You’ve made the big decision to get a cat – or you have decided to expand your kitty family. You’ve chosen the breed or decided on a moggy – and now comes the hardest decision of them all – what will you call your new feline?

There are Disney cat names, Greek cat names, Egyptian Cat Names, Irish Cat Names – how about some Cat Food Names?

There are few things that I love more than food – maybe wine – so why not name your cat after one of your favourite things?

Food cat names are a terrific option – the words are familiar and well known and can be very sweet names for cats – even when spicy.

But there are many options – from fruits to vegetables to nuts to sweets to all things spicy – so many choices.

The good news is that I have done some of the hard work for you and have reduced the number of potential food cat names down based on some sound criteria about what can make for a good cat name.

Plus I’ll take you through some things to think about to help you decide which of those names is the best one for your new kitty.

Sure humans get excited about cat names – but does our kitty even know its own name let alone care? Research shows that domesticated cats do know and recognise their names.

The research was appropriately carried out by the University of Tokyo (home to many cat cafes which were actually used in this study) and was published in the well-reputed journal Nature.

It had been well known that domesticated cats were more vocal than wild cats and that a domesticated cat’s behaviour is influenced by their owners’ mood and facial expressions.

But considering that humans began domesticating cats about 9,500 years ago it is about time a more in-depth study was done about whether our cats even knew their own names.

The study worked with 78 different cats across single and multi cat homes as well as in cat cafes. The study found that most cats are able to distinguish their names from similar sounding words and from other cat names.

The evidence of this was that the cats perked up when they heard their names and responded by moving their heads, meowing and wiggling their ears.

This result was witnessed when both their owners and strangers used their names. And the results were similar in multi-cat households where cats didn’t react to the names of other cats in their homes but did when their name was used.

Naming a cat gives it an individual identity and helps to build a relationship between cat and owner. And you can help your cat to learn its own name by avoiding using too many nicknames, particularly when they are younger.

The color of your cat or its markings can help you make a choice. Irish cat names are fantastic for matching with the color of your cat. Olive is a great name for a darker coloured cat.

Oreo is perfect for a tuxedo cat – black and white. Ginger cats have loads of options when it comes to cat food names. Obviously, there is Ginger plus Cinnamon, Paprika and Pepper.

If your cat is golden how about honey? Or a light brown tabby maybe hummus or chickpea?

Look at your kitty’s shape as well – is he sleek or solid? Pointy ears or flat back ears? Fluffy or sleek? Think about the concept of Onomatopoeia. This is when a word looks like what it describes.

A great cat name may reflect your cat’s personality. This can be difficult with a new cat as of course you haven’t gotten to know them yet and your cat may be very young so its personality is still developing. Take a few days to observe your new kitty and see what it is like.

Spicy names are perfect for cats with some attitude or edge. This could be anything from pepper to tabasco to jalapeno.

If your cat is Persian how about Shiraz? A Siamese cat could be noodle or perhaps wonton? An American short hair popcorn? A Bombay cat curry?

You will use your cat’s name an awful lot – so the fewer the syllables the better. Also, this will be easier for your cat to absorb and remember. Plus it is likely that you will be introducing your cat to friends, family, vets and others so a shorter name is easier for everyone to understand and remember.

I feel Caviar is a bit much for a cat to have to take on. Or Pavlova? Souffle?

It may seem hilarious to give your cat a lengthy name when you first get it but you may well tire of calling this name out and sharing it with others eg Beef Wellington or Coq Au Vin.

I’m not sure about a name like Twinkie or Spam for your favourite feline.

Food is a great opportunity to develop matching names for cats in your household – like Hummus and Chickpea. Or Honey and Spice. Or Maple and Butterscotch. So many good combinations and options!

I know I let you know that your cat does learn its name but if you choose to change your cat’s name after a few weeks it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

There is no evidence one way or the other as to what happens when a new owner changes the name of an older cat eg if you were to get a rescue kitty who was already several years old. I would suggest trying your name of choice and giving it a few months to stick and then making a decision from there.

The Grumpy Cat only became The Grumpy Cat after an image of her frown went bananas on social media. Her real name was Tartar Sauce.

Garfield was based on cats that creator Jim Davis grew up around. The actual name and personality came from Jim Davis’ grandfather, James A Garfield Davis. Davis described his grandfather as “a large, cantankerous man”.

Choupette Lagerfeld was given to Karl Lagerfeld by French model Baptiste Giabiconi when the kitten was 10 weeks old. Choupette is a common nickname in French for cute girls.

Perfect for a frisky ginger cat

Perfect for any tabby cats

For a cat with attitude and energy

I know it is Korean but I feel this could work for an Oriental short hair or a Siamese.

So many food names for ginger cats! Love how affectionate this one feels

Perfect for a Persian or princess cat

This Japanese food favourite is perfect for a sleek kitty

I know it is Japanese but again like Kimchi

The beauty of this is two short names and the second sounds just like cat.

Perfect for a big fluffy decadent cat like a Maine Coon or a Siberian.

I feel like this really suits a tabby particularly if it is a moggy.

My absolute favourite. I’m not quite sure why but I feel it needs to be plural. So cute!

BrownieCupcakeOreoGingersnapBiscuitMuffinCaramelButterscotchHoneyJellybeanKit KatMacaroonMapleMarmaladeMarshmallowMochaSugarTruffleBon BonLollipopPuddingWafflesFlapjackTaffy

Tiramisu

 

BrandyCappucinoEspressoMerlotCabernetChardonnayLatte

Shiraz

 

CinnamonAnisePaprikaTobascoPepperJalapeno

Chili

 

BrieCheddarEpoisse

Almond
CashewPistachio

Peanut

Olive

 

FigBeanClementinePeachesPumpkinSweet PeaKumquatParsnip

Pickle

 

BasilGingerKimchiMisoNutmegRosemarySaffron

Jasmine

 

DumplingWontonPopcornSashimiSushiTofuMeatballSalamiMacaroniChickpeaPoppyHummusAlfredoRavioliGnocchiCaesar Dorito HashbrownNoodleLentilPretzel

Please Note: This cat food names post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through on most of the links and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. This will not affect the price that you pay. I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this.

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