The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied Jersey Shore denizen Nicole Polizzi's application to trademark her nickname, Snooki, for use in books. Why? It appears that a cartoon cat named Snooky beat her to it.

Snooki applied to have the sole right to user her moniker for "printed matter, namely books," but was shot down because the 2004 children's book Adventures of Snooky: Under the Sea already has it. It's about a cat who is knocked overboard while on a fishing trip. If you change "falling overboard" with "falling down drunk on the beach," it sounds just like our Snooki with an I.

And the similarities don't end there. The publisher describes the books like so: "Find out what happens when Snooky's new friends run into danger. Can he help save them?" We have seen what happens when Snooki's new friends run into danger and it usually ends with one punch, and Snooki is not the one helping. She's usually knocked out on the ground. Wait, do you think Snooki stole her entire shtick from Snooky the cat? Good thing he already has a trademark!

[Image via Getty]