We got a new cat, finally! We agitated about it starting pretty much the day we found out Benchley had died. I say “pretty much,” but that is just because I feel awkward about the way the dialogue went, with us breaking the terrible news, the children reacting sadly, and then the children asking when we could get a new cat. Children are so stone cold adaptable!
We’d been thinking we wanted a kitten (and by “we” I mean “the children,” because I think other people’s kittens are irresistible but they are also pains in the butt, abs, and shoulders), but I talked with the vet about it, and she said to meet all our various cat preferences/goals, she advised a young adult cat. With my focus suddenly narrowed and focused, I took all five children with me to the animal shelter and we chose a cat. This cat:
He’s a one-year-old male, orange as heck. He scared me by hiding under the bureau immediately upon arriving home and staying there for three hours as if for the long haul, but then he came out and started being a total lovey-cakes in an equally immediate fashion.
So we are pleased, and Cat Balance has been restored to the household. So far he and the other cat are still Establishing Their Relationship, which means Feather is hissing and puffing and the new cat is sometimes showing deference to her and sometimes ignoring her. We have hopes.
No name yet. Current possibilities (they change hourly): Simon, Emmett, Percy, Casey, Gus, Linus, Peaker, Newton, Ellis, Clarence, Harvey, Roger, Stanley, Ozzie, Kiefer, Alistair. (We are also taking suggestions.)
you are done having kids, yeah? whats the name that was on your list for Henry that you really, really loved but couldnt use? Use that.
Also, please please please get a dog. Every family with five kids needs a dog.
Aw, Alistair is so cute. Congratulations!
I love the cat! My preference out of those names is Newton. BUT! Alistair brings to mind a red-headed bloke from Scotland. You can call him Ali for short.
cute!
Gus is one of my very favorite cat names. Although I’m also partial to Oliver for small orange cats (Like the moooooovie!!!)
Chester. Our orange cat was named Chester, he was a lover. The best cat my husband and I have ever had.
I always wanted to name a boy cat Cardigan. But then we got a girl cat that we named Clover. Only clover ended up being a boy so I could have used Cardigan after all.
Bummer.
Oh, Emmett, because he looks like a younger version of Emmett from Ladybug Magazine.
Or Linus or Newton. Those are good, too, because I know you like scientist names.
Also, I have always wanted to name a cat Bartholomew (MEW, get it?) possibly with the nickname Tolly. I always imagined this cat as being an orange tabby, but I’ve never had an orange tabby so I’ve never used the name on any of my cats.
We just adopted a new cat. His name was Clarence, and we decided to keep it. I will tell you that it gives me great satisfaction to call to him – something about calling out Claaaaarence! is just fun.
Hooray for a lovey cat.
In my experience, orange cats are chubby, friendly, aggressively snuggly (but in the best possible way). Mine is suffocating me with love (also: fat and fur) as I type this. My vote is for Kiefer.
Also, my mom has an orange tabby like that and his name is Dudley, which is a pretty awesome name for a cat. I recommend it. (Ours is Max, but he came pre-named.)
I love Clarence! Out of my five, my orange boy is the sweetest, cuddliest one of the bunch. Sometimes it’s great, such as when I’m reading a book and he curls up in my lap and stretches his paws up to lay them on my shoulder. Sometimes it’s not, like when I’m trying to go to sleep and he decides that he wants to sleep also. On my forehead. He will literally drape himself across my face or throat. All in all though, oranges are wonderful!
have to delurk to tell you that 2 of my 3 kids’ names are on your list of choices…too funny!!
I always wanted to have an orange cat and to call him Bruno. It just seems like an orange cat name to me!
You got a Maine Coon Cat! we had one- for 13 years. He was fantastic, but feisty.
An orange tortie *swoon*! I have an orange tabby named Gus. Well, Octavius, but we always call him Gus, like the mouse in Cinderella.
I like Harvey and Oliver for your little man. You can totally steal mine and call him Oliver North.
Congratulations on your cat completeness! How about Archimedes, nn Archie? Newton Cat is splendid.
SO CUTE!
Orange cats have the best personalities!
Ooooh, look how ORANGE! Look at the pretty spots on his widdle butt!
Name suggestions: Archimedes, Angus or Ian
Ooh, also Adler
Such a sweet face, his face looks like our orange tabby Chloe. I like all the names. I need another cat so I can us some of those.
I love orange cats!! He’s beautiful; congratulations =)!
Whenever my kids see an orange cat, they think it should be “Aslan” from The Chronicles of Narnia =).
Adorable! I vote Emmett!
P.S. Since when does word verification contain a photo?
Heather- Isn’t that HORRIBLE? I just saw it a few days ago for the first time. Furthermore, I do USUALLY have to refresh once or twice to read the words, but with the photo it was more like six times, with two error-refreshes. UNACCEPTABLE.
He’s gorgeous! What pretty markings. I’m so glad he seems to be such a love bug and kitty heaven is again reigning supreme in the Swistle household.
He’s wonderful. I’m so glad your family has a new kitty, and I hope Feather adjusts quickly. (He looks like he would HAPPILY snuggle Feather if she gave him a chance!)
Peaker is fun!
Well, what the blue hell, I have a photo for word verification? Ok, then!
He is such a beautiful cat! There is an orange cat here who roams our neighborhood and every time I leave a car door open for more than a minute, he jumps in. I’ve always wanted an orange cat myself.
He looks like a Stanley to me.
Emmett!! Emmett’s of all varieties are a force of good in the world.
I also live Linus. Used to have a dog with that name.
Congrats on your new family member
Our cat who looked JUST like that and was the best cat we have ever had was named Oskar. You could have that name. :)
So happy you found a good one! How is your rash?
Congratulations! He is adorable, and looks (with his eyes closed) like my eyeless orange kitty, Tangerine. (We did not get to name her…)I like Percy, though it does bring back bad “Thomas the Tank Engine” memories that I thought had disappeared for good.
We have an orange and white cat named Simba, he is also very lovey, and full of personality. Congrats on the addition to your family!
Awwww… what a snuggler! We have an orange cat too. His name is King but we also call him Orange Man, Cap’n Ginger, Butterfinger and Ralph Malph. I like Kiefer and Linus too. So glad to hear that cat balance has been restored!!
Precious!!!
What a handsome guy! I love that marbling on his side. My mom’s orange tabby has the most generic orange tabby name of all time, but it suits him – Rusty.
Jenny- MUCH BETTER! And no rage or insomnia, wheeeeee!
What beautiful coloring! I love the patterns on him! Beautiful! Lovely! I love orange cats! They are my absolute fav! Congrats!
We had one that looked almost like him, named Holden. He was about that size, and then he weighed 25 pounds. But he was a very sweet talky boy, who also did some hilarious shit (biscuits with all four feet on one particular blanket; laying like a frog). I like Gus. Or George. He could also be a Clarence. Whatever, he’s adorable.
Oh. My. God. That cat is absolutely Fabulous.
Excellent choice, as orange tabbies (especially with his “classic” bullseye markings) are the best!
I love your cat! It looks just like my cat!!
My favorite names are:
Simon, Emmet, Harvey, Stanley (“Stan the Man” – I wouldn’t be able to resist calling him that)
Newton, Gus, Casey are all good too.
You are the baby-name expert so I wasn’t surprised that I liked 98% of the names you listed!
Oh! I love him and his name shall be Simon.
Unless you have named him something else by now. In which case he can be Simon-NameYouPicked.