Search for a Suitable Name

  I got a kitten a week ago Wednesday.  We haven’t named him yet.  I thought about Simba because of the whole yellow kitten playful sassy thing:  “I just can’t wait to be King.”  Eh!  Maybe not.  It’s really cute.  My 21 year old said it fit him, but not me.

  I’ve never been one to pick pet type names for my animals.  I’d never name a cat fluffy even if it was the fluffiest cat in the world.  I’d never name a dog spot or duke.  My last cat was named Dustin and was called Dusty all his life.  People thought it was because his long hair carried dust.  I’m not that shallow, though as a kitten he did have a grey spot atop his head that seemed like dirt of some kind.

  We toyed with the name “Spud.”  The kitty loves laying on the couch and watching TV.  But Spud seemed more of a dogs name or something you’d call your brother when you weren’t convinced he had proper parentage.  Tater was related, but seemed too country cute.  I don’t care for country style, so I haven’t really given it a chance.

  Louis flips cereal at him and he chases it and eats it, I haven’t ruled out Cheerio, but it reminds me of when I named my Dog 'Phizgig' because of her resemblance to a creature in a movie “The Dark Crystal.”  My grandchildren called her “Biscuit” and everyone said “How cute, does she like biscuits or is it because of her size.”  I’m thinking “Who would name a dog Bisquit?”  But then, my friend named hers Muffin.

  Boomer: short for boomerang, seems somewhat appropriate.  But it’s so localized.  Most yellow cats I’ve known are energetic, inquisitive kittens but mellow extremely upon adulthood.  So while he bounds back when you throw him now (off the couch, off the table, off the bed, out of the room), he probably won’t be so inclined when he’s mature (fat).

  So I listen to myself and watch the crazy little thing and think, ‘How long will we say “Little Cat, commeer”?’ 

  A visitor to my studio this week told Louis we should call him “Taco.”  Taco?  I turned my head to cough politely as my eyes and nostrils flared and almost coughed up a hairball.

  The whole "king" thing still has me intrigued.  Elvis?  Louie? (Not there!) Henry?  Hannibal?  Nabopilasser?  Ludwig? (Yeah: hey Lude cat.)  Ferdinand?  That’s not a bad one but how do you shorten it. (Here Ferdi, Ferdi)  Sargon the Great seems cool, but then there is a close resemblance to the bad guys in Lord of the Rings.  Of course, Sargon’s related identity might be good.  Nimrod.  “Nim witt” “Hot rod”  I could do this if I knew he’d make it to “mighty hunter” stage.  He does toss and chase the play mice with rattles inside.

  Sigh!  "Here, here, Little Cat."