Badass Kitty
February 16, 2011 6:46 AM Subscribe
Would you like to name another survivor cat?
One of my ferals came in with nasty multiple head injuries. The vet thinks she tangled with a coyote. (Badass kitty! Tangled with a coyote and got away!) She's going to be living in a crate for a couple of weeks getting thoroughly medicated, but she should end up okay.
It seems to me that, if I'm going to be handling her this much, maybe she should have more of a name than "Big." Maybe even an actual pet name, you know?
She was so dubbed because she's three times the size of the rest of the cats (her mother and siblings), but it turns out she only weighed 10.8 pounds at the vet visit. Perhaps some of that was dehydration and weight loss; we hadn't seen her for 3 days before she came in with the injury). But she's still not a giant of a cat, apparently. The rest of the colony is just tiny!
She's about 5 years old, has gotten in fights before but has never been this badly injured. She's black, like the rest of the colony. She's a muscular thing. She's eartipped, like all the TNR'd ferals in the colony.
She had a puncture to the forehead, the cheek, and the eye. She's currently got her 3rd eyelid stitched closed over the injured eye to protect it while it heals (so you may not wish to see the pictures) but the vet *thinks* they saved the eye. We'll see in 2 weeks when the stitches come out. They're not sure how much sight will be in it, and it may be discolored. The other punctures should heal fine, may leave white hairs or bald spots.
And for a feral cat locked in a crate, she's behaving very oddly. Usually I can touch her with one finger, precisely where she wants to be rubbed, for a few minutes, only when she's standing in a very specific spot--and that's it. I expected her to be angry and difficult to handle. Today she's been crawling into my lap and rolling around on me, purring like a motorboat and kneading happily.
When she's healed, she goes back out into the colony. Mr. G is severely allergic to cats; we'll happily support a feral colony but we can't have housecats. We don't know if she'll stay cuddly or revert to being wild when we let her back out.
So what shall we call the snuggly, fighty, muscular, badass kitty with potentially one scarred eye?
One of my ferals came in with nasty multiple head injuries. The vet thinks she tangled with a coyote. (Badass kitty! Tangled with a coyote and got away!) She's going to be living in a crate for a couple of weeks getting thoroughly medicated, but she should end up okay.
It seems to me that, if I'm going to be handling her this much, maybe she should have more of a name than "Big." Maybe even an actual pet name, you know?
She was so dubbed because she's three times the size of the rest of the cats (her mother and siblings), but it turns out she only weighed 10.8 pounds at the vet visit. Perhaps some of that was dehydration and weight loss; we hadn't seen her for 3 days before she came in with the injury). But she's still not a giant of a cat, apparently. The rest of the colony is just tiny!
She's about 5 years old, has gotten in fights before but has never been this badly injured. She's black, like the rest of the colony. She's a muscular thing. She's eartipped, like all the TNR'd ferals in the colony.
She had a puncture to the forehead, the cheek, and the eye. She's currently got her 3rd eyelid stitched closed over the injured eye to protect it while it heals (so you may not wish to see the pictures) but the vet *thinks* they saved the eye. We'll see in 2 weeks when the stitches come out. They're not sure how much sight will be in it, and it may be discolored. The other punctures should heal fine, may leave white hairs or bald spots.
And for a feral cat locked in a crate, she's behaving very oddly. Usually I can touch her with one finger, precisely where she wants to be rubbed, for a few minutes, only when she's standing in a very specific spot--and that's it. I expected her to be angry and difficult to handle. Today she's been crawling into my lap and rolling around on me, purring like a motorboat and kneading happily.
When she's healed, she goes back out into the colony. Mr. G is severely allergic to cats; we'll happily support a feral colony but we can't have housecats. We don't know if she'll stay cuddly or revert to being wild when we let her back out.
So what shall we call the snuggly, fighty, muscular, badass kitty with potentially one scarred eye?
ACME.
posted by BobbyDigital at 6:53 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by BobbyDigital at 6:53 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Jackie Brown.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:56 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:56 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
My grandma knows a big, badass German lady who used to be a personal assistant for some famous German boxer (whose name I don't know but who is apparently very well known) boxer back in the 50s. And she's done some boxing herself. She's, like, 6'3" and 250 lbs of badass old German lady muscle.
Her name is Hilde (hill-dee).
I think you should name the cat Hilde.
posted by phunniemee at 7:01 AM on February 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
Her name is Hilde (hill-dee).
I think you should name the cat Hilde.
posted by phunniemee at 7:01 AM on February 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
If this cat adapts so well to indoor life but because of severe allergies in your family you cannot take her in, perhaps you could find someone else to adopt her permanently? In any case I would name her Corva, Clara, or Wednesday, but only if I were to keep her as a house cat.
posted by aught at 7:05 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by aught at 7:05 AM on February 16, 2011
She's female, she's tiny (she is!), she's badass, and she keeps coming back? Sounds like Sarah Connor to me. Or Trinity.
posted by clone boulevard at 7:06 AM on February 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by clone boulevard at 7:06 AM on February 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
Dude, I vote that you keep calling her "Big", short for "Big Badass Kitty!" (exclamation point in the name). Pet names need not be of the human name or cutesy pet name variety.
And I say this as someone who had a dog named Jake, a cat named "Mr. Kitty", and another cat named "The Cat".
posted by ellenaim at 7:10 AM on February 16, 2011
And I say this as someone who had a dog named Jake, a cat named "Mr. Kitty", and another cat named "The Cat".
posted by ellenaim at 7:10 AM on February 16, 2011
Alternatively, you could call her "BK" or "Beaker." But people need to know she's a Badass Kitty!
posted by ellenaim at 7:13 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by ellenaim at 7:13 AM on February 16, 2011
Bhagavad Kitta (I am become death, destroyer of coyotes)
Bhags for short.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:16 AM on February 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
Bhags for short.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:16 AM on February 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
Elle Driver (code name: California Mountain Snake)...although Beatrix Kiddo would make more sense from a survivor standpoint, especially if both eyes are saved.
posted by castlebravo at 7:21 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by castlebravo at 7:21 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Kevin
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 7:23 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 7:23 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Mildred Burke was a professional wrestler back in the days before Vince McMahon. She was one of those wrestlers you heard about - fifty bucks if you can last five minutes in the ring with Crusher! Except it wasn't Crusher, it was Mildred. And the thing was, those fights weren't fixed.
She wrestled over 200 of those men and only lost to one of them.
Back in those days, you had to be tough, you had to be badass, and you had to be able to handle yourself.
She did wrestle fixed matches sometimes though - at least, that was the plan. See, Mildred pissed off the wrong people and her wrestling match against another woman suddenly turned into a real match.
During that match, her femur popped out.
Mildred Burke gritted her teeth, popped that motherfucker back in, and wrestled for another forty-five minutes.
I think what you've got here is a Mildred.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:27 AM on February 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
She wrestled over 200 of those men and only lost to one of them.
Back in those days, you had to be tough, you had to be badass, and you had to be able to handle yourself.
She did wrestle fixed matches sometimes though - at least, that was the plan. See, Mildred pissed off the wrong people and her wrestling match against another woman suddenly turned into a real match.
During that match, her femur popped out.
Mildred Burke gritted her teeth, popped that motherfucker back in, and wrestled for another forty-five minutes.
I think what you've got here is a Mildred.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:27 AM on February 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
In terms of behavior, I had to crate my cat for six months and keep her away from the rest of the family (rabies scare). I had thought she would come out of the quarantine hating me, but she's now extra lovey to me. You're giving the kitty shelter! Food! Water! I think she just appreciates it.
posted by frecklefaerie at 7:40 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by frecklefaerie at 7:40 AM on February 16, 2011
Sasha Fierce, after the alter ego of Beyonce, who is a survivor and will not diss you on the internet.
My former injured stray is named Bonus Cat, so I might not be the best judge of names.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:53 AM on February 16, 2011
My former injured stray is named Bonus Cat, so I might not be the best judge of names.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:53 AM on February 16, 2011
My mom's dearly departed one-eyed cat was named Annie, so I go for Annie.
Considering the only treatment Annie would submit to when she got hurt was to submit to ONE SHOT OF PENICILLIN, ONE TIME, EVER, and she survived to maul many another rat, Annie is a survivor name.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:55 AM on February 16, 2011
Considering the only treatment Annie would submit to when she got hurt was to submit to ONE SHOT OF PENICILLIN, ONE TIME, EVER, and she survived to maul many another rat, Annie is a survivor name.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:55 AM on February 16, 2011
Big Badass Kitty? I'd go for Bibi (bee-bee), short for BBK. Which could also stand for BB King, who is also big and badass and awesome.
posted by angiep at 8:14 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by angiep at 8:14 AM on February 16, 2011
How about Miss Big? Like Mr. Big, from Sex and the City. It keeps her current name and reflects her bad ass status, but sounds cute, too.
My experience with taming down animals is that confinement, close contact and complete dependence fosters affectionate behavior. Sounds like that is happening with you and Big, also.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:17 AM on February 16, 2011
My experience with taming down animals is that confinement, close contact and complete dependence fosters affectionate behavior. Sounds like that is happening with you and Big, also.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:17 AM on February 16, 2011
Jezebel.
posted by orange swan at 8:20 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by orange swan at 8:20 AM on February 16, 2011
I second Hilde.
posted by freshwater at 8:52 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by freshwater at 8:52 AM on February 16, 2011
Hit-Girl from the movie Kick-Ass. Pre-teen tiny girl who was tough and no nonsense.
posted by maxg94 at 8:54 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by maxg94 at 8:54 AM on February 16, 2011
She's being snuggly because she's HIGH ON DRUGS, maybe, for her injuries? I've known some supermean feral cats that went all soppy after a bit of antibiotics.
posted by vickyverky at 9:26 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by vickyverky at 9:26 AM on February 16, 2011
I would call her Roadrunner, because she beat the wily coyote!
posted by misha at 9:36 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by misha at 9:36 AM on February 16, 2011
Response by poster: You know, since she was dopey and snuggly when we got her home, I thought it was just the anesthesia recovery. The next day, though, she was even more insistent on being snuggly, yet definitely awake and alert. (Still figuring out the cone, though.) I even checked my itemized receipt to see if there was a long-acting hallucinogen or narcotic that would still be in her system after 24 hours. It's now been 2 days, and she is just as much a lap-cat if I give her any opportunity--and then I have to wash my clothes and shower, so Mr. G can continue to breathe ;)
I know feral cats can become more tame if they're confined and handled; I just wasn't expecting a full-on snugglecat as soon as she got back. I really did think she'd be difficult to handle at first. Her previous confinements (trapping to get her fixed/vaxed initially, and for another injury that didn't require aftercare) were angry, loud, fighting-with-the-cage I-will-hurt-you-woman affairs.
I am loving all of these answers, although I got the best laugh from Acme. Mr. G is voting for Ripley, and says I need to see Aliens when he gets home tonight. Hilde and Mildred sound *great*--but I think I'd end up making it Hildy or Mildy in daily use, and that just doesn't sound right :) We'll probably make a decision later tonight, so if there's more, I'm still open!
posted by galadriel at 9:55 AM on February 16, 2011
I know feral cats can become more tame if they're confined and handled; I just wasn't expecting a full-on snugglecat as soon as she got back. I really did think she'd be difficult to handle at first. Her previous confinements (trapping to get her fixed/vaxed initially, and for another injury that didn't require aftercare) were angry, loud, fighting-with-the-cage I-will-hurt-you-woman affairs.
I am loving all of these answers, although I got the best laugh from Acme. Mr. G is voting for Ripley, and says I need to see Aliens when he gets home tonight. Hilde and Mildred sound *great*--but I think I'd end up making it Hildy or Mildy in daily use, and that just doesn't sound right :) We'll probably make a decision later tonight, so if there's more, I'm still open!
posted by galadriel at 9:55 AM on February 16, 2011
Millie, perhaps.
Old lady names are good names.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 10:17 AM on February 16, 2011
Old lady names are good names.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 10:17 AM on February 16, 2011
Hilde and Mildred are old lady names.
I like Acme and Ripley.
If you really want to go with the Bad-Ass Ladies In History thing, Bea Arthur, of course. In addition to tangling with Archie Bunker and being the bad-assest Golden Girl, She was a marine in WW2, but - get this - was such a BAMF that she actually didn't want people to know. Hell, yeah.
Also "Bea" is a good stand in for "B", short for Big. So it wouldn't actually change her name all that much.
posted by Sara C. at 10:58 AM on February 16, 2011
I like Acme and Ripley.
If you really want to go with the Bad-Ass Ladies In History thing, Bea Arthur, of course. In addition to tangling with Archie Bunker and being the bad-assest Golden Girl, She was a marine in WW2, but - get this - was such a BAMF that she actually didn't want people to know. Hell, yeah.
Also "Bea" is a good stand in for "B", short for Big. So it wouldn't actually change her name all that much.
posted by Sara C. at 10:58 AM on February 16, 2011
I googled "bad ass women" and came up with this list. Personally, I like Annie and Belle from among those listed. From the list of Mefi suggestions, I'd take Ripley. Long live the kitty.
posted by Paris Elk at 11:20 AM on February 16, 2011
posted by Paris Elk at 11:20 AM on February 16, 2011
Murgatroyd.
posted by Lobster Garden at 11:27 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Lobster Garden at 11:27 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Teflon Brutality.
(I was helping a friend come up with roller derby names. I think it would work for this cat, too.)
If not, I second 'honeybadger'.
posted by sutt at 12:28 PM on February 16, 2011
(I was helping a friend come up with roller derby names. I think it would work for this cat, too.)
If not, I second 'honeybadger'.
posted by sutt at 12:28 PM on February 16, 2011
My grandmother's name was Blanche and she was a tough old bitch who would take anyone down.
I vote for Blanche.
Or you could just call her Tough Bitch, or TB for short.
posted by Sal and Richard at 1:01 PM on February 16, 2011
I vote for Blanche.
Or you could just call her Tough Bitch, or TB for short.
posted by Sal and Richard at 1:01 PM on February 16, 2011
Battle Cat!
posted by Jess the Mess at 3:42 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Jess the Mess at 3:42 PM on February 16, 2011
Response by poster: Kitty's new name is Ripley :) It's a good choice.
posted by galadriel at 7:41 AM on February 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by galadriel at 7:41 AM on February 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: If anyone is curious, Ripley had her last vet checkup yesterday (6 weeks from injury). The eye looks great. It's got a bit of cloudiness at the site of the puncture, and the pupil doesn't dilate/contract in tune with the other eye, but overall it has healed SO well. At first we weren't even sure she was going to live, much less whether we could save the eye. To have any vision out of the eye--to have the eye be mostly clear!--is amazing.
posted by galadriel at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2011
posted by galadriel at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Joe Beese at 6:48 AM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]