* Heartbreaking news. Little Merlin has passed away. He developed severe diarrhea overnight, and became lethargic in the morning. His foster mom rushed him to the vet, and despite the vet and staff’s best efforts, sweet Merlin passed away at the clinic.
We’re waiting for test results to come back to see what caused Merlin’s passing, and we’re shocked at how quickly this happened. Our hearts are breaking for Merlin’s foster mom. She’s devastated. And we’re so sad for Marvin. He loved his brother so much. Foster mom is giving Marvin all kinds of extra love to help him through. Marvin had a health check and blood tests done at the vet and thankfully he seems to be healthy so far.

Merlin – you were such a special kitten. We’re so sad to have lost you, but we take comfort that you knew nothing but love during your time with us.
We’ll never forget your sweet face.

Merlin and Marvin were found in a carrier next to some train tracks in Hamilton with a note on the carrier that said “Lost cats.” Thankfully someone found them and brought them to safety at Hamilton Animal Services. In our opinion, Merlin and Marvin were likely dumped by a breeder who realized they could not sell these two to make money, so they were dumped like trash. Being left in the summer heat with no food or water in the carrier, they were very lucky to have survived this ordeal. The kittens waited out their stray time at the shelter, and when HAS reached out to us for help, we were more than happy to get these two sweethearts out of the shelter and into a foster home.

As you can see from the video, Merlin and Marvin are very wobbly kittens. They have a condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. It’s a neurological condition that most commonly occurs when a pregnant cat becomes infected with feline panleukopenia virus. CH causes an inadequate development of the cerebellum, a section of the brain that is largely responsible for modulating motor skills. Hence the wobbling. CH causes no pain, and most cats with the condition can live a somewhat normal life, with some adjustments to their living area.

Merlin and Marvin are super affectionate and purry kittens. They’re soaking up all the love from their foster mom, and doing well so far. They have a vet visit coming up, and we’ll have another update for you then.

Welcome to Ladybird, Merlin and Marvin! We’re so happy you’re here!