OAKLAND, Calif. — Let's not sugar coat things: Some cats takes months to warm up to humans after they are first rescued off the street or freed from a shelter cage. That's because cats who don't get positive human interactions in their early weeks are often terrified of people. 

So when these cats and kittens arrive at Cat Town — and are exposed to people on a regular basis — it can take many weeks of strategic interactions with specially trained volunteers and staff before they relax and begin to enjoy their new human companions. 

Then sometimes a cat comes along and defies expectations. That's the case with Merlin.