To Name a Cat

Cat naming is exhausting.

A name must reflect something - color, personality, origin, temperment - and after all, the poor animal must live with it's name for a lifetime so you can't just pull something out of thin air. The new kitten is very small, her weight is still measured in ounces. She's also very fast and can turn a corner on a dime, particularly if there's another feline either in front of or behind her. And at five weeks, she is absolutely fearless. She does her little crab dance across the floor then leaps into the air and with remarkable self confidence confronts her prey eye to eye. Her entire body language is challenging.

I've gone through names for the past week, even resorting to the internet - celebrity cats, celebrities who have cats, literary cats, cartoon cats, fictional cats, film cats, cats of famous authors, cats of myth... I rejected name after name. Friends even made suggestions but nothing seemed exactly right.

It occurred to me that perhaps the reason I was having so much trouble was that this was a kitten who preferred to choose her own name. I've known such independent minded cats before and she was showing all the signs. I drew up a list of the top ten names and waited until she disappeared into the closet then in a firm but open minded tone of voice, I read each name aloud. She emerged on the 7th name.

The first rite of passage was behind us. Welcome to the family, Mugglesworth. Live long and prosper.