With almost 100,000 fans on Instagram, Merlin Griffith is likely more famous than we’ll ever be, the catch being—Merlin Griffith is a cat. A rare mixed breed of a Munchkin and a Persian cat, called a Napoleon, he’s small, fluffy, and very much adorable.
“It’s a pretty new breed–by new I mean 20 to 22 years,” explained his owners, designer Nathanial Green and illustrator Elliot Green, in an interview with Bored Panda. “Napoleons are pretty small, but they’re able to move around as easily as normal-sized cats,” they relayed. “For the most part, they inherit the Persian’s physical characteristics.”
Adopted from the Lynchburg Humane Society in 2017, Merlin was born blind. But his blindness adds to his features with his blue milky eyes providing a somewhat majestic appeal. According to the Greens, he’s an affectionate cat that loves being acknowledged and held. “He’s never destructive or petty, either.”
His blindness doesn’t seem to hold him back, either. “Because he was born blind, he really has no concept of fear,” say the Greens, “and so he’ll attempt to jump off of pretty high places.” He also doesn’t hide or avoid people and runs up to the door to meet his owners, with his preferred sitting place—someone’s lap.
His dedicated Instagram page will bring joy to your feed.
