KNOWN HISTORY:: Zucchini was brought in with limited information on their behavior history in a home environment. Zucchini lived in a home with 30+ cats.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 8/12 Upon approach Zucchini is laying inside den looking out with dilated eyes. Staff offers AM wet; she shows no interest. Staff returns to clean; Zucchini is still laying in den. As staff tries to clean, Zucchini begins growling. Staff closes her den to avoid stress, and she attempts to swat at it. Staff finishes cleaning her kennel and opens her den; her ears are up, eyes dilated and still growling. Staff ends interaction to avoid FAS. 9/2 Zucchini was in her den and began growling when staff approached. Staff closed the side door and attempted to transfer her into another den, but she did not move and instead hissed and growled. Staff offered her treats and a Squeeze Up to encourage her to come out, but she remained in the den. The session was then ended. 9/8 Zucchini was in the den when staff opened the kennel door. Staff closed the den door and cleaned her kennel. Once cleaning was finished, staff opened the den door, and Zucchini remained inside, slowly peeking her head out but not leaving the den.

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate,Lively

VOCAL:: Quiet

CHARACTER TYPE: : Bold,Skittish,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,New home adjustment period,Adult cat socialization

Potential challenges comments:: Fearful: Zucchini has displayed fearful behavior during their stay in the care center and has displayed distance-increasing behavior with extended handling. Fear aggression can occur when a cat perceives a threat and may escalate if they cannot escape. A fearful cat will feel more relaxed when given options, so provide her with the chance to move closer, investigate, or interact with you. Be sure to offer incentive such as treats or play time whenever the cat makes a small positive step. Please speak to an adoption counselor for additional information on methods to desensitize your cat to their fear stimulus. Adult Cat Socialization: Zucchini is an adult cat that may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. She is very apprehensive of people and while showing no aggressive behaviors, she does attempt to flee and avoid human contact. It is difficult to predict if she will respond to socialization but we recommend offering high value treats and food to help build a positive association to humans. Please be mindful that older cats will require more time and skill in order for them to be comfortable around people. Please speak to an adoption counselor to learn more about socialization techniques.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: As the handler removes the den cover, Zucchini hissing and lunges forward, swatting the front of the den hard. The handler remains still and slow blinks at her. She stares at them with dilated pupils and her ears sit upright. A scratcher tool is slowly extended out near the portal. Zucchini leans forward and gives the tool a quick sniff before retreating to the back of the den. When the scratcher tool is lifted and enters the den, Zucchini lets out a hiss and smacks the tool hard with nails extended. The handler holds the tool still and she stares at it. When the tool is used to attempt to pet her, she swats and hits it again. Zucchini hisses and pushes herself away from the tool. Her ears go down and back as she hisses at the tool as it is being removed. As the handler puts the den cover back, she hisses and lunges forward again, smacking the front of the den. She retreats to the back and begins to growl. Zucchini is displaying behaviors that preclude placement in the adoptions room and/or may require further investigation before placement in a home. She has been swatting, hissing, and lunging and is extremely fearful in the shelter environment and does not currently tolerate petting or handling. The behavior department feels that placement with a New Hope Partner is the best option at this time.