Animal Profile
Spicy
Hello, my name is Spicy. My animal id is #236040. I am a male gray cat at the Manhattan Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 3 years 2 months 1 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a aco - owner surrender on 9/6/2025, with the surrender reason stated as person circumstance- hoarding situation.
Spicy is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. He has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
You may know me from such films as...
Let's get to know each other a bit more...
This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Spicy is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. He has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to his stress levels, it is in his best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. He would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give him plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers. Meet Spicy! Spicy came to us from a multi-cat (hoarding) situation. In crowded homes, cats often learn to keep to themselves and may not get much one-on-one handling. That kind of start can shape a cat's confidence: new people and places feel big and overwhelming at first. Here at the Care Center, Spicy prefers the safety of his cubby, accepts gentle petting, and asks for time and space to feel secure. Good with Kids? Best in an adult home or with older, cat-savvy teens who can move slowly and respect his boundaries. Good with Other Pets? He previously lived with many cats. A calm, well-matched resident cat could help model confident behavior if introductions are done slowly; he could also do well as a solo cat while he decompresses. Overall Health Spicy is healthy overall but has a small kink in the middle of his tail-likely an old, healed injury or something he was born with. He's not yet neutered and is scheduled for his surgery soon. Other Fun Facts Spicy's courage shows in quiet ways-accepting a few cheek rubs with a scratcher tool, relaxing his eyes, or eating treats left nearby. If you love earning a shy cat's trust, Spicy is ready for a fresh start and a gentle guide. A volunteer writes: Cat dancers, feathers, light shows, treats, and pets. We're trying it all in hopes we can find the thing that will bring Spicy out of his cubby and into our world. Spicy's been in his own world and trying his best to make the most of it the best way he knows!
My medical notes are...
Weight: 7.8 lbs
9/7/2025
DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2-4 years based on the condition of teeth and eyes Microchip noted on Intake? Negative History: Owner surrender Subjective: Q-BAR H pink 1 sec Observed Behavior - Body tense but easily examined Evidence of Cruelty seen - No Evidence of Trauma seen – No Evidence of Neglect- No Objective P = 200hr R = 40rr BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: NSF PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MI with 2 down MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, urine soiled hair coat, kink in mid-tail CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment Kink in mid-tail r/o congenital vs h/o trauma (healed) vs other Prognosis: Good Plan: Intake procedures SURGERY: Okay for surgery
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 2. Blue
KNOWN HISTORY:: Spicy was brought in with limited information on his behavior history in a home environment. He lived in a home with many other cats.
ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 9/9/25 PRIOR ASSESSMENT Spicy was resting inside the den. Alert with eyes wide. He allows petting through the side portal door with the scratcher tool. However, Spicy slowly withdraws and remains immobile in place throughout the assessment. Ignores offered treats and ended early to help reduce stress. 10/9/25 PRIOR ASSESSMENT Spicy's behavior has been consistently fearful over the past month in shelter. He was hiding at the back of the top cubby curled up with his head and ears forward, focused on the assessor with a tense body and wide eyes. He ignores treats offered and allows petting on the head and cheeks but sinks his head into his shoulders. When stroking his body, he remains tense and lip licks. When reaching around his body, he further widens his eyes, and tilts his ears to the side. When gently nudging him to rotate his body in order to pull him forward and attempt pick up, he stands his ground, hisses, and begins growling. He stops after the assessor pulls their hand away. After giving him some time to recover, he continues to tolerate more petting and attention. 9/11/25 Spicy was inside the den. When I lifted the den cover, I found him facing forward, eyes wide pupils dilated, ears and whiskers neutral. He ignored the puree treat passed through the portal but allowed petting with the back of tool, softening his eyes a little bit, but otherwise remaining immobile. After a short while, he retreated out of reach to the back of the cubby. Still scared but not defensive. 9/20/25 Vol In hidey box, can see side close to entry. Put in treat bowl - no movement or reaction. Approached with hard treats on tool, no movement or reaction. Let it rest - removed - ended interaction. 9/23/25 Vol Hiding in his privacy den. Sniffed at Squeeze-ups but didn’t eat any. Wasn’t interested in the cat dancer or the laser. He did tolerate some head scratching with the tool. He was more fearful than aggressive but never came out of his den. 10/1/25 Vol. Spicy was lying down near back of cubby, with front paws out in front of him and tail tucked around body. His pupils were somewhat dilated. He did not show interest in treats or toys. He tolerated brief petting on top of head, then pulled away slowly to avoid cheek rubs. 10/3/25 Vol. Sprawled behind litter box in bottom cubby tucked way in corner. I could barely see his face or eyes. Spicy ignored the treat bowl but by main cage cubby entry. Approached through cubby with hard treats on scratcher tool - no reaction. As removed treats, Spicy tensed up but when approached with tool he sniffed and allowed head scratches, head lowering slightly. Head moved a little when stopped. Gave plenty of scratches and ended interaction. ~GAN
ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Subdued
VOCAL:: Quiet
CHARACTER TYPE: : Shy ,Timid,Skittish,Independent
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,Uncomfortable with pick up,New home adjustment period,Adult cat socialization
Potential challenges comments:: Spicy is an adult cat that may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. He is very apprehensive of people and he may attempt to flee and avoid human contact. It is difficult to predict if he 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 adult cats will require more time and skill in order for them to be comfortable around people. When gently nudging him to rotate his body in order to pull him forward and attempt pick up, he stands his ground, hisses, and begins growling. He stops after the assessor pulls their hand away.
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : Level 3
RECOMMENDATIONS:: No young children
Recommendations comments:: No young children under 13 years old due to fearfulness. Counselor discretion is advised.
BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: Spicy's behavior has been consistently fearful over the past month in shelter. Upon approach he is hiding in the back of his cubby, curled up, ears forward, eyes wide with dilated pupils and body tense. He allows some petting on the head with the scratcher tool but remains tense and avoidant of contact, flinching, shuffling back further into the cubby, and turning to face away from the assessor. A squeeze up is offered to him on the scratcher tool and he leans forward to eat it. Petting is attempted on the head with the tool while he eats his squeeze up treat but he immediately stops eating, flinching, tensing, and scooting his body further back into the cubby again. He remains tense throughout the duration of the interaction, lip licking repeatedly and pupils consistently remaining very dilated. Spicy interacts with the observer, tolerates attention and petting, but appears fearful or stressed in the shelter and he did not appear to like being picked up during the behavior evaluation. Please keep in mind there are many reasons why a cat may be uncomfortable with this type of handling and that this may not necessarily translate into a home environment. He may be a little more independent and may need time to warm up to his new home. We recommend that this cat go to a home with experienced cat parents. Due to the behavior shown, he may not be a great fit for young children. Any future home with children should be counseled in respecting the cat’s space and for the family to use care when picking him up, especially while he is still adjusting to his new home. Any home with older children prepared to adopt this cat should conduct a thorough interaction and endeavor to monitor this cat around their children to prevent these behaviors from being reinforced.