July 19, 2009
Meet the Flockers’ Pets: Kitten A & Kitten B
This morning I adopted two kittens, as yet unnamed.
My family had guinea pigs when I was a kid, and I’ve enjoyed living with several housemates’ cats, but these are my first pets as an adult. I’ve always felt that I was destined to become a crazy cat lady, but “I’m not responsible enough to have pets,” I’ve said. I don’t know what’s changed, but all of a sudden here we are.
These guys need names. The ones they came with are Jermaine and Tito, which are not acceptable for a number of reasons. Some suggestions so far:
Paired names
Bold & Italic
Chiaro & Scuro
Chicago & Style
Condensed & Extended
Frank & Malachy
Gogol & Bordello
Interrobang & Ampersand
Morrissey & Marr
Peanut & Butter/Brittle/Schultz/Garbanzo
Proton & Electron
Serif & Sans
Stand & Deliver
Statler & Waldorf
Strunk & White
Single names
Bear
Chairman Meow
Cheeseburger
Dingbat
Ears McPhee
Hambone
Mittens
Mouse
Mr Meowgi
Pica
PJ
Scooter
Sprocket
Trolley
Wooba Dooba
Suggestions?
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Just pick names that are different enough from each other to not cause more confusion than kittens already bring. They are gorgeous, look slightly feral, will no doubt bring you great strife and mirth.
Frank and Malachy seem the sweetest of that particular bunch, to me tonight. I was born and reared in Limerick. This is the passing of our most lauded native son.
Strife and mirth.
If Lucy’s prophecy holds true. Yin & Yang?
They’re so loving toward each other that I did think, “Rick & Danny?” for a minute.
‘bang and ‘sand for short, although “A” and “B” are nice, thing 1, thing 2? single names: catamaran, catatonic, cataleptic, catastrophe, catsup, catalog, catapult, cat, hey you…furface
India. thank you. There is a piece of me that would love being the namesake of a kitten.
I think they need kitty-type names, though. Ross’s suggestions are delightful.
Rick’s answer (mostly just the word strife) makes me think of “Gonads and Strife”
You should probably call your kittens that, but not look up why.
You could also go Seussian and use “Thing 1″ and “Thing 2.” Is Seussian a word? It ought to be. Other alternatives:
Daggett and Norbert
Adam and Steve (or Eve and Yvonne)
Brisket and Shank
Balthasar and Melchior (it would lead to some interesting questions, at least)
Pride and Prejudice (and zombies!)
War and Peace
Ryu and Ken
SYN and ACK
There and Back Again
aguacate
baby-lon (pronounced like “baby”)
fisk
osito
Really, give it a couple of weeks before you decide. One of my favorite cats I ever had was Tasty. I was asleep on the couch, my head flopped over sideways and mouth wide open, and she stuck her whole head in my mouth! You really can’t beat that kind of thing, if it happens.
One of my friends had a cat named “Diesel” with similar markings to Kitten A and Kitten B. It seemed to fit him quite well – he would head-butt you into submission whenever he needed attention. However, the only name that pairs with “Diesel” isn’t one I’d give to a kitten.
Perhaps something Greek … Hubris and Nemesis?
Oh ‘bang and ‘sand, like Ross recommends! That’s my vote too.
Castor and Pollux?
Apollo and Artemis?
Fred and George
Wonka and Slugworth
Peanut and Butter are my favorites so far. Frank and Malachy are nice but Malachy might be tough for a cat, depending on the cat.
Mo’ names:
Minion & Myriad
Gill & Janson
Electra & Perpetua (too many syllables)
Open & Type
Barry & Robin
Zeppo & Chico
Gummo and Harpo
Duane & Greg
Jaffe & Martin
Union & Court
Smith & Union
Gauge & Boson
Master & Commander
@SC You’d be surprised what a cat will respond to. My ex has a particularly dim-witted cat (we think he suffered a head injury, perhaps at the hands of previous owners) that answers to Schrödinger.
Oh, I have no expectation that either cat will respond to its name. I’ve never known one that did. The names are solely for humans’ benefit.
Huckle & Lowly
India Mazel Tov!! You will love sharing your life with kitties. They are cute kittens now, but they’ll grow up to be cats. Perhaps consider Sturm and Drang?
I vote for Hambone and Sprocket.
A house full of kittens is a glorious thing!
All of your paired names are better than any of your single names. I’m feeling the Frank and Malachy love, it is timely and sweet. I have a friend with a dog named Kevin, and I’ve learned to appreciate the appeal of non-cutesy names for an animal, they are unexpected and give an air of dignity that pet names may not.
That said, ‘bang and ‘sand are fantastic and definitely my second vote. My cats, litter-sisters, adopted as kittens, Tiki and Ollie, would approve.
Aubrey and Maturin?
Cooter and Rapunzel.
“Aubrey & Maturin” was my very first thought, but considering that all my computer hard drives, flash drives, and iPods have O’Brianian names, it seems kind of impersonal to name the cats that way, too.
This morning so far there has been scampering, spooning, reciprocal washing, and a lot of napping. Y’all? I feel so blessed.
Smut & Hef
(sorry–I can see that they aren’t those kinds of cats!)
Inspector Pickles and Commander Fuzzybotham
Can’t-Get-Right and Jangle Leg
Trousers and Trollop
Billy Ray and Cyrus.
For duos there’s always Dupond and Dupont
(Wikipedia tells me they’re Thomson and Thompson in English, never knew that.)
Champagne and Reefer. (Muddy Waters reference, y’all.)
Dupond and Dupont! I never knew that, either!
I haven’t read any Tintin in years, but I do like the idea. There’s a definite cartoonishness about these creatures, and right now they are having an exciting adventure in a paper shopping bag.
Beans and Cornbread.
Wieners and Sauerkraut.
Hot Dog and Mustard.
Chitlins and Potato Salad.
Strawberry and Shortcake.
Corned Beef and Cabbage.
Liver and Onions.
Red Beans and Rice.
Bagel and Lox.
Sour Cream and Biscuit.
Bread and Butter.
Hot Cakes and Molasses.
Watson & Holmes.
R2D2 & C3PO.
Han & Luke.
Smith & Wesson.
India, is there a chance you may be inspired to publish a book addressing How to Care for Kittens (in the manner of How to Care for a Guinea Pig)?
Biscuit and Gravy
Tinker and Belle
@Sheiler: I don’t know shit about raising kittens. I mean, even less than I knew about guinea pigs. But you can probably count on some Friday Cat-Blogging.
@Branone: I love the name “Biscuit.” Gravy, though, not so much. And though one of these cats is decidedly more femme, they are both boys, so I think it’d have to be “Tinker & Beau.”
The best thing about kitten-raising is that there is nothing to it. They do raise themselves — and raze anything onto which they can fix their little teeth or claws.
Mo’ names.
Thompson and Thomson works but why not: Tintin & Snowy
Asterix & Obelix
McCourt & Cronkite
Fold & Gather
My favorites so far: R2D2 & C3PO and Smith & Wesson. (But I don’t think these work for these cats, alas.)
India, I am late to the party but happy to be here.
I adore cats – these little bundles of mischief are just FAB! I dare not suggest names, I just want to touch them, but, most of all hold them to my face and smell them.
Wonderful.
I must admit, they’re not the sweetest-smelling creatures right now—I don’t think they’ve quite got the knack of washing yet, and they will keep finding the dustiest places in my apartment to roll in. I’ve wiped them down with wet paper towels several times, and Kitten B occasionally washes Kitten A, but they still have a bit more Eau de Shelter than I would like.
Suggestions, anyone? How can I encourage them to wash more, besides rubbing them with sardines?
India, don gloves and protection for your arms. Fill a bowl with warm water or indeed the bath. Take a firm grip and plunge in washing quickly – there will be a fight, but, it will be worth it.
Cover ALL skin!
Eau de Shelter will subside. I think. Fret not.
Lena grooms herself less frequently and more casually than any cat I have ever known, and yet — I love the way she smells, especially when she has come in from the cold.
She smells of Nothing.
A most distinct aroma of Nothing.
It is exhilarating.
I wish I could bottle it. People would love it.
Conflicting Cat Advice! What fun!
(India: Consider if we had kids. Wouldn’t it be awful? I mean, not just the kid-rearing, which would be awful, but the Konflicting Kid Advice!)
Clusterkids. They’d be foul-mouthed gourmet cooks and have all the latest gadgets.
“Later, dear. Can’t you see Mother’s reading?”
You should read Tailchaser’s Song by Tad WIlliams and then pick names for the kittens. No matter what you name them now, you may find yourself calling them something completely different in a few months/years.
Our cat’s names have grown over the years, so what started out as just Ben & Peanut eventually turned into Benjamin Buford Blue & Abigail Peanut Paws.
Yes that’s it, it doesn’t matter what you *call* them you will find out their names later… I got a cat many years ago, called her “cat” not from indifference, but, letting her be what she would be, and “cat”, although not really believed in by felines, seemed about as un-presupposing as I could be, later when she became a child bride, first she was “Juliet” then she was “momcat” which she stayed…