- Joined
- Feb 1, 2018
- Messages
- 10
- Purraise
- 13
Hey everyone, I'm Niamh, I'm 23 and my fur baby is called Merlin who is a year and 2 months.
We are from Northern Ireland and have been living together for roughly 5 months now
I rescued Merlin from a cat shelter. My previous cat passed away after 19 years and I decided I just couldn't go on without having another cat by my side after having a tiny best friend for so long. So after a year of mourning I popped down to the cat shelter and I didn't choose Merlin, he chose me
He was waiting at the front of his enclosure and I thought he was beautiful, and I was coaxed on to the next enclosure but he put his paws against the clear plastic and kept scratching it until I walked back to him
I got to hold him and he cuddled up to me, then he bit my mother.
The guy told us he would need a lot of time and some training before he'd be a social boy, but because we had the experience with cats we took him anyway.
At first, he'd let you pet him a little but you'd know when to stop when suddenly blood would be coming down your arm, but we took the time to get to know him and learn his warnings for when he doesn't want touched. He's also learned to give those warnings. He's recently started to snooze on my lap for about an hour a day after I play with him so he's definitely improved his social skills, and we only get scratched or bit if we don't need his warnings :')
He's a beautiful boy who loves his mouse on a stick toy best, and who I look forward to hopefully spending the next 20 years with if I get that lucky.
Here is his charming self, giving me cuddles
We are from Northern Ireland and have been living together for roughly 5 months now
I rescued Merlin from a cat shelter. My previous cat passed away after 19 years and I decided I just couldn't go on without having another cat by my side after having a tiny best friend for so long. So after a year of mourning I popped down to the cat shelter and I didn't choose Merlin, he chose me
He was waiting at the front of his enclosure and I thought he was beautiful, and I was coaxed on to the next enclosure but he put his paws against the clear plastic and kept scratching it until I walked back to him
I got to hold him and he cuddled up to me, then he bit my mother.
The guy told us he would need a lot of time and some training before he'd be a social boy, but because we had the experience with cats we took him anyway.
At first, he'd let you pet him a little but you'd know when to stop when suddenly blood would be coming down your arm, but we took the time to get to know him and learn his warnings for when he doesn't want touched. He's also learned to give those warnings. He's recently started to snooze on my lap for about an hour a day after I play with him so he's definitely improved his social skills, and we only get scratched or bit if we don't need his warnings :')
He's a beautiful boy who loves his mouse on a stick toy best, and who I look forward to hopefully spending the next 20 years with if I get that lucky.
Here is his charming self, giving me cuddles
Merlin is a cutie pie. 
Bless you for adopting Merlin in spite of some of his social skills. It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job of picking up on the cues that overstimulate him. He is a very handsome guy. 
Please feel free to post more pics of Merlin here: 
