Animal Profile
Duke Of York
Hello, my name is Duke Of York. My animal id is #238216. I am a desexed male black cat at the Queens Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 3 years 1 months 3 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a stray on 10/1/2025.
Duke of York 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. Duke of York 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. What my friends at ACC say about me: My history is a mystery and my friends here do not know much about me yet! I have lived with cats in my previous home. I can be slow to adjust to new environments. I prefer to take things at my own pace. I would do best in a home without very tiny humans, although I could be open to older human children once I meet them. A volunteer writes: The cat formerly known as Prince spends most of his time perched on his regal, purple pillow. He appreciates a low voice and a slow approach. Duke of York will accept petting, preferably with a backscratcher at this time. A volunteer writes: Duke of York loves to watch the sunset in the evenings. He knows the world is so much bigger and brighter and that there will be something to look forward to tomorrow. Duke's been having a bit of a time lately and his optimistic approach of finding some joy where he can is as heartening as it is heartbreaking. Shelter life has been a considerable shift for Duke and sometimes it's hard to let new people in. We've certainly been asking him to do a lot of that. He lost his home with the other cats and dogs he lived with and we don't know so much else about his life before. Not one to seek out pets, he'll sometimes accept our offers, but mostly Duke of York sits on top of his Kuranda bed waiting to watch the sun. There's nothing I love to picture more than thinking of him doing the same on a sofa with his forever family nearby.
My medical notes are...
Weight: 10.4375 lbs
10/4/2025
DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2-4 y/o based on dentition Microchip noted on Intake? scan negative History: Stray Subjective: BARH Observed Behavior - growling and swatted when approached kennel and did not allow handling, netted for safety, did not escalate further in the net. Elected to sedate for exam. Sedated with DKT 0.1ml of each; reversed with atipamezole. Is there evidence of Cruelty? no Is there evidence of Neglect? no Is there evidence of Trauma? no Objective T = not taken P = wnl R = wnl BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: fractured R upper canine with pulp exposure; otherwise minimal tartar and plaque PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: 2 testes in scrotum 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: NP Assessment: ~3 y/o MI DSH Fractured R upper canine Otherwise apparently healthy Prognosis: Good Plan: Ok for intake tasks *Recommend dental procedure to extract R upper canine once placed SURGERY: Okay for surgery
10/8/2025
Was this cat a Cryptorchid? no If so, describe surgical process: Routine Feline Neuter Self tie of spermatic cord Green Linear Tattoo Placed near Midline Surgeon: 990665 Additional Note:
11/6/2025
Progress exam: URI noted on rounds Subjective: QBAR, no C/S/V/D Objective: EYES: OS watery, slight squint. No discharge. LUNGS: Eupneic, no sign of respiratory distress NASAL CAVITY: no discharge, fur under nose appears wet. MUSCULOSKELETAL: Ambulatory x4, no lameness or lesions NEURO: Appropriate mentation ASSESSMENT: Presumed URI PLAN: Per standing orders -Under the weather sign, Monitor log placed on kennel -Start doxycycline 50mg/ml PO q24h x10 days -CTM, recheck in 3 days
11/13/2025
Progress exam: URI day 7 recheck Subjective: BAR, no C/S/V/D. Sneeze marks present on condo door. AS:1 empty wet food bowl. Objective: EYES: Clear LUNGS: Eupneic, no sign of respiratory distress NASAL CAVITY: no discharge MUSCULOSKELETAL: Ambulatory x4, no lameness or lesions NEURO: Appropriate mentation ASSESSMENT: Presumed URI PLAN: Per standing orders -CTM, recheck in 3 days
11/19/2025
Start gabapentin 100 mg PO BID for FAS in shelter
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 4. Orange
Upon intake, cat allowed staff to scan for MC, collar, and pick up. Cat leaned into pets and ate food vigurously.
KNOWN HISTORY:: Duke of York was brought in with limited information on his behavior history in a home environment.
ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 10/16/25 FB58 In his den and hidden from view - I place a tray with treats near the den opening and he hisses. He hisses again with a tense face and body, eyes wide, when I lift the den cover.. I slowly introduce the scratcher tool at the den opening and he hisses at the tool and each time he is pet but allows the touch. I switch the focus from touch to earning his trust and move the tray with treats into the den with the tool and he is very wary initially.He begins to sniff and I work to clicker train, marking each time he does eat. For some time, he stares very closely at each treat... but does begin to eat and I click. 10/17/25 FB79 Duke is inside of his den, and when i lift the den cover for a better view he is pressed up against the back of the den with neutral face/body. He doesn't care for the treats i toss in but tolerates pets on his head and cheeks with no reaction. However when i run the tool down his back he turns sharply to sniff and hisses at the tool. 10/19/25 Vol. Duke of York was in his den. I removed the den cover and he hissed at me. I put Temptations and Squeeze Up in a tray and placed it in the den. He ate both after I left him alone for a few minutes. I returned to him and petted him with the scratcher tool. He hissed a few times, then tolerated the petting without hissing. I spoke softly to him, but he remained crouched in his den for the entire interaction. 10/23/25 Fb58 Sitting next to his den, very tense with eyes wide and dilated - hisses with a tense face and ears tilted as he is lightly tossed treats and flinches. I close the den in order to be able to remove it and he very quickly jumps up onto the shelf - tense and wide eyed, hissing at every movement as I reset his cage with a kuranda bed. 10/24/25 FB79 Duke is under his kuranda bed with forward ears, wide almond eyes and his tail loosely wrapped; he hisses when i lift the linen that was draped over and slightly moved back wrapping his tail and watching me close. I toss some treats in for him which he leans down to sniff but looks back at me with wide eyes. He continues to hiss when i bring the tool in but he does tolerate petting on his head and on his cheeks briefly before lip licking and hissing once more. 10/26/25 Vol. Duke of York was under his kuranda bed, hunched up on his regal pillow. He stared back at me with wide eyes as I lifted the kennel cover. He hissed a few times. I placed Temptations next to him on the pillow, but he did not eat them. I put the scratcher tool near him and he hissed at it once. He then tolerated being petted with it. His ears were slightly lowered but he acted calmly. He spent the interaction lying on his pillow, watching me carefully. 10/27/25 FB79 Under his kuranda bed hidey spot, Duke hisses when i lift the linen; he as wide eyes his paws tucked and his ear tilted when i speak to him. He doesnt care for any of the treats that i toss in and i don't push any further interaction. GAN
ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Subdued
VOCAL:: Quiet
CHARACTER TYPE: : Shy ,Timid
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Uncomfortable with pick up,New home adjustment period
Potential challenges comments:: See behavior flyers. Adoption counseling on pick up.
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : Level 3
RECOMMENDATIONS:: No young children
Recommendations comments:: No children under 13, respectful older children only. Counselor discretion.
BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: Upon approach, Duke of York is resting in the back of the kennel, ears are forward, almond shaped eyes and body is relaxed. When the kennel door is opened he stretches one paw out, stands up and walks toward the front of the cage. The assessor pets him on top of the head which he tolerated. Treats were given, head petting and body pets continued, when pick up was attempted Duke of York hissed and backed away. Interaction was ended at this point. 11/04/25 Duke of York displayed similar behaviors during his re-assessment. Duke of York interacts with the observer, appreciates attention and allows all petting, but did not appear to like being picked up during their behavior evaluation. He hisses when pick up was attempted. 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. We recommend that this cat go to a home with experienced cat parents. 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 they’re adjusting to their new home.