Last month, Kitty News Network reported on a cat that washed ashore on Governors Island in New York after severe rainstorms pelted the area. Island staff has been caring for the cat, who has become a fixture in offices and on the beaches.

When staff wrote on the trust’s blog that they were trying to think of a name for their newest resident, they received more than 3,000 suggestions. Some of them were based on the island’s history such as Lenape, Pagganck and Wouter; others like Phelps and Meow-chel came famous swimmers; and a few reflected the cat’s appearance or personality: Sunny, Patches and Callie.

Now the Trust for Governors Island has narrowed the field to five finalists — Mary Ann, Ginger, Molly Brown, Salty and Buttermilk.

The first two names are references to the classic TV series “Gilligan’s Island,” while Molly Brown refers to “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” a passenger on the Titanic who tried to save lives as the ship sank in the icy North Atlantic. Buttermilk comes from the Buttermilk Channel, the body of water that separates Governors Island from Brooklyn.

People can cast votes for their favorite name by commenting on this post on the Governors Island Blog. Staff will pick a winner by Friday.

While the cat is still getting along well with the island’s workers and eating quite well on canned cat food, the Trust is still looking to see if there’s a person in the area who’s missing her.

“We are still trying to reunite the cat with her owner if that is possible. We hadher scanned to see if she has a microchip (she does not) and are posting information about her online as well,” said Elizabeth Rapuano, chief of staff for the Trust, on the island’s blog. “If we cannot find her owner, she will have a happy home here on the Island with a member of our boat crew.”

Unless someone comes forward to claim her, visitors may get a chance to meet the lucky feline when the island eopens to the public on May 27.

[Sources: DNAinfo and Governors Island Blog]