Are you wondering if you can change a cat’s name–whether or not your cat knows his name? Whether you are adopting a young kitten right out of the shelter or an older cat who may have had a previous family, we’ve got two easy ways for you to change your cat’s name and make the transition easier for him at the same time!
Why would you want to change a cat’s name?
You may adopt a cat whose shelter name you don’t like.
Perhaps your cat’s shelter name is too close to the name of a now-deceased cat and it brings up feelings of sadness. Or you want your previous cat’s identity to remain distinctive and unique in your memories.
Maybe your cat’s original name is just one you don’t like–or one that brings up bad connotations. (Who wants their cat to share a name with an ex-boyfriend? Or that boss you never could stand?)
That’s OK.
You want your cat’s name to bring smiles to your face every time you say it!
When is a Cat Too Old to Change Its Name?
You can always teach an old cat new tricks–or a new name! Associate your cat’s new name with plenty of treats and positive reinforcement, and your cat will learn the new name quickly.
We have a habit of nicknaming our cats (sometimes with several nicknames per cat!) Some of these nicknames are given years after the cats come to live with us…and they still learn those nicknames and respond every time they hear them!
Can you change a cat’s name after adoption?
You DEFINITELY can change a cat’s name after adoption. Most cats don’t know their shelter name. These names are used more for recordkeeping and for posting on cat adoption sites like Petfinder and Adopt a Pet.
Often shelters select attention-getting names like Oscar inspired names for cats taken in right before the Academy Awards or select a theme for an entire litter like astrology names or warrior names. Often the cat has no idea what his name is!
We have changed every one of our cats’ shelter names! Lucky was listed as Tuxie; Jetty was Sunday; Inca was known as Snitch!
The one time when you might want to consider keeping your cat’s name at adoption is if he or she was previously in a home and the shelter received the name upon intake or cats who have lived in foster home situations.
Does My Cat Know His Name?
All of our adopted cats were previous strays so none had any attachment to their name. How do we know? We called each by their shelter names and saw no reaction. We called their name–then called some nonsense names–and there was no difference in response.
If your newly adopted cat does not recognize that shelter name, feel free to just launch into a completely new name immediately.
What if your cat knows his name and you want to change it?
But what if your newly adopted cat does recognize his or her name and you want to change it? Sometimes that can be a good decision, too!
Maybe your cat was relinquished to the shelter from an unhappy or even abusive situation. That old name may be tied to bad memories. In that case, it’s always better to rename your cat to a new name.
Give your cat a fresh start with a new name that’s not tied to his previous home.
If there’s a previous history with the name, you can gradually fade out the old name and introduce the new.
One easy way to change your cat’s name is to try a double name for a while. Fred can become Fred Felix. After a period of using both names, just start calling your cat Felix.
A second easy way to change your cat’s name is to try rhyming a new name with the old. Mary can become Mary Berrie. After a while, just call your cat Berrie.
Reinforcing the new name
Regardless of your new cat’s name, just say it with lots of praise and happiness (and it never hurts to accompany it with some tasty treats at first).
Always associating the name with good things and happy times will help your new cat learn his or her new name and, most importantly, the place your cat now holds in their new forever home.
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