Animal Profile

Royce is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and while he can be social with familiar caretakers, continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions or when overstimulated. 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.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Royce is on the at-risk list due to behavior. He is not thriving in the care center and while he can be social with familiar caretakers, continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions or when overstimulated. 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. A volunteer writes: Royce has a list of plans a mile long and his condo is hardly conducive to completing them. We certainly don't mean to cramp anyone's style, but shelter life just isn't set up for Royce. He can be a generous cuddler, a keen decision maker, and is someone who likes to decide when it's time to make his entrance. Here's where it's been a bit tricky to learn about this gentleman. In his previous home, he enjoyed watching from afar and creatively determining what was and was not a toy. We've given him several (cat) toys and perches to observe and while he kneads happily in place and snuggles around at the front, the other cats in the room and the people walking by the door kind of throw Royce off his game. Brought to us due to allergies, Royce may prefer to be in the mix as it suits him and hopes you'll come in and meet him soon.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 10.5 lbs

Medical Notes

3/3/2026

[DVM Intake] DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 4yrs based on dentition/conformation Microchip noted on intake? scans negative History: surrender Subjective: BAR Observed Behavior - sitting at front of kennel growling and hissing; sedated for all tasks and handling Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? no Objective: P = 100 (sedated) R = 24 BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears thick crusted debris AU, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: Adult dentition, mild gingivitis along gumline PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MN MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: externally normal Wood's Lamp Exam: not performed Assessment: Approx. 4yr MN DSH Ear mites Prognosis: good Plan: sedated with dexdomitor 10mcg/kg + torb 0.2mg/kg IM for estimated weight of 9lbs; achieved deep sedation Intake tasks Ear cleaning Apply selamectin Reverse with equal volume antesedan Notify behavior of high FAS SURGERY: already neutered

3/15/2026

Feline beh request gaba for trial, starting on gaba 100mg PO BID indef in care

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 5. Red

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

Upon intake cat was fearful but tolerant. He was scanned for MC, pet, collared, picked up, held, and placed in carrier as well as kennel.

Spay/Neuter status: Yes

Date of Intake: 3/3/2026

Is this cat having litter box issues?: No

Basic Information:: Royce is a male DSH cat who is white with colored patches. He was surrendered to ACC alongside his littermate due to the development of allergies in the home.

Previously lived with:: adults, children, other cats.

How is this cat around strangers?: Shy and timid, prefers contact on his own terms but is tolerant and curious.

How is this cat around children?: Actively avoids or retreats, prefers contact on his own terms and can escalate to growling or hissing if boundaries are pushed.

How is this cat around other cats?: Minimal experience but was tolerant.

How is this cat around dogs?: No experience.

Behavior Notes: Displays defensive behavior. Enjoys having his coat brushed and being picked up or held. Is unbothered by having his nails trimmed or when he is placed in a carrier. Will stress meow when inside the carrier. Plays rough, scratches furniture, and can nip or swat if pet for too long.

Bite history:: No history.

Energy level/descriptors:: Medium

Has this cat ever had any medical issues?: No

For a New Family to Know: He is described as an independent and wary indoor cat who prefers contact on his own terms and watching from afar. He spends most of his time in the living room or kitchen of his home where he enjoys chasing insects or pouncing on random items he deems toys. He enjoys scratching on carpet, fabric, and rough rope surfaces, eats both wet and dry food f various brands and his favorite treats are Temptations Creamy. He is accustomed to having access to a covered litterbox with clumping litter located in the hallway of his home.

KNOWN HISTORY:: Lived Indoors Previously lived with: 1 Adult, 2 Children, 1 Other DSH. Behavior toward strangers: Shy and timid, prefers contact on his own terms but is tolerant and curious. Behavior toward children: Actively avoids or retreats, prefers contact on his own terms and can escalate to growling or hissing if boundaries are pushed. Behavior toward cats: Minimal experience but was tolerant. Behavior toward dogs: Unknown Bite or Scratch history: None Litter box training: Yes, he is accustomed to having access to a covered litterbox with clumping litter located in the hallway of his home. Energy level/descriptors: Medium Energy Level Other notes: He is described as an independent and wary indoor cat who prefers contact on his own terms and watching from afar. He spends most of his time in the living room or kitchen of his home where he enjoys chasing insects or pouncing on random items he deems toys. He enjoys scratching on carpet, fabric, and rough rope surfaces, eats both wet and dry food of various brands and his favorite treats are Temptations Creamy. He displays defensive behaviors and plays rough, scratches furniture, and can nip or swat if pet for too long. He enjoys having his coat brushed and being picked up and held. He is unbothered by having his nails trimmed or when he is placed in a carrier but will stress meow in a carrier. Upon intake cat was fearful but tolerant. He was scanned for MC, pet, collared, picked up, held, and placed in carrier as well as kennel.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 3/8/26 FB79 At the front of the kennel, Royce is tense with an arched back, wide eyes, tilted ears and a low tucked tail while loudly vocalizing/stress meowing and striking the glass with force. When i lowered the kennel cover which was lifted he continued to hiss and spit followed by striking and lunging. 3/11/26 FB58 sitting on top of his den with a neutral face and body - he comes to the from with ears forward and eyes neutral, tail rainbow and pilo erect. He sniffs the hand offered (bite glove worn) - he accepts pets as he leas into the touch, sniffing the glove and smelling other cats on it. There is a line of pilo-erect hair along along the ridge of his back and he begins to meow/vocalize with a stressed edge to it. He then begins to escalate and again vocalizes with a transition into a growl as he raises a paw to swat and turns to bite with his mouth open due to the scent of other cats. I switch to the Assess-A-Hand to rule out the scent being a contributing factor and after a moment, I offer the fake hand out to him. He continues to vocalize but leans into some pets - his tail remains arched//rainbow and he escalates to biting, swatting, and grabbing the fake hand with an intensity that begins to increase. 3/13/26 FB58 Sitting on his den and comes down immediately and begins to rub along the cage door - hair along the ridge of his back is pilo-erect and looks almost like static, ears are forward, and pupils dilated. He makes biscuits in place and head bunts my hand when I offer it out to him, leaning into pets on his head and cheeks, and I pet him a little along his back. His tail is low and super pilo-erect throughout the pets as he leans into the touch or as he makes biscuits in place. He growls as he hears someone walk past the room, pauses to focus on the room a lot. By the end he is rolling on his side with a loose but alert body and rubbing his face and neck along the side of the cage opening, ending up getting his collar stuck on the cage latch (i cut his collar off). 3/17/26 FB06 Royce is at the front of the kennel pacing, rubbing himself on the glass with a loose body, soliciting attention. He is meowing nd jumping up and down off the ledge as well. As the kennel door is opened slightly, he pokes his nose out. I using the scratcher, I place it through the slightly opened door and Royce immediately starts rubbing himself on it. I let him do all the work. When l pulled the scratcher out of the kennel and closed the door, Royce moved into the cubby side and started to roll around. Using the scratcher, I tried to close the cubby door to place a toy on the kennel door but he got up and moved back to the other side where he turned and started swatting the scratcher. Once I walked away from the kennel, he could me heard low growling. 3/21/26 FB79 Today, Royce was at the front of the kennel when i entered and had a low body with slightly wide eyes and forward ears. GANN

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate

VOCAL:: Quiet

CHARACTER TYPE: : Bold,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Overstimulation,Rough play,Fearful,New home adjustment period

Potential challenges comments:: Royce is described to be a more independent and wary cat that prefers contact on his own terms and can escalate to growling or hissing with children if his boundaries are pushed. He is noted to display defensive behaviors and plays rough, can get overstimulated if pet for too long and will nip or swat due to this overstimulation. During his assessment he displayed a very high level of FAS and escalated to defensive aggression where he was lunging partway out of his den in order to swat at the stick being used to close his den in order to perform the assessment. Contact was not able to be made with him.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: No other cats OR multi-cat home with adopters experienced with introducing new cats,Adult only home

Recommendations comments:: Royce is noted to actively avoid or retreat from children and prefers contact on his own terms. He can escalate to growling or hissing if boundaries are pushed. Due to the behavior reported in the home as well as the behavior witnessed in the shelter, the behavior team recommends he go to an adult only home. While being observed in the shelter, Royce overheard another cat in the room vocalizing in their cage due to them scratching a wound and he began to escalate and hiss and lunge at the front of his cage. He appears to have the potential to be cat reactive. He did previously live with another cat and was noted to have minimal experience but was tolerant.

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: On approach, Royce is in his den and mostly hidden from view - he begins to low growl when he hears the assessor step towards his cage and hisses as the cage door is opened. When the assessor attempts to use a stick to close the den portal door to close his den in order to safely perform his assessment - he very quickly lunges and gets partway out of the den before swatting at the stick multiple times. He repeats this as the assessor continues to attempt to close the den portal door. Once the den is successfully closed. He continues to low growl and hiss, swatting at the den portal door. Contact is not able to be made with Royce and the interaction is unable is ended to prevent further FAS. Pick up is not attempted due to his behavior. Royce is displaying behaviors that preclude placement in the adoptions room and/or may require further investigation before placement in a home. He has tried to swat, lunge, 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.