 |
| Chatter - MW |
Occasionally the vets get in on it – when
Gaye took a spunky orange boy to the vet for the first time and introduced him
as “Cheddar”, the vet heard “Chatter”
and that’s what he’s remained.
 |
| Cagney |
The cats that manage to find their way here
by themselves are all named for TV detectives – we had Magnum and Colombo in
the back pens, and Kojak in Old Aids
and there’s Cagney in the front
courtyard and Watson in the back.
 |
| Dell |
One fairly new girl was named for where she
was trapped: she’s Keira Knightstreet. When she came in, her next-door neighbor, a
fighter of the spit-and-lunge variety, was Xena,
to give us an “X” in the alphabetical series. Our handsome Dell is also named
for his source – he was found on Blundell Road.
 |
| Nasty Sandra - CP |
 |
| Mocha- MW |
Some cats seem to have more than one name: Mocha, in the Val Jones pen, is also
known as Brownie to some of her fans. Mocha came in with her brother Pekoe
(orange, of course) and her sister Cappucino (both passed on).
MW
In the
Single-Wide we have Jarrod, also
known as Yap and Charlie, also known as Tuna.
 |
| Two Lucy-cats - MW |
Sometimes there are duplications – usually
because a cat has come in as an owner-surrender with a name. We have two Lucy cats, affectionately known as fat-Lucy – both are ladies of
size, though Laundry Room Lucy probably outweighs Tea-Room Lucy. There are two Hannahs – the delightful little orange-and-white girl and the leggy
tabby who like to leap on people from behind. Orange Lucky in the front yard will never come face-to-face with Bengal
Lucky in the back.
 |
| Chip 'n' Dale - CF & PH |
And there are family pairs: Chip (in the
Val Jones) is brother of Dale (in the Double-Wide); Cinder and Ella were our
back courtyard greys (till we lost Ella recently); and a pair of front-courtyard orange cats
just begged to be named Henrick and Daniel, for the Canuck Sedin twins.
 |
| Front-courtyard Bobby - MW |
Who would think that Bobby would be a popular name for a cat? Bobby in the front
courtyard is also known as Belly-Rub Bobby, for his favourite occupation; there
was a double-wide cat known as Snotty Bobby, for his permanent cold; we used to
have Orange Bobby (for his bob-tail) in Old Aids, and let’s not forget
Wobbly-Bob in the back – he has some sort of neurological disorder and can’t
always keep his legs under control, especially when startled.
 |
| Lincoln (MW) and Cinnamon Bun Lincoln (PH) |
And then there are our two Lincolns in the double-wide – beautiful
tawny Lincoln, so regal and affectionate to people (though not really a
cat-loving boy), and Cinnamon Bun Lincoln, named for his tail formation.
But above and beyond there's still one name
left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
T.S. Eliot – The Naming of Cats
Blog by Brigid Coult
Photos by Claire Fossey, Phaedra Hardman, Chris Peters, Michele Wright
Photos by Claire Fossey, Phaedra Hardman, Chris Peters, Michele Wright
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