I’d like to know if it’s possible, when buying a kitten (whether they're GCCF registered or not), to change the name the breeders have given them?
Do you have to follow a specific letter for the year (I think it’s G at the moment)?
Thanks.
Translated from French
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As far as I know, for the pedigree registry, the name has to start with the letter of the year (that's definitely the case for dogs, anyway; @Dellys is better placed to answer regarding cats). However, you are allowed to use the required letter followed by a hyphen and then the actual name you want. Just as a random example: G-Tigger. With my dogs, the breeder let me choose the names, but that’s what she told me to do if I wanted a name that didn't start with the official letter for that year.
From a purely practical point of view, if the breeder has already given them a name, they'll be used to it, so you'll have to slowly get them used to being called something else.
My Félia responds to all the little nicknames I’ve given her on top of her official one (it’s on her pedigree papers and I chose it myself, as the breeder hadn’t actually named her before the adoption). It’s mainly the tone of my voice when I’m talking to her that lets her know.
So yes, regardless of their registered name, you can call them whatever you like. Your kitten will gradually recognise all their different nicknames and will know that you’re talking to them.
Yes, you can definitely change it – that’s what I did with my Persian. She used to be called Douchka, but I changed it to Dolce. You don’t have to give them a name starting with G, though.
No Julie, using the designated letter of the year isn’t just a suggestion; it’s actually mandatory for a kitten with a GCCF pedigree.
So, to answer your question, if the breeder chooses the kitten’s name, it cannot be changed on the official pedigree papers.
But that doesn’t stop you from giving them a pet name of your own.
That being said, the advice I give to anyone taking home a three-month-old kitten—who will already know its name perfectly well—is to keep calling them by that name, especially during the first week. Moving to a new home is quite stressful for a kitten as it is, so if you also stop using the name they recognise, they’ll end up not knowing whether they’re coming or going.
So, stick with the original name to start with, and then slowly introduce the new one.
And why not just use both? Cats are perfectly capable of responding to two, or even more, different pet names!
It’s not compulsory for his name to start with a ‘G’, but it’s highly recommended. Mind you, if he’s registered with the GCCF, you won’t be able to change it as he’ll already be in the register. He can always have nicknames, though!
Right, about the paperwork—if the kitten was born in 2011, then yeah, it’s mandatory for their name to start with a G. But you can obviously call them whatever you like at home...
