Life works in mysterious ways, especially when it comes to adopting a pet. Sometimes an animal comes into your life and just the right moment and you know they’re the one, even if it’s not what you planned.
That was the case for one man, who visited a shelter and left with a totally different cat than he imagined, but one that would leave an impact on him forever.
In 2017, Elliot Green visited Lynchburg Humane Society with his partner to adopt a cat as part of a promotional “Free Cat Friday.”
They intended to adopt a Siamese cat they saw online, but when they got to the shelter they found it had already been adopted.
Instead, another cat caught their attention… with his unforgettable pale blue eyes:
The kitten was named Merlin, a rare Munchkin/Persian mix, and was also almost entirely blind. This all gave him a really striking, unique look.
“When I was first told that he was blind, I was a bit worried,” he told Bored Panda. “As a full-time student also working two jobs, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to provide Merlin with the attention he needed.”
But the connection was irresistible: they knew they had to have the cat.
“As soon as I got to hold him, I think it was pretty obvious that he was perfect.”
After bringing the cat home, they discovered that Merlin’s blindness wasn’t a huge hurdle.
“Honestly, we forget that he has blind eyes,” Elliot said. “When we first moved to our apartment, he definitely had trouble navigating, but he learns quickly and really knows how to own the space.”
“Because he was born blind, he really has no concept of fear, and so he’ll attempt to jump off of pretty high places.”
They did have some issues with the cat’s health: she had some seizures due to her diet, but that was taken care of.
In addition to being so unique-looking, Merlin was also very small: at two-years-old, she was what Elliot describes as “water bottle height.”
Despite everything, Merlin also proved to be a very loving, affectionate and well-behaved cat.
“He’s an oddly social cat. Loves to snuggle and be around people,” Elliot wrote on Twitter. “He doesn’t meow or claw or break things. 99% of the time he’s just quietly chilling.”
“He doesn’t hide or avoid people–he’ll run-up to the door to meet us and climb all over guests sitting on the couch. His preferred place is on someone’s lap,” he told Bored Panda. “Anytime we sit on the couch or the bed, he jumps up and is ready to be cuddled.”
It’s a perfect example of how amazing rescuing a pet can be: Merlin got a happy forever home and the Greens got a loving new member of their household.
Sadly, Merlin passed away last Spring. Elliot was heartbroken, but grateful for the times the spent together.
“It’s never easy to lose a best friend and I owe my life to Merlin for helping me get through uni,” he wrote on Twitter.
And most importantly, he gave Merlin a happy home for his final years, years that might’ve otherwise been spent in a shelter.
After Merlin passed away, he adopted a dog named Winston, opening his heart to another pet.
We’ll miss this beautiful, unique cat. We’re glad he had such a good life with an owner who loved him. Share this inspiring story!
