OT skeleton from the in-laws closet

One of our cat's is named Trouble. She was part of a litter abandoned at a nearby business and DH named her the morning after we got her because he thought the name fit. She was much trouble to catch at

1:00 a.m. (she ran over the deck, under the deck, and inside car wheel wells), much trouble to feed because we had to make her kitten formula when we realized she had not been weaned (research a formula, go buy ingredients at 2:00 a.m., mix it up, and feed with eye dropper), trouble to wash up after feeding because she didn't know how to wash herself, trouble to isolate until we could properly let her meet the other cats in the house.

She still lives up to the name. She is a true tortie; stubborn, willful, picks on the other cats, bites and scratches without warning when you pet her, and has a one track mind. Still, she is loveable in her own way as she is very much a playful kitten even at 6 years old. She even still has the wide kitten shaped face because we had her spayed at 6 months, before her head had changed into the standard triangle of an adult cat, and the wide-eyed look of kitten eyes is still there because she is really quite stupid for a cat. (DH says, "You can see "Vacancy" signs flashing at the back of her eyes.") Debra in VA See my quilts at

We used to have a yellow lab and a cocker spaniel. They were named "Yukon" (the lab) and "Jack" (the cocker).

My best friend had a rescue mutt that only had 3 legs, and his name was "tripod".

Patti in Seattle

From: snipped-for-privacy@NO.SPAM.com (CATS) wrote" This reminded me of a friend who had a poodle from a litter of four - called Whiskey, Brandy, Lime and Soda. She got Brandy =A0 lol

Cheryl & the Cats in OZ =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0o o =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o o =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 o o ( > Y < ) =A0 ( > Y < ) =A0 and =A0 ( > Y < ) =A0=A0Boofhead =A0 =A0 =A0 Donut =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Rasputin

Rocky got a doll for Christmas when he was 6 months old. Because Rocky's a boy, we named the (cute little girl) doll Spike.

-- Anita --

In UK we don't call cats 'Kitty cats' but 'Pussy cats'. Sorry USA'ers its not considered 'rude' here, but perfectly normal, used in nursery rhymnes for generations (Pussy cat, Pussy cat where have you been, I've been up to London to look at the Queen).

Friend who had emigrated to USA with her cat called Pussy-Woosy (perfectly normal name here) was told by her vet she shouldn't use a name like that for the poor cat. She was really upset!

(I won't tell you all the other traps she fell into - shock, horror! but one of them did involves asking a colleague for an eraser, but she used the word we use here for an eraser).

It does work the other way round, too, of course.

Hodge was named after Samual Johnson's cat ('A very fine cat indeed'). We thought he deserved a grand name as when we adopted him he was named after a brand of cigarette papers. I googled the name thinking it might mean Beautiful, or something equally suitable, but all I got was sites for Drug taking, so Hodge he became. As he has now taken up residence in the 'Pending' tray on the desk (how he fits in I don't know!) we are thinking of renaming him Pending.

Kiwi is Kiwi after the All Blacks Rugby team, he was given the name at 1 week old. However his winter coat has a definite brown edge to it, though now it is summer he is quite sleek and black, with just a brown fluffy back view! Perhaps Coco would have been better - he is a bit of a clown.

Mia was named by DS as he intended originally to keep her (until mother cat Polly threatened to kill her if she came back from her stay here while Polly had more kittens). Mia as in Miaou. Very painful, but Mia is pretty and suits her as she is quite small and dainty. DS kept two of Polly's second litter that came hot on the heels of the first, but they had to be rehomed when Polly threatened to kill them too (I'm not exaggerating!). They now live with Son's partner's ex-husband, so the children get to see them when they spend alternate weekends with him.

In the past we had two Burmese - Tippy who came with her name, because of the tip of her tail, and Frith a beautiful golden Red Burmese named after the sun in Watership Down. He was beautiful, but as thick as 2 short planks! They both lived to 18+

We have had 3 or 4 cats, but decided when we got the last cat that it would be the last cat we would have. So we named him "Zee" the last letter of the alphabet. He was a huge cat and we had him a few years before we gave him to some friends on a farm. DS's winner dog was named Reeses because he looks like a chocolate bar dipped in peanut butter. Barbara in SC

When we caught (literally) two tuxedo-type cats, my older sister Tracie was doing history in high school. They were named Cairo and Alexander. I thought they were very cool names! The cats were identical, except that Cairo had a dark face with a little Marilyn Monroe type beauty mark, a little white dot, on one cheek. In later years, we had a cat named Precious (after the ring in the Hobbit), Sweet Pea (after Olive Oil's baby) and Chiccy (this had morphed from the name "Chocolate" since he was a chocolate brown cat).

-- Jo in Scotland

My in laws have 4 dogs - Budweiser (aka Bud), Bourbon (sometimes also called Burps), Bartles and Jaymes (aka BJ or B) and Bailey (from Bailey's Irish Cream). They lost one about 5 years ago name Brandy. This is from a couple who doesn't drink alcohol. They also have 2 cockatiels- Bunsen (bunsen burner) and Beaker (chemistry beaker).

My parents have said when I was about 2 or 3 years old I named my pet rabbit Pickles. We didn't have him very long though. I only remember him from pictures and my parents telling my about naming him.

oh dear!

Oh man, Connie, I need to try that with Starr, my skinny Jack Russell. She is always rubbing herself on anything dead, so a dryer sheet would be a nice change. Her head always smells bad because she rubs her face on the dead worms that have dried on the sidewalk and cool deck.

Cindy > off to get a dryer sheet.

All I know is that my dog loves those things almost as much as he loves FOOD!

And really, he LOVES food!! :)

Ok, I tried it with all 3 dogs - Maggie-the-Fat (JR) gave a cursory sniff and ignored it. Holly, the Chessie, sniffed it very carefully then picked it up and carried it around till I could get it out of her mouth. But Starr, bless her heart, immediately started rolling like a crazy dog on the thing! It was like catnip to her. She is the only one of mine that rolls in dead things and my place in the bed when I get up (I don't know what's up with that!).

3 dogs raised in the same house, all with such different personalities and instinctual behaviors. Go figure!

Cindy > at least Starr smells better

OMGosh, what a hoot! Yes, I can see it now, Nightmist, a *comic* done in the style of Jamie Hernandez.......could SIL's mum pass for Rena Titañon or Vicki Glori?

Our dog is named "Buddy" - not because that's what we chose, but because that's what we called him while arguing over what he SHOULD be named! By the time we'd decided, it was too late, he was Buddy! :)

When I first got Simon- a very abused, starved, neglected rescue- every night when I went to bed he'd flop down on top of me and start rolling. I was petty freaked out by his bizarre behavior! I asked Susan, my dear friend and dog trainer about it. She said he loved me so much that he wanted my scent all over him. When I was laying in bed was the only chance he had to roll 'in' me! It was a little easier to take after learning that, but still, the guy weighs about 80 lbs. and he rolls very vigorously! LOL After him owning me for about 4 years, he must be thoroughly saturated in my scent since he quit rolling on me after a couple of years.... long, long years!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

The little girls next door named their dog Clifford, after the cartoon character "Clifford, The Big Red Dog." Their dog is a teensy black and white rat terrier. Female.

Another neighbor's dog is named Meow. Can you imagine stepping outside and calling your dog? LOL

I had my beloved white cat, Stinky, for over 21 years.

We had two sibling German Shorthairs many years ago. I don't remember the official name on their papers since we dubbed them Happy and Ditto (aka Dumb Ditto).

There have been many others with more traditional names, but it's the unusual names (or the stories behind them) that bring the extra smiles and memories.

Bert in Colville

Hahahhahaahha! What a funny picture, Leslie!

Cindy