z")
Spooner! Spooner! Spooner! Spooner! Spooner! Spooner! Spooner! Like **TroubleAgain** said, awesome name. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/11 "2009-01-05T18:22:59Z")
Does he answer to that name? ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/12 "2009-01-05T18:27:59Z")
I’m a big fan of the double o sound in pet names. Spooner definitely gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/13 "2009-01-05T18:33:05Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Does he answer to that name? If actually answering to the name was a requirement I suspect many people’s cats wouldn’t have names. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/14 "2009-01-05T19:32:19Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > If actually answering to the name was a requirement I suspect many people’s cats wouldn’t have names. How do you spell the sound made by an electric can-opener? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/15 "2009-01-05T19:33:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > How do you spell the sound made by an electric can-opener? whrrrrrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/16 "2009-01-05T19:35:00Z")
Awww, sweetie! And Spooner is a way-cute name! ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/17 "2009-01-05T19:41:18Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > If actually answering to the name was a requirement I suspect many people’s cats wouldn’t have names. 😃 So true! Except of course at mealtime. Chica will respond to _anything_ if she hears food preparation sounds. I see that this has already been discussed. I should change my name to **superfluous comment**. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/18 "2009-01-05T20:43:36Z")
Spooner’s an excellent name. He’s soooo cute. Makes me want a kitten, but my husband would disown me. And, because I have to by the SDMB bylaws, here are: [Jack](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceejaytee/2469554605/) [Lizzie](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceejaytee/2470378114/) and [Anna](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceejaytee/2470377310/) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/19 "2009-01-05T21:16:53Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > If actually answering to the name was a requirement I suspect many people’s cats wouldn’t have names. 😃 I was just about to say… 😃 **Robot Arm** , I use a hand-operated can opener, and there is no way I can duplicate the crinky little sound that makes. Besides, it’s the clatter of the bowls (wet food) or the sound of the front hall closet door opening and shutting (dry food) that gets 'em running in my household. **Ceejaytee** , AWWWWWWWWWWWWW… And everybody should have a picture of their cat in a sink. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953/20 "2009-01-05T21:26:32Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > **Ceejaytee** , AWWWWWWWWWWWWW… And everybody should have a picture of their cat in a sink. 🙂 My Katya (AKA whrrrrrrrrr) has taken to sitting in the sink when I get up in the morning and go to the bathroom. I pet her in the sink, and she purrs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nameless-kitten-may-be-named-at-last-or-maybe-not/479953.md?page=2)