myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hi Lisa and Julia,

thank you so much for your very welcome help in finding a new name. Sorry, Julia both names (Arthur and Wolfram) I associate with men and the memory is not the nicest... Can't do this though it's a really nice idea.
Liza, Stara is not nice to call and Toby is already blocked by our neighbours dog! Hoa can it be so difficult to find a name for this cat. I tried Bailey but he doesn't react. I tried Joshuy, Jimmy, Jamie, even Lizzi again. He just ignores me. Maybe he is tired of discussing this name thing with me...
I know one day I will look at him and know exactly the right name.

Another idea of my colleague was "Unisex". It was a female first and then a male cat... I wonder what my neighbours will think of me when I call him Unisex on the balcony...

Take care and Cheers
Gisela

Hi Gisela,
I have been watching the naming of the cat saga with amusement.I am so pleased for you that you have found a lovely new pussy cat.He is very beautifull. My new lodger (Tramp) is still here and shows no sign of going away again. He has accepted the sleeping box I made for him and no longer retreats to the garden to sleep.He is a very proud moggy and quite often gives me those looks that you mentioned
Have you seen the musical "Cats" .I love it and I love the music from the show aswell.You can listen to varius clips by Googleing it.You may already know it is based on a book called 'Old Possums book of practical cats' by T.S.Elliot. One of the songs tells how cats need ' a most particular name' The story says that they already have thier own names from the cat world ( like Skimbleshanks and Rumpleteaser ) and therefore only tolerate the names we give them anyway.My cats have always been named but also get called moggy,mogpuss, pusscat,tiger or damned cat if they trip me up .They seem to respond anyway just because it's a familiar voice.How about calling him 'Mystery' It might appeal to his pride.
Also google 'Jellicle cats' to find out more.
Have fun.
Gill x x

Afternoon All!
Gisela, what's wrong with good old 'Tom?'
I had a cat called Frisky. How does that sound in German?
The problem we have on this side of the Channel is knowing how well English names will sound or translate into German.
I like 'Mrs Norris' from the Harry Potter books; how about something like that? (Mr or Herr instead of course!)
Bill's good at inventing words. Any ideas Bill?
Hey I've just heard Elvis on the radio! Now there's a name the whole world knows!
Back to proof-reading my book..
Noe

Gisela
Am now fraught. Poor cat now has an identity crisis ! Why not simply revert to Sam. Without the "ia " cat retains dignity and will no doubt respond added to which he will not look at you as if you are a totally mad woman.

Hi folks,
I am at work and really busy so I looked up this poem which clearly sheds light on a very tricky problem

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
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.

By T.S.Elliot

Gill x x x
PS.
Gisela, My ex was Austrian and our first cat was called Schnurrly. My friend had a lovely grey cat with white paws who we named Stutzen.xx

Dear all,

I really appreciate your help! Noe, 'Tom' was my former Cat and though it would be easier for me I think its not fair to the new cat. But this gave me an idea. The German word for tomcat is 'Kater'. Thats how I call him at the moment. Kater or Kater"chen", thats when you want to make something sound smaler or more cute. Germans often put an ending like "chen" or "lein" behind names. That may sound strange to English ears but for us its normal.
And you don't have to worry about how English names sound in German because most of the people call their pets with English names because they sound much softer.

Thank you so much, Gill, for the lyrics of the "Cats" song and yes, I saw the musical and really loved it. Mystery is also a really nice name. Love to hear that 'Tramp' is still with you and it looks like he accepts you as his new can-opener. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time with him.

Sandra, as you learnd from the song it is not that easy to name a cat. I know it takes me too much time but I have to be sure that it fits.

I'm going into profound meditation...

Cheers
Gisela

Good Afternoon!
I GOT IT!!

I thought about my former cats and how I fond theirs names. Fritz (or Fritzchen), my first black cat. Tina, the second one, black and long hair. Wushi, a white persian. Whoopy and Murphy, Wushies daugther and grandson, Tom, the old tigercat. And now:

SAMMY

Thank you Sandra! Sam ist the short form of Samia and fits perfect! And some times ago a I had a very nice colleague called Sammy, a handsome young man from Maroc, black hair, white teeth, muscles where they should be and... oops, sorry :oops:I I zone out

Cheers and thanks a lot to all for your help!
Gisela

Gisela
Well done ! Hello to Sammy. Give him a cuddle from me, at least he now can stop being bi - polar ! Enjoy. Fred still not too happy that kitchen smells of paint, turns his nose up and insists he is fed in the study which we both trip over constantly ! Can almost see him smile, still on large sofa, still making us pay big time. I will get my own back on Tuesday, he' s having a medical and his teeth cleaned !

Carol
What do you mean "what's wrong with good old Tom " - happens to be my sons' name and I take umbrage at the implication.
Hope the proof reading is going well.

Now Sandra,
There's no need to take umbrage, offence ( or a gate) have a fit of pique, be miffed, or get into high dudgeon ( been reading the thesaurus again).
I simply meant that Tom is a good traditional name for a moggy. Or indeed a human male!
Fred is okay too.That was my dad's pet name for me!
Gisela,
Well done.The simplest ideas are always the best!
Good health and a long life to Sammy.
Proof reading makes your brain hurt. How people can do it for a living I can't imagine...
Noe

Greetings from Election Central,

Thank God that this thing is finally reaching a conclusion. If I never see another political commercial on TV or hear another on the radio I'll still have had my fill. Unfortunately the respite usually only lasts a couple of months until they start in again for local elections and the primaries for the off year general ones

DW and I have never been pet people but a few years ago we, along with several of our lake neighbors, "adopted" a feral kitten for the summer season. When we would arrive on Friday afternoon for the weekend he/she would set up a pitiful howl outside our door until we set out food. After several weeks we discovered that the same thing was happening to both our neighbors when they arrived either shortly before or after us. It got to the point that the first one down could get away with feeding him/her dry food but the subsequent ones would have to put out canned food or be met with a disdainful look of contempt.

We affectionately christened our friend Pita Cat (Pain in the A**). Unfortunately, before winter set in and the decision had to be made as to what we were going to do when we all shut down for the season Pita disappeared (we assume to an untimely demise).

Bill

Bill
Just watching BBC news here at 10 pm. Chicago looks as if a rock concert is about to begin ! Could be careful editing but could almost feel the buzz from here. The UK is agog - our politics are so mundane compared to yours. Whatever happens hope it will be good for you and yours, not to say the rest of the planet.

Sandra,

Barack is our Senator from Illinois and lives in Chicago. His campaign is renting Grant Park (the huge lakefront park in the downtown area) from the city to have an election night party. Within the fenced in tented venue it's being limited to about 150,000 people, who had to apply for and receive an invitation online, but it's anticipated that there will be in excess of a million people in the city center. The weather is unseasonably warm with a current temperature of 22c and it's expected to only drop to 17c this evening so that will add to the crowds.

Without getting too political, whatever the election result is has to be an improvement from what we have gone through the last several years.

Bill

Bill
Not to be too sarcastic - hell, why not, your colonies across the pond are very aware of Obamas roots and also aware of his area as Senator. I commented as I imagine no matter where you are in Chicago tonight ,must have a feeling of huge excitement and too many people about the place ! Will be keeping up through the night - let's face it, always good to know the person who can push the button !

I am delighted that Obama will be the next President of the US, however also a little concerned, has anyone else also noticed what happens whenever a black man plays the president in a film? Morgan Freeman in Deep impact?

Hope nobody gets too excited just yet. After all, he doesn't take over for few weeks yet so still plenty of time for 'W' to.............etc,etc,etc

Do other countries get as excited as the UK media about US elections?

On another note, lets hope we can start getting some other 'News' now other than elections......oh and radio presenters.

Dave

Bill,
I'm not mentioning p------s or radio presenters!
I love your story of Pita the cat. See, I said you were good at names!
It reminds me of the children's story of 'Six Dinner Sid.' There are six people in the same street who don't talk to each other so don't realise that they all think they 'own' the same cat. Sid has a different personality and name for each owner, and goes to a different one for a diferent kind of meal each day. It's only when he becomes ill and is taken to the vet by six different people in one day that the truth is revealed. Then all the people in the street see the funny side and become friends, while Sid continues to get his six dinners. And they all live happily ever after...Aaah!

Hello Sandra and all,

No problem with a little sarcasm. I just wasn't aware of how interested or knowledgable you Brits are about American politics. I doubt if more than one in ten of us would know who 'whatsis' name is. You know who I mean - the guy who replaced Tony whatever his name was.

Even though we only watched on TV it was exciting. Regardless of which side won I feel that what was important was the huge number of new voters; the young people and those who had previously felt disenfranchised with no reason to participate in the political process. I'm also practical enough not to get too caught up in the euphoria that always follows a change in regime.

Noe,

Enjoyed your tale about Sid. After we discovered that three of us were feeding this poor cat, that had gone 'starving' all week long, we soon found out that a couple of neighbors who were year round residents had also been sucked in on a daily basis.

Bill B

I am wondering if any cats were involved in getting this document produced!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7708411.stm

I can just imagine millions of moggies pawing the leaflet when they feel they haven't had the amount of amusement or fresh food it says they should receive.

Gawd,we've troops dying for lack of equipment and this lot probably spent millions on producing the document and no doubt training inspectors...........it beggar's belief
Disgusted,Bude.