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Why on earth would anyone call a cat....

(90 Posts)
Anne58 Thu 24-Jul-14 17:28:02

"Sprout" confused

A neighbour and I were looking on the Cat's Protection site(s) for the area, and among the Jets', Poppy's, Whisky's, Gizmo's,Joey's etc there was a "Sprout" shock

I don't think it would be top of my list when thinking of names!

Mr P and I did once think that if we ever got 2 kittens, they would be called Hamish & Dougall (from "I'm sorry I haven't a clue") but the kittens my neighbour is currently trying to persuade me to take on are called Gerald and Frank (doesn't suit them at all, if I had them which I won't they would be Kevin and Eric.

But "Sprout"????

merlotgran Fri 25-Jul-14 23:45:39

Oh we get loads of half eaten mice, rats and rabbits. I do wonder why they only eat half though and they always turn up on time for their Whiskas!

rubysong Fri 25-Jul-14 23:39:20

Cats we had as youngsters were called Peter and Gordon (after the singing duo). We sometimes feed next door's cat 'Ninja'. DH loves him and would, I think, like a cat but I'm not keen as they bring in things and I couldn't face a half eaten mouse.

absent Fri 25-Jul-14 23:15:17

You are quite correct phoenix the Fonts were born in my office and their mother was called Fishpaste. Their full names were Zapf Dingbat (aka Fatty), Helvetica Semi Bold (and he was), Bodoni (a serif cat if ever there was one) and Frutiger Light Condensed (she was tiny). My unrelated witch's cat was called Dylan. Only three lived long enough to travel to New Zealand and Dingbat has since died (on Good Friday this year). The two girls (Bodoni and Frutiger) - now rather matronly as they are 17 years old - will have been here for a full year in a couple of weeks time and are still going strong.

sweetheartnana Fri 25-Jul-14 17:32:48

my daughter has two cats, named Brocolli and Carrots!

annodomini Fri 25-Jul-14 11:17:32

I think that ALW probably had an arrangement with Eliot's estate, phoenix. But please let's not get into the details of copyright law - it's too hot for that.

glammanana Fri 25-Jul-14 11:02:53

phoenix he is adorable and fits the name so well,Gizmo & Poppy are beautiful and the family of feral cats are so attractive,I hope they find loving homes and loads of mice to catch.

Anne58 Fri 25-Jul-14 09:53:02

It never bothered Andrew Lloyd-Webber, anno grin

annodomini Fri 25-Jul-14 09:42:35

Eliot poem about naming a cat I was going to copy it, but decided I might be infringing copyright.

Marmight Fri 25-Jul-14 08:45:32

We gave a home to a stray cat which had been living on the Army range behind our house which we called 'Pussy' - didn't want to name it in case it didn't stay. DD1 could only say 'Percy' so Percy he became until a vet friend announced that Percy was female. (I was never much good at that sort of thing!). We had her for 12 years - she even moved 500 miles away (in aforementioned vet's car under sedation because after 10 miles he couldn't stand the yowling!) and she evolved from Pussy/Percy to Puss, Minikin, Cat - basically she answered to anything. Never had a cat since as DD1 and I became very allergic to cat fur confused
MiceElf I was once asked to name a friends's newborn lambs - I chose Rosemary & Garlic wink

mygrannycanfly Fri 25-Jul-14 08:04:53

My DGD has an older half brother who was called sprout until he was 10. He was a dear little soul and it suited him perfectly - his little head would look up at you with earnest intent just like a seedling with newly unfurled leaves.

I expect that this sprout had that coltish bambi look that endearing and inquisitive kittens have. You can still see it now IMHO

Loved the idea of Cats own names for themselves. grin I have a black cat whom we've never presumed to name. We call her The Black Cat (TBC) because we couldn't agree on a name for her. I don't think she'd approve of her staff calling her by her first name.

kittylester Fri 25-Jul-14 07:45:54

I think 'Sprout' is a great name but then we do have a cat called 'Kiwi' or, as all the children call him, 'Wee wee'. grin

Soutra Fri 25-Jul-14 07:26:24

"this one" bl***y phone!!

Soutra Fri 25-Jul-14 07:24:55

OK this might be daft but when DD was about 6 / 7(?) I bought her a birthday card with a verse in it ( not my usual style) which went:
"When you were just a little sprout
You brought us joy, day in, day out
But now you've grown much bigger dear
You bring us joy from year to year" The nickname" little sprout" stuck for a while and when she in turn was expecting DGS1 , throughout her pregnancy the baby was referred to as "Sprout"! A propos of nothing at all DGS2 was referred to as Speck (because he started as a little speck) until he was born and for reasons of their own, this obe is referred to as "Minion" (perhaps from "mini one") DGS1 assured me seriously though that "when mummy's baby is born he'll have a proper name". Whew!

MiceElf Fri 25-Jul-14 06:59:47

A digression, but in our local animal park the two pigs are called Bangers and Mash and two of the sheep are Mint and Sauce...

Agus Thu 24-Jul-14 23:54:11

Oh I want him. Just looked at his photo. Never mind his name, I could live with him!

Nelliemoser Thu 24-Jul-14 23:26:44

Sprout is a very handsome cat and I think I could live with the name.

CeeCee Thu 24-Jul-14 23:20:03

When I was a child we had a cat called Sooty. Unfortunately he was Sooty by name and Sooty by nature as he managed to get on to the roof (no idea how) came down the chimney bringing the contents with him all over Mum's new rug. Poor Sooty was swiftly re-homed after that, much to Mum's relief as she wasn't really a cat lover.

Ana Thu 24-Jul-14 23:16:23

too

Ana Thu 24-Jul-14 23:15:25

Oh no! Sid's far to plebian for that lovely cat - he deserves a quirky name.

CeeCee Thu 24-Jul-14 23:12:58

My son had a cat called Piggy, it was originally named Miss Piggy until they found out she was a he. For quite some time my little grandson thought all cats were piggy's. Very confusing!

Anne58 Thu 24-Jul-14 23:07:46

Ana are you sure?I think he looks more like a Sid!

annodomini Thu 24-Jul-14 22:56:05

Nina I had a Sam - lovely sleek black cat with immaculate which shirt and socks; the other cat was Sandy. We had chosen him at a local farm and arranged to pick him up after we'd been away for a weekend. Nobody could agree on a name until I had a dream about a ginger cat called Sandy and so he was!

Ana Thu 24-Jul-14 22:54:30

Aww! He looks just like a Sprout! Gorgeous smile

Anne58 Thu 24-Jul-14 22:51:18

Here you go!

www.cats.org.uk/launceston/adopt-a-cat/?cid=89542

Anne58 Thu 24-Jul-14 22:50:12

But in the photos, he doesn't look like a "Sprout" at all, althought I'm not entirely sure what he does look like.

Will try to find a link.....