Meet Merlin, the sweet and serene Ragdoll cat who has captured the hearts of many on the internet. Unlike the cranky Canadian Ragdoll cat with resting b*tch face, this Merlin has a face that is truly angelic. With his milky bluish eyes and luxurious dark gray fur, he looks like a real-life plush toy. The adorable kitten gained online fame thanks to his owners Nathanial Green and Elliot Green, both talented visual artists, who have created a visually stunning Instagram page dedicated to their beloved pet. With an impressive following of 28k fans, Merlin is definitely a rising star in the online pet community. Follow his charming adventures on Instagram, Twitter, and their website.
Photo credit: heyelliotgreen
The Greens first saw Merlin in 2017 at the Lynchburg Humane Society during their “Free Cat Friday” event. Although it was love at first sight, Elliot confessed to Bored Panda that Merlin was not his initial preference. “It was actually my colleague who persuaded me to visit – she had just adopted an adorable kitten from there. Nathaniel and I had our hearts set on a Siamese kitten after browsing through their adoption site, but by the time I finished work, they were either on hold or already adopted.”
Not giving up, the couple persisted in their search for a furry companion. Eventually, the kind woman who had been guiding them noticed their hesitation and stopped to share her personal favorite with them. She explained that the little kitten she had in mind was not in the best of health, as he was recovering from a head cold and had some issues, including being blind. Despite initial concerns about their ability to care for him due to their busy schedules, the couple’s fears melted away the moment they held him in their arms. It was clear to them that Merlin was meant to be a part of their lives.
Image courtesy of merlin.griffith
The Greens are overjoyed with their discovery of Merlin, described as a loving cat who craves attention and affection. According to Elliot, Merlin is not destructive or moody, likely because of his blindness which eliminates any concept of fear in him. This fearless feline is known to attempt high jumps without hesitation. He is quite social and doesn’t shy away from people, often greeting them at the door and enjoying climbing all over guests on the couch. Merlin’s favorite spot to relax is on someone’s lap.
Yep, this adorable bundle of fur just can’t seem to get enough of his human dads. “Whenever we settle down on the couch or the bed, he eagerly hops up and waits to be showered with affection. He absolutely adores getting his face and ears scratched; for some reason, he especially loves having the areas around his eyes gently massaged. If someone reaches out towards his eyes or nose, he’ll typically nuzzle into their hand awkwardly, almost like he’s trying to shy away, but really he just craves that feeling of being loved,” shared Nathanial, his other dad.
When you take a glance at Merlin, it’s hard to miss his distinct appearance. This is because he is a rare Napoleon cat, a mix between a Munchkin and a Persian breed. “Napoleons are a fairly recent breed, only being around for about 20 to 22 years,” his owner shared. “Despite being small in size, they are just as agile as regular-sized cats. They typically take after the physical traits of Persians.”
Photo courtesy of merlin.griffith
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Merlin’s striking milky white eyes actually stem from his condition of blindness, rather than being a breed characteristic. Despite his visual impairment, his owners shared that he leads a fulfilling life. They mentioned, “We sometimes forget he’s blind. At first, he had a bit of trouble navigating our apartment, but he’s adapted quickly and now confidently navigates the space. His biggest challenge is our glass coffee table – occasionally he bumps into it, but we believe he’s getting the hang of it. His main concerns are just finding his food and being close to his dads.”
Credit for the image goes to merlin.griffith. Despite being visually impaired, Merlin has not faced many challenges in that aspect. However, he did experience health problems related to seizures, which puzzled his owner Elliot. After some investigation and experimentation, they discovered that Merlin’s food was the culprit. By eliminating wheat from his diet, Merlin’s health significantly improved, and he has been happy and healthy ever since.
Introducing the Greens: “@nathanialtgreen (on the left) hails from Michigan and excels as a keyboardist, designer, and communications whiz. He has a deep affection for chicken and waffles, and tends to drizzle syrup on just about everything. When not lost in a book about politics, you can usually find him exploring the latest political news. On the other hand, @elliotgreen.co (on the right) is a talented art director, branding expert, and photographer originating from Istanbul, Turkey. He has a soft spot for olive oil and singer Daniela Andrade. His passion for typefaces often leads him to spend hours in admiration at Target. The duo first crossed paths at Liberty University before settling in Nashville, TN. After tying the knot in September, they now enjoy hanging out at local spots like Baja Burrito and 51st Deli.”
Crediting the image to merlin.griffith, it is clear that Merlin is a friendly and affectionate cat who enjoys the company of all creatures. However, it seems that not everyone reciprocates his love, as he tends to be easily intimidated by other animals, especially cats who tend to bully him. Despite this, Merlin remains non-confrontational and only hisses occasionally as a defense mechanism. It is important to monitor his interactions with other animals closely, but aside from that, Merlin is described as a flawless companion.
Merlin has a strong affinity for watermelon, and since it’s Elliot’s go-to snack, he makes sure to stock up on it regularly.
Merlin has quickly gained popularity on the internet, much to the surprise of the Greens. They started sharing pictures on their phones and decided to let the world see them. While they weren’t always active on their account, they made sure that each post was visually appealing. Nathanial mentioned that Elliot was especially proud of his apartment’s appearance and thought Merlin would make a great subject to showcase it.
The feedback we’ve received has been unexpectedly positive. Our friends can’t stop talking about how they keep coming across Merlin’s photos everywhere – it’s truly amazing.
This family is feeling incredibly thankful for coming across this adorable bundle of happiness and believes that shelters like the Lynchburg Humane Society deserve all the credit, “We’re so appreciative of animal shelters and the amazing, vital work they carry on with.”
“I come bearing gifts. You can thank me later.”
“Mother Nature be like meow” – Image courtesy of merlin.griffith
Photo credit: heyelliotgreen.
“Who’s that new room?” – Image courtesy of merlin.griffith
Image source: merlin.griffith
Credit for the image goes to merlin.griffith.
Credit for the image goes to merlin.griffith. In our family, we each have our own unique personality types. My brother, @nathanialtgreen, is a 9w1/INFJ, while my other brother, @elliotgreen.co, is a 4w5/INFJ. As for me, I’m often described as a 4w3, always seeking attention but with a touch of melancholy. What about you? What’s your Enneagram number or MB identifier?
Image courtesy: merlin.griffith
Credit for the image goes to merlin.griffith.
Credits for the image go to merlin.griffith.
Image source: merlin.griffith
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