However, there has been some gender confusion around here. Last night I was sitting in bed playing with Valencia. I'm not one to examine the genitals on our pets very closely, but as the cat rolled over, something caught my eye. "Nick!" I said, "Horror of all horrors! This cat is a BOY!" Nick turned and looked at me, rather puzzled, and then came over to more closely examine the cat himself. Sure enough--this cat is a male! Well, this has caused quite a conundrum.
Apparently, it is rather common to be unable to detect the sex of a kitten when they are very small. However, when we took Valencia home with us, the veterinarian on duty very confidently declared the cat to be a girl. It's even confirmed on the paperwork we were given: Gender--F. So, off we headed to PetSmart where I purchased some girly little cat toys for this animal who we named 'Valencia' and whom I often refer to as 'Missy Lou.' The habit of referring to the cat as a girl is quite set, and it seems strange to try and change her (his, as it would be, I guess) name at this point.
Nick asked what we should call the cat. Valencia is certainly quite a feminine name. I decided that since every pet we own ends up an 'it' (thanks to a spay or neuter procedure), and since we at one time had a female dog named Calvin, that we could continue to call HIM Valencia. Nick suggested that the whole situation had caused such a pickle that we might need to just trade this cat in for a different one and start completely anew. However, THIS cat knows how to use the cat door and goes outside to go potty, and I don't want to bother teaching another cat to do the same. So, Mr. Valencia Jones it is.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!"
2 comments:
For a brief, very tiny split second you had me! Whew! After all this planning for Nia ...
Well, Mr. Valencia it is then! I don't think there is any way to make a nicname out of Valencia that would be masculine -- I tried for a few minutes before writing this comment and came up with absolutely nothing much of anything. So Valencia he is!
Mr Valenica has a distinguished ring to it I think. Kinda reminds me of the time the vet told me that the dog I rescued was spayed... until puppies came out three months later...
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