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We often hear about crazy names people give to their babies, or names they were gifted by their very creative parents. But it turns out that pets too can have names that lift eyebrows—if not of their fellow animals, then surely their vets’. Well, according to this viral Twitter thread, at least.

It all started when Brittany Means, a writer and editor from Albuquerque, NM, shared this tweet: “One of my greatest joys in life is when Jeff calls the vet to make an appointment and they ask for his name, and he says, Jeff. Then, they ask for our cat's name, and I watch him gather his strength before he tells them, Baby Jeff.”

This hit all too close to home to many pet owners out there who took the thread as an opportunity to share the ensued hilarity behind their furballs’ names. Especially when it’s time for a vet’s appointment.

Bored Panda spoke with Molly DeVoss, a certified feline training and behavior specialist with a vision to reduce the number of cats euthanized in shelters, who runs the Cat Behavior Solutions agency. We asked Molly how important, in her opinion, the name we give to our cat is and she said that a cat’s name is more important to you than others.

“So pick something you love – or something that makes you giggle,” Molly suggested. She also added that the cat doesn’t speak English so he has no idea of the meaning behind his name. “Cats will learn their names fairly quickly and it is an opportunity for you to get their attention on cue.”

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Joolee
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had two boy cats who were bestest buddies. One died and the other boy was absolutely heartbroken. He would wander the house endlessly crying for his buddy. It was so tragic.

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October
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My cats loved like that. They were brothers. Once one went missing for a week. The other stayed put on the lookout on the roof of our shed. Refused to come inside or eat till his bro returned.

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Beck
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We hsd a cat we called bean bean. He had a son that looked exactly like him so we called him refried bean. Refried for short. Only had him a short time until a friend adopted him. She renamed him🤣

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Marilyn Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m so glad she was found.I’ve had cats disappear and it is so hard when you realize they aren’t coming back. I live in the country where there are unfortunately predators who can venture into the area.

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Daryl McIntire
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Finally found the love of a lifetime by Firehouse. You kids have no musical references. Losers.

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Robert T
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same friend also had a cat called Monty. I had a toy dog called Spaghetti - it was orange and smoked a pipe.

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Janice
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ohhh NO!!! 75 longest days of hell. Did you figure how she got out & where she was? What about food? Poor baby.😿

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Jessica Johnson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We named our little girl 'avawillvato' avocato coz she looks like a over ripe avo long forgotten in the fridge and the 'will' part is because she acts Ferrell sometimes.... hahahaha get it.... also goes by nick name minimouse and the hamster goes by real mouse aka Louise

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For those who are wondering if cats actually recognize their names, and Molly confirmed that cats indeed do recognize them. For that reason, “if you ever decide to change it, try to pick something that has the same number of syllables and ends in the same sound,” the cat behavior specialist explained.

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ERIN W.
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother had a kitten wonder up that he kept and named him "Thomas Jesus Rodriguez"! 😀

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Moreover, cat names, just like human names, have their trends. “I see cat names trending with popular movie characters, TV shows and heartthrobs. Timon and Pumba (the warthog and meerkat) from Lion King are cute for siblings,” Molly told us.

“Working with a lot of shelter cats, I see a lot of names – and have the opportunity to name a lot of cats. Food themes are popular; we have candy cats with names like Skittles, Jelly Bean, and Pez. I typically adopt red cats and name them in a spicy theme: Tabasco, Salsa, and Pico de Gato.”

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When it comes to the names you don’t want to give your furball, Molly reminds everyone to not name their cat anything that might offend someone else. “Name your cat something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside,” she concluded.

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Scarlett O'Hara's Ghost
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son has a cat named Frank Sinatra. But he's Siamese with blue eyes and we call him old blue eyes!

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Joolee
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yep, gotta check for the microchip. I've lost my Murray cat and I wish whoever has him would check. My heart is broken.

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LinkTheHylian
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fattie Harris was a footballer. Not as famous as Fatty Foulke, but he was a solid 'keeper in his own right.

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Nowyermad
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It involves a lot of paperwork. It's probably best to hire a lawyer.

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