Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for December 29, 2022

Laser Lupin! I can’t wait to see the painting for that!

One step closer to being home. That just sounds so nice.

Actually, names pretty much make it a done deal. I suppose, technically, they need to buy the BPH and decide among the new owners that the number of cats per apartment rule is no longer in effect, but really, it’s far too late for the People.

(cheeky giggles) We all know Elvis’ many-faceted nicknames! My favourite is Mommy’s Special Boy! ♥

Cool Igula? Sounds like a Roman emperor.

I think Burt was a Borscht Belt comedian in a past life.

Yeah Laser’s an appropriate nickname for light amplification by the stimulation of energy? Why not say labstoer?

Awww … they do resemble a pair of adorable oldsters. But Iggy needs to hold a giant pasta fork, so their portrait can be called “American Italian Gothic”.

I guess any name is fine, if you are an accidental pregnancy. My older sister was planned after my parents got married, but I happened to be a “surprise” and not planned. So, my parents didn’t even think of a name for me until I was born. I think they were hoping for a boy and had a name picked for a boy, but…guess what?! I came out as a girl!! The name they picked for a boy?…Lyndal.

Lazer! Fast as lightning!

Those sound like names for cookie brands. Very appropriate for a couple of sweet cats…

Coffee-spewing laugh of the day: Lupin the goofball calling someone “son”!!

I think Iggy and Ora Zella are cool names for cats and it suits these particular cats. Welcome to the BPH and BCN gang! Can’t wait for all the shenanigans you all will incur.

A lot to unpack with this one: 1) While the fact Lupin tried to get people to call him laser isn’t suprising the fact he just.. casually calls Iggy son warms the heck out of my heart. It’s just so adorable. 2) The Ending is sweet not only because Goldie knows form experince.. but because we’re so close to adoption. 3) Burt.. not now.

Nice to meet you, cutie’s! Please stay awhile!

Who’s going to tell the people that Iggy likes the name Igula?

Sometimes ‘home’ is the best word of all.

An Oldie From The Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose: Too Late to Turn Back Now

A wise person told me, they said “You must beware”

There are many searching for homes, so many out there

They can break your heart,

More than the eye can see,

But since these two kittens came along,

I can feel it’s happened to me,

And I’m tellin’ ya,

…….

It’s too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe since I have given them names

It’s too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe I believe I have fallen in love!

…….

I find one of them on my lap

At least ten times a day,

It’s so unusual for me to carry on this way (Or is it?)

I can’t sleep at night

Without one or both in place

I know that I’m hooked right now,

I am lost without a trace!

…….

It’s too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe since I have given them names

It’s too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe I believe I have fallen in love!

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile

Iggy Shipwright: Ready for the 2 am zoom?

Ziggy Starcross: Ready when you are.

Iggy: Alright. Remember to watch out for startling people.

Ziggy: I already gave Louie-Nour fair warning. He’s cool.

Iggy: That he is. Alright, On your Mark! Get set! GO!

A Zoom Collision

Ora Zedd: Look where you’re going, Love! Look where you’re going!

Iggy: Ziggs, Meet my friend Ora Zedd.

Ora: That’s me, Little O, Don’t you know!

Ziggy: Please to meet you, Ms Zedd.

Ora: Call me Ora. I’m small but mighty. Alrighty, time to kick and run and have lots of fun!

Ziggy: I think I’m in love.

Being named seals the deal. They’re home with their servants.

Remember, one of Puck’s nicknames is “Mom Cat”.

But as they are fosters, won’t their new owners consider giving them different names? After all, the strip is overflowing with cats already, not to mention other animals. Maybe they will be like Beatrice, and only seen occasionally. Special guest appearances once a month. One can hope. As regulars? Nah.

Isn’t Ora Zella also a type of pasta? :)

Suddenly I really want some mozzarella. Iggy is right, Igula is much cooler. Meanwhile, we have seen the People call Lupin many things, but never Laser. Fluffapurrus Rex is still the best, though.

We lost our home before

Then wound up at your door

But before we hid once more

Those scary times are done

Now we’re having so much fun

You treated us so kind

Gave us best names you could find

You made us so very happy

We’re so glad we came into your life

Mm-mmh

- Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson and Berry Gordy – You’ve Made Me So Very Happy – Blood, Sweat and Tears

Those names are precious. Furthermore, Burt is right. The names sound like they are from the St. Louis Hill neighborhood, where Italian families settled in the last century. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hill,St.Louis)

Iggy and Ora Zella run a little Italian market like DiGregorio’s Italian Market and are constantly bickering, but they are the best of friends since elementary school in 1939. People come into the market to find Italian delicacies like anchovies packed in olive oil, but most come back to see Iggy and Ora. In the evening, Iggy plays bocce ball at Milo’s tavern. Ora Zella is either with him or at St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church across the street, talking with the other ladies in the woman’s auxiliary.

On Saturday evenings, in the warm weather, they sit on the front porch of the shot-gun house they bought in 1959, and share a Budweiser while listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio. They are happy.

Ah yes Birth, so wonderful and fascinating. Here we are the readers getting to view the birth of Iggy and the Stooges.

For those too young to remember: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Iggy-and-the-Stooges

It’s nice to see that Iggy and Ora Zella are formally named and accepted into the clowder. The BPH will soon be bursting with cats!

Wouldn’t that make him “Ignazio”?

Two cuties!

One Step Closer, Christina Perri: A Thousand Years

Running fast,

Nowhere to turn

Have to be brave

Out on the run when I’m afraid to stay

But here with you all of my doubt

Suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer!

…….

I have searched every day

Looking for a new home

Now there’s no need to be afraid

These Humans have loved from the first we met

And they’ll love us now forever more!

…….

Big red couch

Beauty in napping there

Children to play with

Cats who have welcomed us with open paws!

Our search, everywhere has come to this!

One step closer!

…….

I have searched every day

Looking for a new home

Now there’s no need to be afraid

These Humans have loved from the first we met

And they’ll love us now forever more!

Nothing is now the same, what we’ve looked for

Now we both know our names, we can be sure

They’ve loved us from the first we met!

And they’ll love us forever more!

Ora Zella’s little face in panel 3 just slays me! She’s so cute!

But Lupin doesn’t look anything like a red dot…

OT: J gets sprung…

Since they don’t answer to them anyway, all our cats’ names mutate over the years. Beanie started out as “Anna” (sister of Grace, as in Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington) but as a tiny kitten she looked like a coffee bean (all black) when curled up, so for a while she was “Anna Bean”, eventually we dropped the Anna, and after “bean” “Bean” for a while she settled on “Beanie”. Less elegant but more fitting. “Loki” started out as “Coco” for her coloring, but her behavior had us calling her “Loco” for a while which became “Loki” the trickster.

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Now we know your names!”

“But what’s puzzling you is . . . "

“Can we play some games!”

Everyone picked up their new kitten yesterday. And, the lady who found the family came and got the mama cat. It’s been a long six weeks and I’m glad to see them all in loving homes. The people ran the gamut for backgrounds.We had a retired couple who are true animal people. They took the black female. The young, single dad took the Siamese mix. An engaged couple (he’s in a wheelchair) took the tortie and a retired Navy woman took the black male. The last three people are all friends who work together and came together. My kitten room was quite full of people and kittens!They spent about 30 minutes here talking about different experiences with kittens and getting to know each kitten before they all left. The young man had never had one before so the others were explaining different things to him.

I gotta admit, “Laser” is a pretty cool nickname.

Yes. Fine. Italian grandparents. But can they cook?

In Philip Roth’s “Great American Novel” the ballplayers all were named after gods. Most had nicknames except for Nickname Damur. He kept trying to give himself one and got that one from his teammates.

Do Italian grandmothers have “wrath lists?”

Kittenses!! I sent them IRL many skritches and cuddles.

Yes when they finally realize they are home, there is nothing else like it.

Great, another reason I could have kept joking Iggy is the undead. WHY NOW!?!

I had an uncle called Iggy. No one could pronounce Ignatius!

Love the fangs!

I thought Lupin’s was Shadowfax.

Lupin once wanted to be Shadowfax!

For those of you in the Buffalo, NY area; I’m praying for you all and others that are in similar situations in other parts of the country. I hope you all are doing okay and pray for you and your families.

The naming of cats is a difficult matterIt isn’t just one of your holiday gamesYou may think at first I’m mad as a hatterWhen I tell you a cat must have three different names

First of all, there’s the name that the family use dailySuch as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or JamesSuch as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill BaileyAll of them are sensible, everyday names

But I tell you a cat needs a name that’s particularA name that’s peculiar and more dignifiedElse how can he keep up his tail perpendicular?Or spread out his whiskers or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorumSuch as Munkustrap, Quaxo or CoricopatSuch as Bombalurina, or else JellylorumNames that never belong to more than one cat

But above and beyond there’s still one name left overAnd that is the name that you will never guessThe name that no human research can discoverBut the cat himself knows and will never confess

When you notice a cat in profound meditationThe reason, I tell you, is always the sameHis mind is engaged in rapt contemplationOf the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his nameHis ineffable, effable, effanineffableDeep and inscrutable singular nameName, name, name, name, name, name

From Andrew Lloyd Webbers Cats

I thought it was “Shadowfax”