Cats don’t often respond when called by name. In fact, they seem to enjoy blissfully ignoring their humans.
So if you’ve recently acquired a kitty and want to increase the likelihood that he/she will respond when called, choose the right name, and remember to say it the right way.
According to Vancouver veterinarian Dr. Uri Burstyn, “cats have evolved to hear high-pitched sounds much better than low-pitched sounds because most of their prey animals — rodents, birds — all communicate in a very high frequency, stuff that humans can’t hear.” He also notes that cats respond more regularly to names that terminate in a high-pitched sound, particularly an “ee” sound.
PetMD.com agrees:
Cats have been noted to respond better to high-pitched human voices … Cats also respond to names containing the long e-vowel, or “ee” sound.
So, to catch your cat’s attention, name it something like Smokey or Missy as opposed to something like Tigger or Shadow. (All four of these names were top-10 cat names in San Diego in 2016, btw.)
And, whatever name you choose, remember say it in a high pitch for maximum effect.
Sources: Cat names that get your cat’s attention – what should I name my cat? (vid), Naming Your Kitten – petMD