Elgin Cat Gives Thousands of People Reason to Smile During Pandemic

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We all love to watch cute and interesting pets perform their crazy antics on social media. An Elgin cat is giving thousands of fans reason to smile during the Coronavirus pandemic. Carrot is a family cat who was adopted by the Merryn family from South Elgin’s Anderson Animal Shelter. Erin Merryn found Carrot and brought him home to share the love of herself and her three daughters, Claire, 1-year-old, Hannah age 3, and 5-year-old Abby. With all the stress and anxiety over the Coronavirus pandemic, joy and laughter is something we could all use.

Who is Carrot?

Carrot is an orange cat who has made it big on social media. Erin has taken videos of Carrot it a variety of hilarious situations with the girls. Carrot is a patient feline who doesn’t seem to mind being pushed around in a stroller, nor receiving ample grooming, styling and even a manicure. Television talk show host and celebrity personality Ellen DeGeneres saw the videos and became an instant fan, featuring Carrot on “Access Hollywood.” Carrot’s fame skyrocketed after the show aired and he was also invited to become a special guest on “Good Morning America.”

The family that the nation can relate to

Erin Merryn’s family is representative of many American families who are under stay at home orders from their local municipalities and states. It’s easy to get bored when you can’t go out and socialize with others, so they did the next best thing. Merryn created some of the most hilarious and heartwarming videos of Carrot and the family. She employed the use of a special app that makes the cat look as though she is talking. She even appears to mention Ellen as one of the things that she wished for as a birthday present. Ellen did call to say Happy Birthday to Carrot. This is a heartwarming story about a cat who is bringing a lot of happy moments to viewers over social media.

Cat fashion highlighted

Carrot may be one of the most highly pampered cats on the internet today. The Elgin Illinois feline seems to enjoy her deluxe spa sessions and her stylish lounging around attire. She is even treated to a soothing gel mask over her eyes. She just sits there content as the girls give her the full treatment and it’s enough to make you smile inside out. Carrot recently celebrated her first birthday and it was a big deal when Ellen called to giver Erin her well-wishes.

Carrot is an animal influencer

Being a social media star comes with a lot of perks for the owners. Merryn originally began posting the videos to give people a reason to smile when troubled times brought about fear and stress. The mood-enhancing videos are keeping viewers entertained by the thousands. Carrot has appeared on videos on social media promoting the necessity of adhering to the stay at home order and showing people how to properly wash their hands. He is a powerful animal influencer, reminding viewers of how to stay safe during the current Coronavirus epidemic.

Her gentleness is heartwarming

One of the things that people love the most about Carrot is her tolerance. The girls subject her to some situations that a lot of cats would not tolerate. When Clair tries to put her fingers in Carrot’s mouth, she simply turns her head away and takes it in stride. The family, is, however, very gentle with Carrot and she is never put in situations that are physically or emotionally harmful for her. Carrot gets more cuddles and love than the average family pet. There is no doubt about the fact that she is loved by her family and she shows her appreciation by tolerating the behaviors of inquisitive toddlers. At night, she is safe and secure, cuddled in Abigail’s arms.

Carrot brings a powerful message about sexual abuse prevention

We learned that Erin Merryn was a victim of child sex abuse and she leads a campaign to teach viewers how to prevent this type of crime. Carrot’s social media presence is used to raise awareness about the issue and her videos have also helped to raise thousands of dollars in donations that go towards helping the Northwest and North Cook County Children’s Advocacy Center. It seems that Carrot is making a big impression as an educator as well as a funny cat who spreads a ton of good cheer.

Carrot is an Instagram celebrity

Erin Merryn has set up an Instagram account for Carrot. It offers some great photos and links and while visiting the site, we learned that Carrot has 202,000 followers so far. There is also a link to Merryn’s book about Carrot’s predecessor, Bailey, who passed away from kidney disease prior to Carrot joining the family. Bailey also had an impact on viewers and Merryn shares the story in her book. It became an Amazon bestseller.

Conclusion

The world is a richer place because of Erin Merryn and exceptional pets like Carrot. It is her unique and loving personality that captivates the hearts of thousands of viewers on social media. In these turbulent times, we all need to have a distraction from the disturbing news that comes pouring over the mainstream media. Carrot gives us gentle reminders of how we can stay safe, while keeping us entertained and reminding us that some of the best things in life are the simple ones, like watching an adorable cat get the royal treatment. We owe Merryn a big round of applause for doing her part to keep us on our toes and for giving us a reason to smile with her thoughtful and entertaining videos.