The Naming of Kittens

I have been thinking of names for Rhapsody’s kittens since long before they were born. I tend to prefer unusual names; not outlandish, but not common, so they will be unique. And I like the names of cats who come in groups - and there is no group like a litter - to be of a kind, of a theme. Since their mother is Rhapsody, I thought immediately of music. The trouble is that I have used musical names for a number of beasts already, notably the ferals of the small colony that I trapped and had fixed, and now help feed, at my work-place.

But that didn’t stop me from thinking of more musical names. I decided on the kinds of tempo music has. (It would have better if my former foster-cat Tempo (now adopted and re-named) had been the mother in this case, rather than Rho, but, thankfully, Tempo was never pregnant.)

Therefore, I would like to introduce to you the new Tempos, as it were: from top to bottom in the illustration, we have Presto (meaning ‘fast’), because he was first to be born; Vivace ([viv-aw-chee] ‘lively’), whom I believe to be the only girl; Largo (which means ‘slow’; he was the last to be born); Andante ([awn-dawn-tay] the name refers to a walking pace; he was born in the middle, neither in a hurry, nor dawdling), and Allegro (‘happy’).

Fortunately, they all have distinctive colouring and patterns; I feared half a dozen black cats… Instead, we have an orange and white tabby; a semi-diluted tortoiseshell; a light orange tabby; a dilute orange, and a white and dilute orange.

I’m sure their names won’t survive their adoptions, but for now, one might say, the timing is right for these little notes.