How to modify/override inherited class function in python?

Question

I have the exact function name say_hello in both parent and inherited class. I want to specify the parameter name in the Kitten class but allows for user to specify the parameter in Cat class.

Is there a way to avoid the needs to repeat the line return ('Hello '+name) in the say_hello function in Kitten class?

Currently:

class Cat:
    def __init__(self):
        pass

    def say_hello(name):
        return ('Hello '+name)

class Kitten(Cat):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()

    def say_hello(name='Thomas'):
        return ('Hello '+name)

x = Cat
print (x.say_hello("Sally"))
y = Kitten
print (y.say_hello())

Ideally:

class Cat:
    def __init__(self):
        pass

    def say_hello(name):
        return ('Hello '+name)

class Kitten(Cat):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()

    def say_hello():
        return super().say_hello(name='Thomas') # Something like this, so this portion of the code doesn't need to repeat completely

Answer 1

The say_hello method should include self as the first parameter so that it can use the super() function to access the parent's say_hello method. You should also instantiate a class by calling it with parentheses:

class Cat:
    def say_hello(self, name):
        return 'Hello ' + name

class Kitten(Cat):
    def say_hello(self, name='Thomas'):
        return super().say_hello(name)

x = Cat()
print(x.say_hello("Sally"))
y = Kitten()
print(y.say_hello())

This outputs:

Hello Sally
Hello Thomas