Meet Jimmy

Before I get to my post today, I would like to draw your attention to my fab new header.  Sammy and Andy's generous mum Judi took time away from unpacking her new home to whip together this wonderful header for Cat's Cats which incorporates the new addition to our clan and even has maple leaves in the background... 'cause we're Canadian :-)  Thank you Judi for your kindness and creativity!

I have been thinking about why I feel the need to change Ash’s name.  I know his coat is truly the colour of dark ashes, and the name is therefore apropos, but strictly speaking ashes represent mourning.  I think I would like this little cat to have a happier name to carry with him throughout his life.  Ellery and Winston both mean joyful so they were in the offing for a while, but I was never entirely sold on either of them. 

In my head I went through all sorts of names trying to match something with our baby: Daniel, Vern, Isaac, Reginald, Rufus, Desmond, Dexter, Fritz, Lloyd, Tavish, Roland, Jeremiah, Jed, Zach and Jack but I didn't get that special feeling from any of them. So I toyed with Otis, Arnold, Wendall, Giles, Gabriel, Cecil, Tobias, Thomas, Beau, Earnest, Wilbur Wally and Martin. I hovered around Otis for a while, it means prosperous, which doesn't really hold any great significance but I liked the name. 

Then last Sunday Robert and I were with my family for lunch and they were all asking after Ash and wanting to know what we had decided to call him.  I started to tell them some of the names we had been considering and they threw out a few suggestions of there own...all of which were atrocious - lol!  Then Robert (who btw has never named one of our cats) said "What about Jim"?  Well I have always loved the name James which also lends itself nicely to many nicknames (the other cats have at least three each) and it just seemed to suit him once we said it out loud!

So, ladies and gentlemen...I would like you to meet James, Jimmy, Jimmer, Jimbo, Jim!