When he came to us from the shelter, he was a frightened, confused, rejected, flea-infested derelict. With a name perhaps becoming his state- Moris, with a single “r”. He captured my heart immediately.

I didn't want to change anything about him – except the name.

Names with the initial “S” appeal to me, so B and I started going through possible ones to suit his appearance and demeanor. I favored Saffron, the color of his coat; but the word has no personality. It is dear and much coveted as a spice, used in fine culinary endeavors around the world. But who'd want a name inspired by food – especially if it doesn't fall into feline-fave category? Perhaps Sir Loin or Salmon might do. For him; not for me.

It was B's suggestion to name him Selim.

Now that's a name one doesn't use for a pet, for it belongs to a revered Ottoman Sultan, known for his fairness and bravery . The name also means serene and calm. 

It is not Turkish custom to name pets after people. Turks create names for pets so that people and pet names are not interchangeable.

Then memory took me back to a time when Ex # 1 and I had adopted an all white cat - years ago. One green and one blue eye had he; a true neurotic/psychotic/insomniac/paranoid, he'd arch his back and jump sideways whenever I returned home from school; or be watching us from cabinet tops where he was invisible to the naked eye. I never knew when he'd jump from somewhere and scare the living daylights out of me. Unfortunately (or maybe not) I got pregnant and we had to find another home for “Mesut”- Happy- named after one of the seven dwarfs of Snow White.

I had never in my life encountered anyone named Mesut in Turkey. Wouldn't you know, he lived in Canada- that's why! I was somewhat embarrassed to introduce my neurotic feline to his namesake who happened to be an attache at the embassy, visiting my parents the same weekend we took Mesut to be introduced to his grandparents.

So this time, having broken the rule once, I didn't really give a cat's meow and said, “Yes! Yes! Selim is the name!”

Selim grew into his name. He lived through rejection, deception, sadness and loneliness with me. He became a single parent pet and my closest, most sensitive and affectionate companion. He communicates mostly with his eyes, and once in a while forgets that he is a cat and cries “Mommy” instead of “Meow”. That's when I also forget to feed him his dry food and open a can of “Millionnaire's Sardines”. He's worth it.

For a while my world was blue. Not anymore. My darling Selim colored it saffron for me.

Füsun Atalay ~ Copyright © DictionMatters-2010