I usually keep posts about my pets to Facebook and (occasionally) Instagram. But this week heralds a new era in our household.

Losing Corky earlier this year meant that we were down to a 1 cat household. In 33 years we had never had less than 2.  I've really struggled with having nothing to cuddle up to in the evenings. It was particularly difficult for me as our elderly female tortie really doesn't like me much.  She'll put up with me if my husband is out, but if he is there then I am the devil's spawn. Every time I walk through the door I get the distinct impression she cannot believe I came back.  So she definitely does not want to be petted or share sofa space.

But now we have two new kittens.  The benefit to my mental health?  No more empty lap syndrome.  I am looking forward to struggling to reach for things because I am pinned to the sofa.  Or wasting half a morning on a Saturday because I am comfortable with my kindle and a cat or two.   Or standing in the garden shaking a tin and shouting weird names - we haven't named them yet.

And that is an interesting issue - what to call them. Without fail its the first question everyone asks.  Its our policy to wait until we can observe their personalities and then name them something appropriate from there.  Here's some of the names we've used over the years

Chewie always pinned down Swipe and chomped on his ears.

Swipey was an inveterate thief - his biggest success may have been a half eaten pastie

Spooky - made everyone run for the cat flap by jumping up quickly and darting out the room for no reason (watching three cats trying to exit a flap at the same time was hilarious)

Loopy was - yep, absolutely - completely and utterly

Corky was a little smasher

and Minnie is, and always will be a bit of a minx.

So my completely unrelated to work question is, how do you name your cats?