Monday Memories - Name That Cat

I don’t think I’ve ever told you about Goldie, our Shetland pony. My brothers and sisters and I grew up on a ranch in southern Idaho and we had plenty of horses for herding cows. I don’t remember who gave us Goldie, the Shetland pony, I just remember she was mean.  She had foundered so her hooves were long and curled - witchlike.  She tried to scrape us off on every fence or tree she passed. She'd turn around and bite your leg when you weren’t paying attention.  Goldie didn’t like us anymore than we liked her. 

But Goldie had four legs so when it came time to move cows and you were the youngest and all of the real horses were taken, Goldie was your mount (using the term very generously). No one ever had to worry about Goldie racing for the barn at the end of the day; she didn’t believe in racing anywhere. If it was exciting or good, Goldie did not participate.

Goldie's name did not fit her.  She was not gold nor was she golden. 

However, some of our other horses' names fit them:

There was Shorty.  He was born in a snow bank and his ears were frozen short.  

Two-Bits cost $250 or two bits.

Forty Below was born when it was forty below.

Tomahawk was a tediously slow, stub-tailed appaloosa, with a short choppy trot.

I wish I had a picture of each of these horses, but I don't.  But I do have one of Sunny.  Someone in the family poetically suggested Sunset Beach for his name so we held a family vote, compromised, and called him Sunny.  It fit his personality perfectly.  He was one happy and fun horse. Here we are at a rodeo competition.

All this to say it's very important to get the right name for an animal.  

Recently we got two cats and they needed names.  This is Cat 1.  You will have to imagine Cat 2 as he doesn't pose.  

Calvin could care less what their names are so I called Afton and Levin to help name them.    

 

Afton named Cat 1, La-TA-ta.  

Levin named Cat 2, Jelly-doo.  

I think they'll fit perfectly.