KNOWN HISTORY:: Indoor Cat Previously lived with: adults Behavior toward strangers: Around strangers, Melo has been reported to actively avoid them, stress meow and growl when approached. He is the same way with frequent visitors. Behavior toward children, cats & dogs: no experience Bite or Scratch history: Melo has a history of scratching. His recent incident on October 7th, the previous adopter was working at his desk and Melo jumped up to his lap and feel asleep on him. Client was petting him a little bit and soon after he woke up, he scratched client under his left eye, leaving two marks. Client did not seek medical attention and cleaned the injury himself at home. The previous adopter reported CBD calmed Melo down, but the brand (Hemp Worx) they used gave him diarrhea. Litter box trained: Yes Energy level/descriptors: high energy, friendly, affectionate, talkative, lap cat, very bold/fearless. Other notes: Melo enjoys having their coat brushed. When being picked up or held, or placed in a carrier Melo will hiss, growl, swat, bite, and stress meow. He enjoys looking out the window. Likes toys that crinkle and has a fun time chasing bugs and toys around the house. He does have a few behavior concerns where he will suddenly scratch/swat at you. He plays roughly as well.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 7/5/24 Lying down on top of den. Softly meows, climbs down, and stretches body. Sniffs treats, welcomes petting on head and cheeks. Curious about climbing out of the kennel when taking his photo. 7/8/24 Melo was on top of the den, appeared calm, sniffed and "nosed" treats and allowed some gentle petting, then I open the den side door which was accidentally shut and upon my return a minute later he began hissing when spoken to. 7/14/24 Vol. Melo came out of his den to eat the treats I slipped through the kennel door. He stayed front and center, sitting upright with a neutral face, while I was in front of his kennel. He meowed a couple of times, trying to solicit more interaction. 8.22.24 FB04 Added this ACR: Can we give Melo some gaba? He has very high FAS since returning to the shelter, meowing/yowling incessantly even when noone is in front of his kennel. He's also drooling and pawing at the door, and trying push his face through the bars.

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate

VOCAL:: Talkative

CHARACTER TYPE: : Social,Sweet,Affectionate,Playful,Lap Cat,People oriented,Curious

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Overstimulation,Very high energy level,Other,New home adjustment period

Potential challenges comments:: Melo should be given a slow introduction to the home, one room at a time starting in a small room like a bathroom with food, litter and water, because his first nights reaction with his last adopter strongly suggests that he will hide if allowed. Interact with him in this room until he seems sufficiently confident that you feel you can introduce him to the next part of the home without running the risk that he will hide and/or become defensively aggressive. Please speak to an adoption counselor for additional information on methods to help introduce your cat to the home. Melo is social and affectionate but appears to be easily overstimulated and touch sensitive. As a result of this observed behavior we recommend adopters who are familiar with signs of behavioral arousal and agitation in cats, so that interactions can be ended before Melo becomes overstimulated. We also recommend fishing pole-type toys for play as they allow for interaction and vigorous, stimulating exercise while keeping human hands at a distance. Melo is an active young cat who would benefit from increased mental and physical stimulation to appropriately direct his energy. We recommend using fishing pole-type toys as they allow for vigorous and stimulating exercise. Puzzle feeders will also keep Melo engaged and exercise his brain in addition to his body. *** SUMMARY: Giving Melo the extra time and enough space to engage in vigorous activity privately, will increase the outcome of a smooth new home adjustment period. He also should be provided PLENTY of solo enrichment items (puzzle feeders, "bat-able" toys like mice, balls, etc., automatic toys like laser robots or fluttering butterfly, window perches/cat shelves, etc.) to keep his high energy level satisfied in a constructive way, decreasing the likelihood of him demanding the attention destructively and inappropriately when the human comes in his room to service his food/water/litter. Once acclimated to the home, wand/laser toys are recommended to provide daily, interactive, 10-15 minute play therapy sessions 2-3x/day, preferably before meals. Consistently scheduled frequent smaller portioned meals (6-8), following his instinctual predation cycle, hunt (play) -catch/kill (captures toy) - eat - groom - sleep will help to establish a helpful routine to manage his behavior.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home

Recommendations comments:: Adult only home due to scratch incidents. Both DOH incidents seemed to occur when there were loud noises, fast movement or being startled (1-fireworks, 2-growling following adopter falling and hurting himself on the furniture, likely yelling during 1st night in new space, 3-adopter petting him when he first woke up). **A low-traffic home with a lot of space to expend his energy constructively would be ideal for Melo. --7.4.24: The police stated the client has had the cat for over a month, he got the cat from outside the area he works (W 145 St). He stated the cat would follow him everywhere so he decided to take him. The cat has never scratched him until today, 7/4/24, around 4 am. The client explained to the cops that he was sleeping at 4 am and the cat had the zoomies. He then heard the cat hit the wall and he got up to check up on them and the cat began scratching him. The police stated Shawn had around 10 scratches or more all over his body. He was scratched on his back, arms, hands, and legs. Client also stated he had pulled out what seemed to be 3 nails from the scratches. The police stated the scratched did drew blood. Client did not seek medical attention. It is possible that Melo was reacting to fireworks at night since this first-time incident occurred during the July 4th holiday and some people in the neighborhood may have celebrated the night before. --8.18.24: This occurred the same night his new adopters brought Melo home. At first Melo was calm but within the hour at 6:30pm, he started to charge at them and scratched them multiple times, mainly on both of their legs. According to the adopter, "there were no warning signals" that he showed before he started to "attack" them and Melo would jump up and try to reach their face but there were no injuries to the face. In trying to get away from the cat, the adopter's partner fell and injured himself on furniture. The next morning, they were able to get Melo into a room and closed the door, he has been growling whenever anyone approaches. --10.7.24: The previous adopter was working at his desk and Melo jumped up to his lap and feel asleep on him. Client was petting him a little bit and soon after he woke up, he scratched client under his left eye, leaving two marks. Client did not seek medical attention and cleaned the injury himself at home.

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: -7.12.24 Melo has improved since arriving & was sitting calmly on his haunches at the front facing out observing the world. He loved treats and allowed petting all over, on his head, cheek & along his back. At his lower back his tail rose very slightly in response to petting but he seemed focused on treats & not really interested in petting. He was calm when picked up & briefly held giving a single small meow & remained calm after being set back down & resumed eating. -8.12.24 Melo was rubbing against the kennel door upon approach. He head-bunted the assessor's hand, leaned hard into neck pets and raised hips high during back strokes. He walked right out onto the assessor's lap & was a little tense when initially picked up. Once the assessor gave him some neck pets, he fell into them & became calm & loose. Once placed back down, he head-bunted the assessor vigorously for more attention. -8.26.24 Melo was at the front of the kennel rubbing against the door and meowing for attention. He rubbed his head & big cheeks against the assessor's hand, initiating contact. He remained calm & relaxed during back strokes &when doing a touch gradient to feel his abdomen. He allowed pick up without issue, & was relaxed when held for 10 seconds. -09.12.24 Upon approach Melo was lounging on his window perch with neutral body language &meowing for attention. He jumped down &rubbed against the assessor's legs soliciting attention. He head-bunted, fell into neck pets & raised hips high during a long session of deep back strokes. He purred while getting vigorous cheek rubs & kisses on his head. He was easily picked up, & was calm & relaxed when held for 10 seconds. He socially ate once placed back down. -10.16.2024 In his den upon approach, Melo came running out when the assessor called him. He ate treats, rubbed his cheeks on the assessor's hand & squinted with raised hips during back strokes. He was calm & relaxed when picked up & held for 10 seconds, but stress-meowed when he wanted to be placed back down. Melo interacts with the observer, solicits attention, is easy to handle & tolerates all petting. He displays social, sweet & affectionate behaviors in the shelter. Due to prior owner history, we recommend that potential caretakers be well counseled in him getting the zoomies & becoming overstimulated as a result, & how to expend his energy routinely & constructively, both physically & mentally. The owner surrender profiles state that he consistently scratches in the home. Because we are seeing friendly behavior in the shelter that is overshadowed by the scratch history in his profile, we are basing the determination primarily on the in-home reported behaviors. We advise that adopters be aware of this contradiction. He is displaying behaviors that preclude placement in the adoptions room and/or may require further investigation before placement in a home. The behavior department feels that placement with a New Hope partner is the best option at this time.