Calling All Cats

Do you wonder why some cats respond to their names and others don't? Well, you probably have better things to wonder about, but I don't.

Some people (mostly "dog" people") would have you believe that cats are incapable of learning their names. Not true. Even at the crowded House Where The Black Cat Lives, each cat knows his or her own name. Well there was that brief period long ago when Ernie thought he was Koko, an identity crisis that has since cleared itself up.

Not only do they know their names, but they can sort out the plethora of silly and downright embarrassing nicknames I have bestowed upon each of them over the years. To wit:

Henry -- Henri, Monsieur Henri (or sometimes just Monsieur), Hen-Hen, Handsome Boy, Dreamsicle Kitty, Bubba

Sammy - Sammy Bear, Sam I Am, Samster, Sammy Lee Magee

Nettie - Nettie Louise, Net-Net, Weezie, Weezabit

CJ - Celie Jo, Ceej, CJ Sweet Girl, Princess Fluffybutt

Koko - Ko, Kokomo Magee, Kokobean, Beanie-Weanie, Big Eyed Boy

Ernie - Ernie H, Ernesto, Big E

Roxanne - Roxie, Rox, Roxanneroxannadana, Roxita, Missy Anne.

And they all go by Pretty Kitty. No false modesty within my crew.

So, I can see where the occasional state of name confusion might ensue. But I'm convinced it's really a control issue. And, yes, they are the ones in control.

Henry likes to play this little game where he half-turns his head in my direction when I call him, a gesture that clearly says, "I want you to know that I recognize that I am being paged. I also want you to know that I am not coming."

He is also quite capable of pretending he doesn't care that I've been gone after a long vacation. Eventually he will saunter my way and, with total indifference, offer up his ears to be scratched as if to say "Well, since you're here..." I don't call him Monsieur Henri for nothing; he is soooo French.

Sammy, on the other hand. is too much of an attention whore to ever carry off that whole insouciant act. I look at him, say his name and he gets all happy. Every time.

I like to think I can even summon my cats telepathically. They always seem to know exactly what I am thinking (not that they care what I think).

The fact is cats will come when called if they believe there is something in it for them. Pure and simple. Just like humans.

Which gets me thinking. I know what I call them, but what do they call me? One would think "Mama" but that's really a name I call myself, isn't it?

Well, whatever it is, I bet they think they've got me well trained.

And they are right.