Merlin the Cat ‘Lives Up to His Namesake’ After Surviving the Marshall Fire.
When wildfires raged through communities near Denver, Colorado, destroying at least 500 homes, something incredible happened. Somehow, in the midst of all the heat, smoke and devastation, Camden Hall’s beloved cat, Merlin, made his way to the porch of the only house still standing.
He was badly burned but managed to muster his inner strength to survive, and a lot of people truly believe there’s something almost “magical” about it, according to People.
Merlin lived up to his name, says Hall.
“Little Wizard. Little Wizard. In an interview with 9News, Camden’s mother Sally agreed on ‘her little big cat’. “Well, Merlin lived up to his namesake, Little Wizard, Little Wizard ,” she says.
In an interview with WTHR on Tuesday, Hall, a professional snowboarder, opened up about the scary moment he realized poor little Merlin was trapped in the middle of the Marshall Fire, which engulfed the town of Superior and the towns of Louisville. , Broomfield and unincorporated. parts of Boulder County in late December.
Hall was at work at the Eldora Mountain Ski Resort when he received the fateful call from his landlord informing him that he had lost everything – his home and possessions in the fire.
Someone also made a poster featuring Merlin, hoping someone would find him.
“I pulled to the side of the trail so I could take a call, and that’s when my landlord told me it was all gone.” Thoughts of his beloved cat raced and he worried that he forgot to leave the sliding door open for his cat to come in and out.
“I was 99% sure I left the sliding door open,” Camden says. “However, I remember opening it and closing it, and I was like waiting – did I open it again,” he couldn’t help but wonder.
But Merlin is a brave cat and he was able to escape the burning house. And members of the Soul Dog Rescue group were already on patrol, searching the area for lost and injured animals when they found Merlin resting on the porch of the only house still standing.
In a Facebook post, the group described the cat Merlin as “a badly burned kitty”, which was “burnt beyond recognition”.
Poor little cat.
“[I] can’t imagine what he saw through his little cat eyes – it must have been pretty terrifying,” Hall says.
Soul Dog found Merlin’s microchip and it led them to Hall. But when he got to the rescue, he wasn’t quite sure if it was Merlin. The cat’s burns were so bad. And the chip confirmed, of course, that it was him.
“It was just when he went from despair, loss, to nothing but joy, happiness and fulfillment,” Camden says.
Merlin bravely faced his journey back to health. This included more than a month of recovery from face and paw burns at the Northside Emergency Pet Clinic. But Hall knows that Merlin is a fighter.
“Since he’s magical Merlin, he probably has more than nine,” Hall said. “I have Merlin, and everything will be fine.”
A GoFundMe account was set up by a friend of Hall’s to help with this cat’s medical bills. It’s been a success so far, raising over $26,000, which will no doubt help him and Camden look forward to better days. Poor Merlin was in so much pain that it took him a while to start eating, but when he did, his appetite returned and he was on the verge of healing.
The Marshall Fire left havoc in its wake, but Merlin’s story is one of hope, and in a Facebook post, Camden notes:
“He [Merlin] is a fighter and a soldier, on the road to full recovery! Thanks to Northside Emergency Pet Clinic for all you have done for Merlin as well as Soul Dog Rescue! In addition to the community showing me a unwavering love and support and all the donations. I am still in shock at how much my beautiful community has helped me.
Bless your good souls, I cannot thank everyone enough for all the joy you have given me. brought to you during this tragic time. To those who have lost everything, your thoughts and prayers are in my heart and I ask to hold on to all the wonderful memories you had with your beautiful pet. Life is short, don’t Don’t take it for granted and don’t let it pass! – I love you, Cam.
While at the clinic, Merlin also fell in love with some of the kittens who were also patients there. (see adorable video below!)
With such loving care at the clinic, Merlin was finally able to go home. This amazing cat continues to go from strength to strength. I decided to check Merlin out and let me tell you, he does just fine.
“He eats like a champ,” Camden tells me. “I think he’s getting a little lazy and sleepy from his meds, so I’m going to put the food bowls in front of him to remind him to binge.”
Merlin particularly likes Orijen Six Fish dry food and Weruva canned food and he visits the vet every other day, he adds. Most of his legs have healed enough for his bandages to be removed, but he still suffers from a small infection in his right rear leg. Camden tells me that everyone hopes it will be completely healed within the next two or three weeks. But above all, he is happy to have his beloved son at home.
“I feel happy and healthy now that he’s home. I’m so excited to come home every day and spend time with him,” Camden said. “To keep him healthy , make sure he eats as much as he can and bring him in for his bandage changes. He begins to become a player.
Merlin still wears his soft blue “satellite” collar and Hall suspects it’s a bit of a hindrance to his playing, but it hasn’t piqued his curiosity.
“He’s starting to get adventurous around the house,” Camden says. “Someone sent me their favorite toy and I waved it in front of them and saw their eyes widen.”
This means that this kitty will probably be ready and playing very soon. And despite everything he has to deal with, Merlin is actually very calm.
“His personality is very relaxed and laid back. On the rides that take an hour each way, he drags in his bed and now he drags in my lap like he did before the fire. He has snuggled up to me a lot and likes to be on my lap.
And being a lap cat is kind of new to Merlin. “He would be right there next to me,” Camden said, but he kinda liked his space.
What a loving relationship and beautiful story. I know that not all of the people and animals whose lives were destroyed by this massive fire were so lucky and my heart goes out to them. Merlin’s story is a light in the darkness and I hope it continues to thrive for many more happy years.
Below, see Camden and her mom’s happy reaction to seeing their baby from FOX31 again:
For those living in areas affected by this devastating fire, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley has set up a dedicated lost and found pets database and encourages people who have lost pets to check out the database. and file missing animal reports with the shelter. .
Recently we shared the story of another cat who survived the Marshall fire. Now rescuers hope to reunite the orange cat with its human family.
Source image by : coleandmarmalade.com
