His Beginning: June 1, 1997 in Rio Rancho, NM 

His Name: He was adopted during the two days that the airing of the TV special, "Merlin" was on. He has an extra toe on every paw, thus aligning him with the magician, Merlin who was a "hand wizard". Legend has it that Merlin the wizard spent some time in Cornwall also.

His Story: Merlin was picked up by NM Pet & Vet from the Rio Rancho Animal Control. Pet & Vet neutered him and gave him his shots then put him for sale in their westside store. One day my friend, David was in that store buying cat food. According to the store personnel, Merlin (then named Edgar) was sleeping. As David walked by, Merlin perked up and meowed at him in a commanding voice. David turned around to see this black cat looking at him like, "Well, what are you waiting for? You are supposed to take me home with you." David spent time with this cat and realized that he was indeed a special kitty. So David asked me to just go look at this cat. I protested saying that I wasn't over my mourning of the death of Rastus yet. (Rastus was my 14 year old cat that had been put to sleep two months earlier.) But he continued to prod me about just looking at the cat. So the next day I went down to the store. I had no intention of liking this cat or even agreeing to getting him. But it was like Merlin had been told by "an angel" to meow at this guy walking by on Sunday and he would then see to it that Merlin got a loving mommy. So Merlin was saying to David, "just get Rhonda in the store and I'll do the rest." So as I saw this cat and touched him and enveloped his spirit, I realized that Rastus had been hard at work finding another kitty for myself and his kitty sisters to love and to help heal the pain we were all feeling from the loss of his presence in our lives. And Merlin was also helped out by getting a good home with love and joy which I suspect he had not experienced much of in his short kitty existence.

Along with the adoption of "Merlin", I got a free vet appointment for him at the eastside store. I took him over for that and the vet remembered having had "Merlin" there. And the odd thing was that she named all the kitties that came through the clinic and she had named this one Merlin. The westside store had just named him "Edgar" (for Edgar Allan Poe) when they got him. So it was destiny that he should be named Merlin. Merlin is now a happy member of our kitty family.

Nicknames: Merkey, Merley-Wherley, Merl, Merkin the Magician

Unique Habits: pulling blankets towards him to make a nest, "talking" without opening his mouth, writhing on the floor to get his belly rubbed, getting his extra claws caught as he walks or runs over carpet, "clicking" with his toenails as he walks on hard surfaces, running away when anyone tries to touch his head

Favorite place to be petted: above his tail bone or on his belly

Occupation: watch cat and undercover spy

Future Plans: to make friends or to hide

Power Animal: Hawk, Mouse, Gazelle

Spiritual Name: Hawk Crystal Claws

Lesson To Teach The Human: You can always try again.

"Run away first, then find out what they want."