Animal Profile

Garlic Knot 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.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. Garlic Knot 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: I can go home today! I have lived with cats in my previous home. I'm an independent kitty who likes to do my own thing. I am looking for a home with a patient person. I will flourish in a calm environment and a low-traffic home. Garlic Knot is not open to interaction at this time and does not currently tolerate petting or handling and is really struggling in the shelter environment. Because this cat previously lived in a home for some time even though without a known history, we feel that this cat will do best in an experienced, home with adopters who are willing to work with a cat who needs time and patience to help him adjust to their new home. A volunteer writes: Garlic Knot came to us hungry. Left behind in an apartment with other cats, he had an appetite and we hoped the food, treats, and snacks we happily and readily offered would help us to get started on the right paw. Since that initial meeting, however, we haven't been able to get as far as we would like in getting to know Garlic Knot. Snuggled in the back of his cubby, he isn't one to come out and say hello. In fact, it seems like he often wishes we'd just continue walking by. We don't have much information about Garlic Knot's life before and we don't know who he wants to be in the future but we know he wants to belong to a family who will claim him as their own.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 9.3 lbs

Medical Notes

5/9/2026

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2 years Microchip noted on Intake? Scanned negative History: Stray Subjective: QAR Observed Behavior - allows all handling but remains tense Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? No Objective: T = P = WNL R = WNL BCS: 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: Adult dentition, mild tartar PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: Externally WNL, intact male, 2 scrotal testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted but excessive fatty tissue/fatty lump on right ventral thorax, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: Externally WNL Wood's Lamp Exam: not performed Assessment: Fatty lump/excess adipose tissue on right ventral thorax Otherwise apparently healthy Intact male Prognosis: Good Plan: Intake tasks + exam Await sort FAST TRACK CANDIDATE SURGERY: Okay for surgery

5/14/2026

SO: Noted drooling by volunteer BAR, at back of cubby, food plate untouched eent: eyes clear, serous nasal dc apparent oral: drooling h/l: eupneic, sniffling and sneezing appreciated msi: ambulatory x4 neuro: mentation alert and appropriate A: URI-moderate/severe P: zorbium for weight lrs 100ml sc sid x3d 0.3ml cerenia sc SID x3d

5/18/2026

EEN: Green nasal discharge A: Progressive uri Plan Doxycycline 100mg/ml 0.3 ml po sid x 7 days

5/25/2026

Recheck URI Appetite variable but has mostly eaten wet food tray in kennel No recent coughing/sneezing reported BAR, resting in kennel No ocular or nasal discharge Eupneic, normal RR A: URI - resolved Plan: No further treatment, CTM for URI signs

6/4/2026

Flagged for hematuria on 6/3 BAR, backs away, hisses and attempted to swat when approached EENT: No ocular or nasal discharge H/L: Eupneic CNS: Normal mentation Assessment: Hematuria - r/o FLUTD vs UTI vs stones vs other Plan: Placed monitoring log Placed signage to collect urine sample from nosorb LB to submit for UA Start gabapentin 19mg/kg PO BID x7d CTM urinations closely, consider additional diagnostics if signs persistent

6/5/2026

Urine sample collected, grossly no hematuria noted but concentrated and amber in color P: Await urinalysis results

6/6/2026

Urinalysis Cystatin B: WNL Urine collected from no sorb litter USG: 1.079 pH: 5.5 (L) Protein: 3+ Blood/hemoglobin: 3+ WBC: 0-2 RBC: >100 Bacteria: None seen Epithelial cells: Rare 0-1 Mucus: None seen Casts: None seen Crystals: None seen Culture pending Brief Exam: BAR in kennel, partially eaten wet food bowls Urine present in litterbox, not grossly hemorrhagic Assessment: Hematuria - r/o FLUTD vs stones vs UTI vs other Plan: CTM urinations, pending culture results

6/8/2026

Feline Neuter performed by Vet: 2671 Patient anesthesia form uploaded to Shelter Buddy in Vet Documents.

6/8/2026

S: hematuria reported 6/4/26. UA submitted. O: hematuria, intact male (testes x 2) A: R/O FLUTD, crystaluria, uroliths. P: sedate with 0.32 mLs DKT (dexdomitor 0.0125 mg/kg, telazol 0.25 mLs, ketamine 5 mg/mLs) Radiographs - no uroliths seen in bladder or urethra Ultrasound - snowglobe in urinary bladder. Urine collected by cystocentesis. No blood apparent. Submit for f/u UA. Continue gabapentin. Start urinary SO food. Neuter, closed castration.

6/8/2026

Routine Feline Neuter Self tie of spermatic cord Green Linear Tattoo Placed near Midline Surgeon: 2671

6/10/2026

cysto UA s.g. 1.059 ph 5.5 2+ protein no crystals seen Urine culture no growth A: no crystals in UA but debris seen in bladder on ultrasound p: c/w c/d or s/o diet indefinitely okay for adoption

6/11/2026

Feline Behavior notes deterioration in care; lunging and hissing P: Gabapentin 100mg capsule PO BID indefinitely while in care

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 2. Blue

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

KNOWN HISTORY:: Garlic Knot was brought in without information on his behavior history in a home environment. He previously lived in a home with two other cats.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT 5/11/26 Garlic Knot was inside the den, appearing fearful with large pupils and somewhat sideways ears, curled up tightly with a tense body. He barely sniffed treats and pulled back when approached. After a few moments, he turned to face away and curled into a tight circle with his tail wrapped around him. When approached with treats and briefly pet on the head, he gave a single hiss and remained fearful. After the kennel door was shut, he watched the assessor through the side door of the den and gave a few slow blinks. 6/12/26 Vol. Behind privacy paper in cubby, close to front, paws out, alert, eyes round. Put treat bowl by cubby entry in main cage - he stuck head out to start eating and then pulled back to sit and stare, eyes round, ears forward. Approached just a little with squeeze treat on scratcher tool - let it rest a little closer - he looked and ignored. Stuck head out for another lick at treat bowl and then pulled back to sit and stare. Gave plenty of sweet talk until Garlic Knot turned around to curl up back to entry. Ended interaction. 6/13/26 FB09 Garlic Knot was lying at the front of his kennel and stared at the handler with wide, dilated eyes when the door opened. He remained still until the handler held out treats on the click stick for him and he quickly sat up and swatted at it. When the click stick was pulled back, he returned a slow blink and retreated into his cubby. 6/15/26 Vol. Garlic Knot was in a loaf position in the cubby upon approach with dilated pupils and forward ears. He watched the slow movement of a peacock feather outside the cubby door. He ate a wet treat from a tray offered in the closed cubby. When the door was opened slightly for verbal interaction, he initially continued eating but subsequently retreated. He then lifted his head and moved slightly forward to follow a laser pointer around the kennel. He was left with a peacock feather and a catnip plush toy for enrichment. 06/16/26 FB47 Garlic Knot remains fearful and does not want touch under any circumstances. Petting was attempted with the scratcher tool and was briefly accomplished, but he fled into the main kennel, leaving the cubby. He had sideways ears and large eyes and sniffed treats, but resisted socialization at this time. He did not engage with the laser today, but he did eat his treats after the cubby door was shut and was seen rubbing against his feather toy. 6/17/26 FB09 Garlic Knot was lying in the back of his kennel and shifted into a crouch position when the door opened. He looked at the handler with lowered ears and dilated eyes. He cautiously sniffed the treats offered to him then swatted at them and retreated to his cubby. GAN

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate

VOCAL:: Quiet

CHARACTER TYPE: : Bold,Timid,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,New home adjustment period

Potential challenges comments:: Please see relevant behavior flyers.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : Level 4

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home

Recommendations comments:: Due to the behaviors displayed in shelter, the behavior team recommends an adult only home.

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: Garlic Knot is resting on his side in the cubby with a soft expression, half asleep. When he sees the assessor he stiffens and sits up, his ears flattening and eyes dilating. The assessor slowly extends a clicker tool with squeeze up, he sniffs and then hisses, batting at the tool with moderate intensity. Garlic Knot backs up into the cubby and presses against the wall to avoid touch. He sniffs clicker tool and allows a few gentle pets on his cheeks and a pass along his body before he flees into the cubby. The assessor does not push further interaction and slowly pushes a tray of squeeze up towards him. Garlic Knot begins to eat the squeeze up, pausing occasionally to hard stare at the assessor. Garlic Knot is not open to interaction at this time and does not currently tolerate petting or handling and is really struggling in the shelter environment. Because this cat previously lived in a home for some time even though without a known history, we feel that this cat will do best in an experienced, home with adopters who are willing to work with a cat who needs time and patience to help him adjust to their new home.