Changing a Cat’s Name

T.S. Elliott had it right in his famous poem: the naming cats is a difficult matter! Some of our cats come to us already named, and we keep the name because it suits, or because the cat already responds to it. Others come with names we don’t like, so we choose a new name for them. Either way, most cat parents put a lot of thought into naming a cat. And some wonder whether it’s a good idea to change a cat’s name, especially if the cat is an adult who responds to her given name.

Allegra came to...