Survivor Names for Cats, Rescues and Strays

Cat rests on man's shoulder

Cats The Great Survivors

Cats are renowned for their ability to beat the odds by surviving falls, predators, and the perils of feral existence. If you have rescued a kitty superhero, consider one of these survivor names for cats, that celebrates your new feline companion’s fighter spirit.

Unique Survivor Names For Cats

Cats are well known for their ability to endure (up to nine lives, when necessary). These tenacious cat names for survivors celebrate their ability to persevere against the odds via pluck, luck, and caginess. Name your rescue kitty with a moniker that exemplifies his or her style, when defying the fates. Some kitties may survive through stealth, while others are likely to open up a can of whoop ass on would-be attackers.

Bravo – In the US Army, Bravo company accomplishes the training of civilians, transforming them into physically prepared soldiers, capable of military core defense and assault. Name your cat Bravo Company Kitty!

Chance – Fortuitous or accidental. A good name for a cat you stumbled upon – give that cat a chance!

Charmed – Unusually lucky.

Destiny – Fate of future fortune.

Endurance – Enduring an unpleasant situation, without giving up. The given name of Inspector Morse.

Faith – Compete confidence or trust in someone or something.

Foxy – Cunning.

Hazard – Put at risk of a danger.

Hope – Feeling of trust, expectation or desire.

Jeopardy – At great risk.

Journey – Adventure, expedition or pilgrimage.

Guardian Survivor Names for Cats

Keeper – Protector.

Mettle – Courage or Pluck.

Moxie – Daring or grit.

Noble – Grand or aristocratic.

Omen – Prophecy.

Pluck – Moxie and mettle.

Prophecy – Portent or harbinger.

Prophet – Oracle or psychic.

Relic – Legacy or token.

Rune – Sign or cypher.

Savvy – Canny.

Spirit – Backbone or grit.

Spunky – Fiery or peppy.

Stroker – Stroke of good luck.

Token – Omen.

Triumph – Victory.

Trooper – Analogous to one who perseveres.

Trouble – Jeopardy or predicament.

Usher – Guide, escort or companion.

Valiant – Bold or fearless.

Valor – Bravery.

Venture – Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Vibe – Energy or spirit.

Victor – Winner or conqueror.

Whoop Ass – Open up a can of Whoop Ass.

Lucky Survivor Cat Names

Throughout history, myth and legend, the numbers three and nine, as well as multiples of these numbers, have been considered magical or lucky. An old English adage recounts, “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.”

These survivor cat names are associated with aspects of good fortune and luck in addition to keeping the faith—all characteristics required to be the best of survivors.

Charm – Lucky token

Clover – Four leaves bring luck.

Destiny – Fortune or luck.

Faith – Belief in a positive outcome.

Felicity – Happiness or luck.

Felix – Latin, means “lucky.”

Heldij – Danish, means, “lucky.”

Hope – Belief or faith in a positive outcome

Karma – Analogous to Destiny or Fate.

Kismet – Fortune or luck.

Laki – Samoan, means “lucky.”

Lagniappe – Something given as a bonus or extra gift, pronounced lan/yap.

Mozell“Yiddish” for good luck.

Rosy – Full of promise.

Stroker – Stroke of luck.

Suerte – Spanish, means “Lucky.”

Twist – Twist of fate.

Cute Names for Survivor Cats

If your kitty has had a rough start to life consider whether he or she may have survived via wits or fighting prowess. These unique, cute survivor cat names celebrate employing cagey wiles, when it comes to surviving in a variety of dangerous environments.

Bluff – Deception or Sham.

Cagey – Not easily pinned down.

Canny – Cunning or wise.

Carny – Artful or sly.

Cheeky – Bold or impudent.

Craft – Art or skill.

Dodger – Evader.

Go-go – Assertively dynamic.

Imp – mischievous sprite.

Flip – Glib or humerous.

Fly – Aware worldly and clever.

Foxy – Cunning.

Pawky – Shrewd.

Pluck – Courage.

Puck – Evil sprite.

Rogue – Scoundrel.

Sage – Wise.

Savvy – Shrewd or of good judgement.

Sham – Pretense.

Shifty – Devious or evasive.

Slick – Effortless, smoot and efficient.

Slim – Adroit or crafty.

Sneaker – Animal that sneaks.

Sylvester – Call your kitty Sly for short.

Trixie – One who plays tricks.

Wag – Witty individual.

Wary – Cautious.

Whiz – Quick witted.

Wily – Crafty and cunning. Also master survivor Wily Coyote, who resurrects after every seemingly life-ending plot.

Wry – Ironic or dry wit.

Fighter Survivor Names For Cats

Cats, kangaroos and bears all make good boxers. Cats, taking on their enemies, sit back on their haunches, and trade blows, with claws extended. These fighting survivor cat names for cats come to us from famous boxers of the last two centuries.

These boxers took their wiles from street fighting to the boxing ring, and ultimately, to the lap of luxury. Many of these feline name ideas are unisex, and make interesting survivor names for girl cats too.

Ali

Buster

Cassius

Camacho

De La Hoya

Dempsey

Duran Duran

Evander

Frazier

Hector

Holmes

Jack Johnson

Lennox

Lewis

Rocky

Sugar Ray

Tyson

Survivor Cat Names from History, Myth and Fiction

Aslan: A magical speaking lion in the Narnia Chronicles, Aslan is sacrificed on the Stone Table by the White Witch and then resurrected by the laws of Deeper Magic. Alsan is Turkish for “lion.”

Atlas: Titan god, condemned to hold the heavens on his shoulders for all eternity. The Atlantic Ocean is named for him: the Sea of Atlas.

Baihu or Byakko: The white tiger in Japanese and Chinese mythology, representing the West and autumn season.

Cosmos: Orderly universe.

Deucalion: The Noah of Greek myth, Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha, are the only survivors of a great flood sent by Zeus to cleanse the world.

Emzara: Wife of Noah and survivor of the great flood.

Epic: Heroic or grand in scale.

Homer: Author of the Iliad and obnoxious parent to Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson.

Jad-bal-ja: Tarzan’s lion companion.

Lazarus: The ultimate survivor, Jesus raised him from the dead.

Noah: Builder of the Ark and survivor of the great flood.

Odysseus: The ultimate survivor, Odysseus survived the Trojan War, only to struggle for 10 years to return to his home in Ithaca.

Parker: Richard Parker is the name of the tiger who survives on a raft with a young Indian boy, Pi, in The Life of Pi. Richard Parker (the Bengal tiger) symbolizes the animal instincts Pi must employ in order to survive.

Sekhmet: Egyptian goddess with the head of a lioness.

Tarzan: Lone survivor of a shipwreck, the child, Lord Greystoke, is raised by apes and eventually matures into Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.

Tarzana: Edgar Rice Burroughs’s (author of the Tarzan series) California ranch, which later became an LA neighborhood.

Titan: The Immortal Gods that preceded the Olympians.

Zorro: Spanish for “fox,” Zorro is a master acrobat and skilled with swords. He is known for his daring escapes from the bungling authorities. He is nicknamed “Zorro” by the townspeople because of his fox-like cunning and sense of humor.

Survivor Names for Cats Inspired by Famous Escape Artists and Conquerors

These names for survivor cats include historical figures, such as Casanova and Jenny the Titanic Cat as well as fictional heroes and heroines.

Buttercup: Infamous Hunger Games kitty survivor and Princess Bride survivor. Buttercup makes a cute name for an orange cat; you can call her Butters for short.

Casanova: Imprisoned in Venice at the infamous Leads prison for adultery, Casanova immediately began plotting his escape. Having been foiled once in his attempt to dig his way out of The Leads, Casanova handed off his digging tool to his cell neighbor.

This neighbor, Balbi, obliged Casanova by not only digging a tunnel out of prison for himself but also between their cells. The pair split up upon arriving in Venice proper and were never recaptured. Indeed, Casanova must have been an extraordinarily charming man.

Claudius: Roman Emperor Claudius was born Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus; on 1 August 10 BC and lived to 13 October AD 54. Because he was born with a limp, had difficulty hearing, and spoke with a stammer, his uncles and nephew, Caligula, exempted Claudius from the normal purges of their reigns. Because others believed Claudius to be mentally deficient, they precluded him from holding any official positions in the Roman government. Therefore, they never saw him as a threat throughout the many palace intrigues.

In time, however, Claudius eventually shared a consulship with Caligula, and after Caligula’s assassination, the Pretorian Guard declared Claudius Emperor. As he was the last survivor of his lineage, it seemed Rome had been left with slim pickings. Happily, and against all odds, Claudius turned out to be an excellent Emperor. As emperor, he built the aqueduct, and his reign in the Roman Empire was marked by fairness and economic success. “Clawdius” makes a cute name for an unassuming yet cunning survivor male cat.

Connor: In the film Highlander, Connor MacLeod suspects that he is immortal after quickly recovering from a fatal wound in battle. Banished from his village for witchcraft, Connor stumbles upon a Spaniard familiar with his condition, who takes Connor under his wing in order to train him to properly meet his destiny. As it turns out, Connor and an undisclosed number of men were born immortal, and only their beheadings can end one’s life. The ensuing centuries are spent with immortals, like himself, meeting up and sword fighting to the death in anticipation of the “Gathering,” which is to be held in New York, New York. In an epic battle of good versus evil, fair Connor faces off with the dark Kurgan, whose execution ushers in a beautiful new age for mankind.

Cool Hand Luke: Decorated war veteran and rebel without a cause, Cool Hand Luke finds himself escaping from prison time after time only to be returned time after time. His many escapes, never-say-never attitude, and postcards detailing his exploits on the outside bestow cult status on Luke among his fellow inmates. Name your cat Luke if you believe the two of you might be experiencing “a failure to communicate …”

Donner: The Donner party was a group of pioneers who, through a series of poor decisions and inclement weather, found themselves stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains. In order to survive, they ultimately resorted to cannibalism of the already dead of their party, frozen in the nearby snow banks. 42 of the party died in the pass, while 47 survived.

Ginger: Gilligan’s Island’s movie star, Ginger makes a perfect red survivor cat name.

Gilligan: The title character of Gilligan’s Island, who inevitably scuttles every hope of their rescue.

Houdini: Famous escape artist, chiefly known to have more lives than a cat.

Jenny: Jenny, the Titanic Cat, was a transfer from one of the Titanic’s sister ships, prior to the maiden voyage of the great ship. Cruise ships employed such cats, chiefly to keep the rodent population aboard in check. One of the ship’s stokers, Jim Mulholland, volunteered to keep an eye on Jenny as she gave birth to a litter of kittens. Shortly before the Titanic set sail, Mulholland observed Jenny removing her kittens from the ship. Considering this to be a bad omen, Jim also packed his bags and left the ship. Mulholland credited prescient Jenny with saving his life. Both Mulholland and Jenny make excellent cat names for survivors.

Marshall: In 1970, the entire University of Marshall football team and coaches were lost when their chartered plane crashed on return from a game at Eastern Carolina. The University considered ending its football program—but the next year, they decided to field the team with walk-ons and junior varsity players. The story of their rebound is chronicled in the film We Are Marshall.

Morris: Morris, the Nine Lives spokes-cat, was originally a rescue from the local Humane Society, where he was “discovered.”

Additionally, Frank Morris is one of the only prisoners to escape from Alcatraz. His body was never recovered. As a result, it is believed by many that he survived the swim from the Rock to San Francisco.

Papillion: Played by Steve McQueen, Papillion is a safecracker with a knack for escaping from prison. Sentenced to life in prison on Devil’s Island, McQueen, and Dustin Hoffman’s characters plot multiple escapes from this island Hell on Earth.

Sam: Unsinkable Sam was the World War II survivor of three shipwrecks. Sam, a black and white tom cat, began his naval career on a Nazi vessel. After its sinking, the British Royal Navy rescued Sam, where he continued his service and ultimately survived two more sunken ships.

Sully: Famous airline pilot who rescued his crew and passengers by landing his airliner on the Hudson River.

Skipper: Large Captain of the USS Minnow, grounded on Gilligan’s Island. Skipper makes a cute survivor cat name for a large gray or white kitty.

Tao: The Siamese cat from a true tale chronicled in The Incredible Journey.

Tubman: Harriet Tubman was the most famous of the “conductors” of the Underground Railroad. She risked her life time and again to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom in the North.


Did you enjoy reading through these survivor names for cats? Click here for more cat names inspiration!