About The Merlin Project

The Merlin Project is a community-based platform created to help residents identify cats, share important updates, and support responsible community cat care.

It was built from the understanding that many cats in our communities already live visibly among us — some are beloved indoor pets, some are indoor/outdoor cats who stay close to home, some are community-cared-for, and some are feral cats that neighbors quietly look after.

Without a clear system, it can be difficult to know whether a cat has a home, whether it is being cared for, or whether it may need help. The Merlin Project was created to make that easier.

Our Mission

Our mission is to help cats in our communities be better recognized, better understood, and better protected by giving neighbors a practical way to share information, identify cats in their area, and support responsible care.

We believe that better visibility leads to better outcomes — for cats, for caretakers, for pet owners, and for the neighborhoods they all share.

What The Merlin Project Does

• Identify — Helps residents recognize cats in their neighborhood by creating searchable cat profiles with photos, descriptions, and approximate location details.
• Track Updates — Provides a Cat Status Board where residents can post and view updates such as lost cats, found cats, injured cats, and other important notices.
• Support Responsible Care — Offers a platform for owners, caretakers, and neighbors to better communicate about the cats in their area while respecting privacy and safety.
• Educate — Shares information about community cats, responsible outdoor cat care, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and neighborhood awareness.

Why It Matters

In the communities we serve, where neighborhoods are close-knit and cats are often part of the everyday landscape, misunderstandings can happen easily.

• A friendly cat may be mistaken for a stray.
• A cared-for cat may appear unclaimed.
• A neighbor may want to help but have no way to know who the cat belongs to or whether someone is already looking after it.

The Merlin Project exists to reduce that confusion and create a clearer, more compassionate system for the community.

Who It's For

• Cat owners
• Community cat caretakers
• Neighbors who want to help
• Residents trying to identify a cat
• People searching for lost or found cats
• Anyone who cares about the wellbeing of cats in our community