Can You Change a Cat’s Name?
Yes, you can rename your cat — and this guide will help you train your cat to respond to their awesome new moniker.
Is it okay to rename a cat?
It is very common to rename a cat after adoption, so if you feel the urge, go for it. There are several common reasons to rename your cat:
- Their name doesn’t do justice to their personality.
- There is trauma or negativity associated with their existing name.
- They are not responding to their current name.
- They just have a terrible cat name.
“Most cats adapt just fine to a name change,” says Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD, a cat-behavior expert at FurPetVo. “They are not going to suffer an identity crisis.”
Where humans identify emotionally with their names, one study of felines living in cat cafés in Japan found that most cats associate their names with good things — such as food, treats, attention, and petting. If a cat is not responding to their existing name, this could be due to being recently renamed (for example, in a rescue environment) or anxiety after being moved to a new setting. But their naturally reserved personality could also account for this.
Just understand that after choosing your cat’s new moniker, training them to respond to it will take time — but it is absolutely achievable.
Is it ever bad to change a cat’s name?
In most circumstances, a name change is perfectly fine. “All cats learn at their own unique pace. It really depends on how much you expect of your cat to prove they ‘know’ their name,” Dr. Delgado says. “Honestly, I don’t spend too much time worrying about what cats think about their name as long as they are happy and healthy, and I can get their attention when I need it.”
You may face a few hurdles when changing a cat’s name. Some experts believe that if a cat has lived with a name for a long time, changing it may be a bit more difficult because it’s akin to undoing a habit. However, age itself — whether training a kitten or a senior cat — isn’t necessarily a huge hurdle. Additionally, a rescued cat may experience fear and anxiety while adjusting to their new environment, so name-training them may be a bit too much for them as they learn to trust you.
In these cases, changing a cat’s name isn’t impossible — it will simply require more patience and gentle consistency.
Choosing a name for your cat
Ah, the fun part of welcoming home a new cat: coming up with a new name for them. A lot of people lean into kitty colors for inspiration — think “Cocoa” for a brown tabby or “Ash” for a gray. But perhaps you’d like to focus on their personality traits. Or maybe you’d like to name them after a person you know, a beloved fictional character, or even something delightfully whimsical.
There is no rule to naming your cat, but Dr. Delgado offers some sage advice. “In general, I recommend using names that are kind and considerate. Don’t name your cat something rude, or that might give others the impression that your cat is not nice,” she says. This applies especially to any cat parents with kitties who love attention and/or being pet.
You’ll also have more luck with a shorter name — like “Mittens” — than a long phrase — like “Baroness Kitty von Mittens.”
Another possible red flag? “You don’t want to use names that are the same as words you might use for training,” Dr. Delgado says, “although I don’t know anyone who has named their cat ‘sit,’ ‘jump,’ or ‘high five.’”
Step-by-step guide on how to rename a cat
Once you’ve figured out a name for your kitty, it’s time for brass tacks: successfully implementing that name.
Step 1: Introduce the new name
After choosing a new name, stick with it. Changing it frequently will confuse your cat. When first introducing the new name, say it out loud in a short, uncomplicated way — like “Come, Mittens” or “Hi, Mittens.” Use a warm, sweet voice while making gentle eye contact, and offer a small treat right away.
Step 2: Continue positive reinforcement training
Start the true name-acclimation process in a quiet room with few distractions, and make sure your kitty hasn’t just eaten. “Give them a treat when they respond the way you would like them to — for example, come to you — when you say their name,” Dr. Delgado says. “You want to start pretty close to your cat and, over time, increase the distance between you and your cat — or even call their name from another room.”
Keep in mind that your tone and other details matter. “Cats likely respond to more than just their name,” Dr. Delgado adds. “They respond to the tone of our voice, our body language, how close we are to them, if we are making eye contact, and more.”
Step 3: Repeat, repeat, repeat
Repetition is everything in encouraging your cat to respond to their new name. Keep up the treat-based training daily. If there are other people living in your household — or frequent visitors — ask them to pitch in by using the same positive reinforcement method.
Step 4: Make adjustments over time
As your cat gets more accustomed to the name, gradually increase the distance between you and your cat, and vary the location where training occurs — try calling from the kitchen, hallway, or even outside the door. You should also slowly taper off the frequency of treats, replacing them with affection, play, or verbal praise.
Tips for a smooth name transition
A smooth transition from an old name to a new, chosen one ultimately depends entirely on your capacity for patience and dedication to regular training. It also depends on your individual cat: Some cats may learn their new name in a day; others may take weeks. But they will learn.
“Every cat is going to be different in how they respond to their name,” Dr. Delgado says. “Research has shown that cats respond differently to the sound of their name compared to the sound of other cats’ names, so we feel confident that they can associate the general qualities of the sound of their name — like syllables, vowels, and consonant sounds — with the fact that we’re trying to get their attention — even better yet, if we have treats for them.”
If your cat is newly adopted, remember that they’ve just arrived at a new place and need time to adjust. They may be anxious, stressed, or withdrawn. Trying to teach a cat their new name on top of all that can overwhelm them — and progress may temporarily stall. That’s normal.
If your cat doesn’t respond to its new name, stay the course — they’ll eventually come around. To that end, Dr. Delgado offers a few more tips:
- The best way to get your cat’s attention is to use a friendly, relatively high-pitched voice — cats respond better to this tone.
- If your cat already knows the sound of a treat bag, shake it gently while calling their new name.
- Pair the name with something they love — like mealtime, play sessions, or chin scratches.
Commonly asked questions
Do cats care if you change their name?
No, cats do not care if you change their name. Positive reinforcement will encourage a cat to accept their new name. This learning process may take days or weeks — and, in fewer cases, months — but you can be comforted knowing that positive reinforcement is an effective technique for training your cat to respond to their new name.
