Harry Grimm’s
HOLDEN MARTIAL ARTS
Wachusett Region’s Professional Martial Arts Education Center

Watch a short 2 minute video explaining our programs

Merlot – Her Story

Merlot is a black and white tuxedo kitten born with a neurological dysfunction (her brain and legs don’t communicate properly) and abandoned at just 3 weeks old by her feral mother – a cruel rule of nature, survival of the fittest.  Her cries were heard this past September in a garage by friends and partners in the MMAT Center Bill and Jamie who rescued her at the brink of death.  Since they already had 5 cats and we only had two, it was a no-brainer that she would live with us. Merlot was very small for her age, not even 4 ounces at 3 weeks – she fit in the palm of my hand.  Weak and unable to even stand, I feared she would not survive and was afraid to even give her a name until our vet, Dr. Robin Chapman checked her out and determined that she did in fact have a very good chance, although her neurological challenges would mean her life would be far different from our other cats.

Kittens learn their social skills from the mother other kittens in their litter in their first 8 weeks of life, like when it’s appropriate to bite and scratch and when it’s not.  Merlot never got this important training since she was abandoned so young.  We patiently nurse our scratches and bite marks as we call her our “mean little kitty”, we love her anyway.

It recently dawned on us that Merlot is a bully – she intentionally hurts us with her claws and teeth.  Sometimes she’s nice and other times, without warning, she’ll instantly turn mean.  Merlot can not walk without falling – often into the corner of a piece of furniture.  She has broken all of her whiskers which are essential to balance.  It’s hard not to laugh at her sometimes, she looks like a drunken kitty.  She tries so hard to connect with the other two cats, Boeing and Tabby, but they are mean to her, sensing her disability.  Her only furry friend is Onyx our 100 pound dog, but even he, at 11 years old, tires of her playful sharp claws.  Merlot can not jump down from a lap, she must be let down by whoever is holding her and if you can’t or don’t heed her warning whine, you’ll be looking for a band aid.  Yes, she is the feline personification of a bully.

Many of you know how passionate Linda is about her Bully Solutions program – presenting the information several times a year in our regular children’s classes and at local elementary schools when invited.  Part of the program is teaching children to differentiate between intentional bullying and the non-intentional bully behavior that almost everyone has unwittingly done at one time or another.  Another important aspect is understanding why an intentional bully hurts others, developing this empathy makes it easier to deal with hurt feelings and to walk away with confidence – after all, we can’t control what other people do, we can only control how we respond to their actions.

It is our intention, with the addition of “Merlot TV”, soon to be a regular feature on this page, that children will see Merlot when they encounter a bully and recognize that what a bully says or does really has nothing to do with the person they pick on, it’s really about the bully’s lack of social skills, inability to make friends or frustration due to a disability or feelings of inadequacy.   Check in frequently to see the latest episodes of “Merlot TV” and be sure to attend classes the week of April 6 when Bully Solutions will be presented in all Beginner and Dragon classes.  These classes are open to the general public so feel free to email this page to friends whom you think may benefit from Bully Solutions training.  Oh yeah, Merlot will be our guest of honor that week.