In naming his hamburger chain, Wendy's founder Dave Thomas turned to his daughter for inspiration. Some years later, when it came time for Nationwide member Zoey B. to name her new kitty, she found her award-winning Wacky Pet Names inspiration at Mr. Thomas’s drive thru.
“My partner at the time mentioned that, if he was having a bad day, he could always count on a 4 for $4 from Wendy's to cheer him up,” Zoey says. “So, I brought him home Wendy's 4 for $4—and our house was never the same.”
We sat down with Zoey (and Wendy) to talk about adopting her kooky kitty, being a Wacky Pet Names nominee and more.
When did you become a pet parent?
Zoey was no stranger to living with pets when Wendy came into her life. “I grew up with dogs, but these two cats are my first pets since moving out. So, for five years, I've had my own cats—but I always knew I was a cat person. Now, I have a lizard as well, so I'm also a lizard person.”
For Zoey, it wasn’t so much “if” she would adopt cats, but “when.” That moment arrived shortly after she moved to a new city and a new home. “Step one, find an apartment, Step two find a cat.”
Conveniently enough, Zoey’s best friend had just moved out of her house, too. They decided to seek out feline companions together. “That's how I got Alice, and my bestie adopted her sister, Penelope.”
She continues, “After a year of having Alice, I needed more feline chaos in my life. I was told ‘no’ about a second cat by my partner at the time, then I found Wendy and decided ‘no’ wasn't the answer. That’s how Wendy came into the picture.”
Still hungry for more names? Good! Let’s move on to our main dishes, the real star of the wacky dining show.
Turkey is traditional on Thanksgiving, but we’re all about bucking convention here at the Wacky Pet Names news desk. So, let’s go with Optimus Prime Rib, an English bulldog with a name that’s very rare and perfectly saucy. On the side, how about some legumes with an energizing twist: Dunkin Butterbeans, a golden retriever from Boston (of course) with a wicked good monikah.
Looking for something even more unique? How about a helping of the Grey Stuff, a snake named for a mysterious dish from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (it’s delicious… allegedly). To round out the main courses, we have Green Bean Catserole, because some Thanksgiving traditions are too good to pass up on.
What is your favorite part about being a (wacky) cat mom?
“My favorite part about being a cat mom is probably the companionship,” Zoey says. “I live alone, so coming home to my cats every day, it's like I'm home and I can relax.”
Of course, quiet time at home is made even more interesting by her cats’ natural talent for entertaining. “When I have people over, they have really big personalities,” she says. “They're always getting into something. It makes it more fun when they're around. They're silly, goofy, interactive conversation starters.”
Zoey says, “Wendy really embodies the Wendy’s 4 for $4, a little bit of everything with that one. You never know what you're going to get with her.
“She loves to play fetch. It started with this worm on the string. Now, she carries it around and waits for me to throw it all day long and screams at me. When she's not in play mode she loves to cuddle with me. She sleeps either on my chest or between my legs every single night and does not care whether I'm comfortable or not.”
What did you tell people when you found out that Wendy was nominated?
“When Wendy was nominated, I couldn't stop telling people,” Zoey recalls. Her hype was strong enough that her friends couldn’t wait for the campaign to start—and even tried voting before it did. “They were freaking out that the link wasn't working for them to ‘Vote now.’ And I was like, ‘Wait, wait, wait!’
“I was telling everybody that Wendy is going to be the wackiest pet name—manifesting it—and it worked.”
So far as Zoey sees it, the nomination was a purr-fect fit for her kitty’s personality. “Wendy lives up to her wacky title. She is being a wacko right here, just rubbing herself on my foot for attention,” she says. “She's always doing something goofy to get someone's attention.”
Did you have any other nominees that were your favorite?
Zoey says, “I was worried I was going to lose to Tony Hawk Pro Skater. I looked at the other contestants, I remember voting for Ferret Bueller. I love puns, and I also love ferrets. That's a dream animal. Also, American Cheese is such a good dog name too. She deserved that one.”
Along with American Cheese and Ferret Bueller, Wendy’s was a fan favorite who brought home the most votes in our feline category. When asked what gave her the special edge, Zoey believes it was something in the zeitgeist: “As much as I would to attribute it to her cuteness, I think that Wendy's is a very meme-able name. It's very meme-y, the whole franchise. And I think that helped her a lot.”
What is your secret for choosing a great pet name?
“My secret for choosing a great pet name is don't think of a name,” Zoey says. “We’re not naming people; they don't have to go and be a part of society. Just think of something that is going to make people laugh.”
She continues, “Everybody laughs when I tell them about Wendy's like full name. When I call her Wendy's 4 for $4 or I have friends who call her 'Fo Fo Fo.” It’s like a running gag in my friend group. And I just I think that’s truly iconic, like a pet name should be iconic in your friend group.”
What made you decide to purchase pet insurance for your pet?
When it came time to protect her new kitties from the expected, Zoey didn’t think twice about getting pet insurance. “I thought of it as, ‘I have insurance and want insurance for my family, and the cats are my family.’”
She continues, “My work has policies through Nationwide with a discount, and I said, ‘Okay yes, I've heard good things about Nationwide.’ So, I signed them up.
“Having pet insurance helps me care for my pets as kind of like a safety net. Knowing that I'm going to have some help when the time comes to dealing with something a bit larger than maybe a regular vet visit. I don't have to freak out as much about spontaneous, giant bills.”
Testimonial provided by an actual Nationwide member. Views expressed by the member belong solely to the member and not Nationwide, its affiliates, or employees. Actual insurance plan availability and coverage may vary.
