From Berean Research:
In a piece over at Lighthouse Trails, Warren B. Smith asks a really good question: Why on earth would anyone name a beloved pet Judas? In “The Shack” one of the characters, Missy, has a cat named Judas, which is strange because Judas was among those in Jesus’ inner circle and a trusted friend, yet he betrayed our Lord for 30 pieces of silver. Smith draws an interesting parallel between Judas the betrayer and Shack author William Paul Young. He writes:
“Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’” Luke 22:48 – Painting by Giotto
The name Judas has been described as the most hated name in all the world. Except for Shack author William Paul Young and maybe a few exceptional others, hardly anybody ever names anyone or anything Judas. It is one of those forbidden names like Jezebel or Lucifer that people would never dream of naming their child, their dog—or their cat. The very name denotes a sense of treachery and betrayal. After all, Judas was the one who openly betrayed Jesus and paved the way for His crucifixion. So what was William Paul Young thinking? Why does The Shack’s most endearing character—Missy—have a cat named Judas?1 And it seems especially odd to have a cat with that name in a family where the mother’s faith is described as “deep”2 and Missy is asking sincere questions about Jesus’ death.