With all the grace of a sledgehammer
March 28, 2018 6:09 PM Subscribe
I just adopted a 10-year-old Bengal kitty. She is, of course, the best cat. Help me come up with a name!
Obligatory pictures of my cat.
She's very big and strong, clocking in around 12 pounds -- all muscle.
She's cross-eyed. She might also be a little hard of hearing, because she doesn't come when I open food cans or put food in her bowl, but maybe she's just not food-driven? I think her depth perception is off (due to the crossed eyes and/or the scratch on her cornea from when she was a kitten), because she is distinctly less graceful than other cats I've had -- she's kinda clumsy, actually. But she makes up for it with raw strength and her goofy charisma.
She LOVES with the feather-on-a-string fishing-rod toy -- so much so that she drags it, rod and all, to her food bowl, plops it in, and eats around it.
When she's jumping to catch a toy, she lands more like a football player mid-tackle than a ballerina. She purrs like a jarful of marbles. She loves sitting in front of the fireplace and on the rocking chair next to it. She's super into active cuddles -- like, I pet her, and she walks or rolls or squirms around into the pets.
Her cross-eyes give her a kind of Destiny-gazing-into-infinity look, so I thought maybe a name related to that -- one of the Fates, or a dream-god, or something. I thought of "Atropos", but it didn't have quite the right ring. I'm also thinking maybe something related either to the moon/other celestial or nighttime phenomena, something crepuscular, or something related to Faerie since she seems a little otherworldly. "Stellaluna", maybe?
What would you name this cat?
Obligatory pictures of my cat.
She's very big and strong, clocking in around 12 pounds -- all muscle.
She's cross-eyed. She might also be a little hard of hearing, because she doesn't come when I open food cans or put food in her bowl, but maybe she's just not food-driven? I think her depth perception is off (due to the crossed eyes and/or the scratch on her cornea from when she was a kitten), because she is distinctly less graceful than other cats I've had -- she's kinda clumsy, actually. But she makes up for it with raw strength and her goofy charisma.
She LOVES with the feather-on-a-string fishing-rod toy -- so much so that she drags it, rod and all, to her food bowl, plops it in, and eats around it.
When she's jumping to catch a toy, she lands more like a football player mid-tackle than a ballerina. She purrs like a jarful of marbles. She loves sitting in front of the fireplace and on the rocking chair next to it. She's super into active cuddles -- like, I pet her, and she walks or rolls or squirms around into the pets.
Her cross-eyes give her a kind of Destiny-gazing-into-infinity look, so I thought maybe a name related to that -- one of the Fates, or a dream-god, or something. I thought of "Atropos", but it didn't have quite the right ring. I'm also thinking maybe something related either to the moon/other celestial or nighttime phenomena, something crepuscular, or something related to Faerie since she seems a little otherworldly. "Stellaluna", maybe?
What would you name this cat?
Athena.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:19 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:19 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
The answer is always Tonks.
posted by msali at 6:22 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by msali at 6:22 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
"Raw strength and goofy charisma" reminds me of Valkyrie from Thor: Ragnarok?
posted by bleep at 6:25 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by bleep at 6:25 PM on March 28, 2018
Karen Black.
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:26 PM on March 28, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:26 PM on March 28, 2018 [4 favorites]
Behold! Your cat's name is Mjölnir!
Pronounced... Meowl-neer! (Thor's hammer).
posted by Temeraria at 6:38 PM on March 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
Pronounced... Meowl-neer! (Thor's hammer).
posted by Temeraria at 6:38 PM on March 28, 2018 [8 favorites]
My immediate thought when I saw her photo is that her name should be Phoenix. I don't have a lot of reasons for that, but it's what popped into my head when I saw her, but it seems to suit her strength and big personality.
posted by darksong at 6:50 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by darksong at 6:50 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
Gertrude
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 6:50 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 6:50 PM on March 28, 2018
Aughra, like the Dark Crystal character?
Selena
Argus (I know he was a dude but he also had a hundred eyes and watched over magic apples)
caveat: I couldn’t see your photos
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:55 PM on March 28, 2018
Selena
Argus (I know he was a dude but he also had a hundred eyes and watched over magic apples)
caveat: I couldn’t see your photos
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:55 PM on March 28, 2018
Best answer: She might also be a little hard of hearing, because she doesn't come when I open food cans or put food in her bowl, but maybe she's just not food-driven?
...
She LOVES with the feather-on-a-string fishing-rod toy -- so much so that she drags it, rod and all, to her food bowl, plops it in, and eats around it.
I think by instinct or some process of conditioning I am having a hard time imagining, that she only wants to eat food that is freshly killed (which could be useful in avoiding food poisoning) and she judges by the fact that it was recently moving and she had to chase it down, so when she drags her toy over to the bowl, plops it down and eats around it, that serves to identify the food in the bowl with proxy freshly killed prey, and allows her to eat it without overcoming any instinctive or conditioned aversion.
Therefore I'm betting she's not deaf -- and that she's going to turn out to be resourceful as all hell in getting what she wants.
Hence, 'Lola'.
posted by jamjam at 6:58 PM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
...
She LOVES with the feather-on-a-string fishing-rod toy -- so much so that she drags it, rod and all, to her food bowl, plops it in, and eats around it.
I think by instinct or some process of conditioning I am having a hard time imagining, that she only wants to eat food that is freshly killed (which could be useful in avoiding food poisoning) and she judges by the fact that it was recently moving and she had to chase it down, so when she drags her toy over to the bowl, plops it down and eats around it, that serves to identify the food in the bowl with proxy freshly killed prey, and allows her to eat it without overcoming any instinctive or conditioned aversion.
Therefore I'm betting she's not deaf -- and that she's going to turn out to be resourceful as all hell in getting what she wants.
Hence, 'Lola'.
posted by jamjam at 6:58 PM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oatmeal. Sister Blueberry.
Clare.
Athena. Sara Von butteremaid.
Nancy.
Honey Onion.
Tabitha Von Bean
Rose T. Chicken
Marilyn
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:00 PM on March 28, 2018
Clare.
Athena. Sara Von butteremaid.
Nancy.
Honey Onion.
Tabitha Von Bean
Rose T. Chicken
Marilyn
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:00 PM on March 28, 2018
Emma Gee
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:00 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:00 PM on March 28, 2018
From Greek mythology, there's Cassandra.
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:07 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:07 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
According to the Internet, the Bengali word for mighty is "মহৎ Mahaṯ", pronounced ma-HOOT. Might work for your awesome new friend!
posted by but no cigar at 7:08 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by but no cigar at 7:08 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
I immediately thought that she looks like a “Roxanne”—or a “Roxy”. Tough and spunky.
She is beautiful—congratulations on your new family member!
posted by bookmammal at 7:09 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
She is beautiful—congratulations on your new family member!
posted by bookmammal at 7:09 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sheesh! You all have it wrong. There is only one possibility - 'Tiger'. If you want to be really classy, spell it with a 'y'.
posted by GeeEmm at 7:12 PM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by GeeEmm at 7:12 PM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This is my favorite kind of question, and that is a gorgeous kitty.
Mona
Brunhilda
Matilda
Boudica
posted by soakimbo at 8:18 PM on March 28, 2018
Mona
Brunhilda
Matilda
Boudica
posted by soakimbo at 8:18 PM on March 28, 2018
Uhhh... Pseudostrabismus?
Or Xena.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:21 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
Or Xena.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:21 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Tank!
(For her raw strength)
Lumi
(Like luminescence, if you want to stick with the stars theme)
Astral
(resembling the stars)
posted by mostly vowels at 8:43 PM on March 28, 2018
(For her raw strength)
Lumi
(Like luminescence, if you want to stick with the stars theme)
Astral
(resembling the stars)
posted by mostly vowels at 8:43 PM on March 28, 2018
Carol (Burnett)
Lucille (Ball)
Huh... ten years old and no name?
posted by TrishaU at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2018
Lucille (Ball)
Huh... ten years old and no name?
posted by TrishaU at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2018
I like Destiny.
You mentioned the word in your narrative. It’s also a name with lots of dreamy and goofy connotations.
If you’re a Back to the Future fan, how about Density?
posted by rw at 10:05 PM on March 28, 2018
You mentioned the word in your narrative. It’s also a name with lots of dreamy and goofy connotations.
If you’re a Back to the Future fan, how about Density?
posted by rw at 10:05 PM on March 28, 2018
Celestine.
posted by MexicanYenta at 10:53 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by MexicanYenta at 10:53 PM on March 28, 2018
Zenobia
posted by Altomentis at 12:13 AM on March 29, 2018
posted by Altomentis at 12:13 AM on March 29, 2018
Before I read what you had to say about her, I thought, well, there's a Rumpleteaser if ever I saw one.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 5:27 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 5:27 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think Sledge is an excellent name. Gracie Sledge, Pookie Sledge, Tonkie Sledge.
posted by theora55 at 6:10 AM on March 29, 2018
posted by theora55 at 6:10 AM on March 29, 2018
(GCU Sweet And Full Of) Grace.
posted by flabdablet at 6:33 AM on March 29, 2018
posted by flabdablet at 6:33 AM on March 29, 2018
Best answer: A moon reference - Minnaloushe, from the Yeats poem "The Cat And the Moon". "Minna" for short.
But the "big and strong and active" made me think of Hilda.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:00 AM on March 29, 2018
But the "big and strong and active" made me think of Hilda.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:00 AM on March 29, 2018
She's ten years old? Surely she has a name already.
posted by Carol Anne at 7:11 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Carol Anne at 7:11 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Big Phyllis! (don't know why, just popped into my head)
posted by orrnyereg at 8:18 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by orrnyereg at 8:18 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Is it too philosophical to propose that the task is to figure out what her name already is (i.e. what she wants to be called) versus what you want to call her? And I don't mean search old records trying to find what her previous owners called her.
Or just call her Itzpapalotl; Itzy or PopALot for short.
posted by achrise at 10:02 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
Or just call her Itzpapalotl; Itzy or PopALot for short.
posted by achrise at 10:02 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
Lorna
posted by castlebravo at 11:21 AM on March 29, 2018
posted by castlebravo at 11:21 AM on March 29, 2018
Response by poster: Ya’ll are so helpful for the brainstorming, thank you.
Achrise — yes! It’s a much better idea to try to figure out what /she/ calls herself.
Current names that are calling to me:
- Noctiluca (Luka)
- Noctiluna (Luna)
- Nebula
Will have to sleep on it / see what she has to say about it.
posted by cnidaria at 4:48 PM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Achrise — yes! It’s a much better idea to try to figure out what /she/ calls herself.
Current names that are calling to me:
- Noctiluca (Luka)
- Noctiluna (Luna)
- Nebula
Will have to sleep on it / see what she has to say about it.
posted by cnidaria at 4:48 PM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vrakatar at 6:11 PM on March 28, 2018 [1 favorite]