Animal Profile
Juice Box
Hello, my name is Juice Box. My animal id is #238318. I am a male gray cat at the Manhattan Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 2 years 1 months old.
I came into the shelter as a owner surrender on 10/2/2025, with the surrender reason stated as person circumstance- hoarding situation.
Juice Box 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. Juice Box 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 am finding the shelter a little overwhelming, but when it's just you and me and some peace and quiet you'll see what a love bug I am. I am looking for a home with a patient person. I will flourish in a calm environment and a low-traffic home. I would appreciate slow introductions to new people and places to help me feel safe. I'm sensitive and shy. I'll need extra help from you. 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: In his attempts to find a place for himself in the very busy Care Center, Juice Box has taken to loafing on top of his den and doing his best to learn by observation. Maybe he's waiting for the perfect time to introduce himself or maybe he's just trying to figure out what's going on because when that's all sorted, maybe he'll feel more comfortable? Whatever his methods are, I'd love to explain to dear Juice Box that there's not really a perfect time, nor is it likely he'll understand everything and that's ok. Juice Box came to us from a home with many other cats and while the Care Center hasn't quite been his cup of tea, we're doing everything we can to meet him halfway. Juice Box has been particularly interested in treats and clicker training. He really wants to learn what to do and we know there's a forever family out there who will walk with him through each and every step.
My medical notes are...
Weight: 10.7 lbs
10/4/2025
Disregard
10/4/2025
DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2-6y Microchip noted on Intake? scanned negative History: Owner surrender due to too many cats. Subjective: BAR Observed Behavior - Growling and striking at den. Elected sedation using 0.1ml dexmedetomidine 500mcg/ml, 0.1ml ketamine 100mg/ml, 0.1ml butorphanol 10mg/ml IM Evidence of Cruelty seen -no Evidence of Neglect seen-no Evidence of Trauma seen -no Objective T = P =wnl R =wnl BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears AU brown flaky dc, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: adult dentition with minor staining PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: male intact, 2 scrotal testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: normal external Wood's Lamp Exam: not performed Assessment apparently healthy ear mites Prognosis: good Plan: intake tasks neuter new home 45mg selamectin topically 0.1ml antisedan IM SURGERY: Okay for surgery
10/11/2025
SO: QAR, laying in litter box, but when disturbed, begins hissing eent: eyes clear, clear mucoid nasal dc apparent h/l: eupneic, repeated sneezing appreciated msi: ambulatory x4 neuro: mentation alert and appropriate A: URI-moderate P: 1.0ml doxycycline 50mg/ml PO SID x7d fortiflora 1 sachet with food PO SID x7d
10/31/2025
Recheck URI S: QAR laying down in kennel O: EEN- eyes clear, no nasal or ocular discharge RESP- eupneic, no coughing/sneezing or audible congestion while cage side or noted on board MSK/i- Ambulatory x4, healthy haircoat Neuro- alert/appropriate A: URI appears resolved P: Monitor Ok for sx
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 4. Orange
KNOWN HISTORY:: Juice Box was brought in with limited information on his behavior history in a home environment. He lived in a home with other cats. Upon intake, Juice Box allowed all handling, hissed after being placed in the den, and but then was relaxed.
ENRICHMENT NOTES:: PRIOR ASSESSMENT: 10/05/2025 Juice Box was lying down relaxed on top of the den, raises his head and focuses on the assessor upon approach, then curls up and returns to resting. When spoken to and opening the door, he perks up again and leans his head forward to sniff treats offered. He eats them out of the assessor's palm and when holding the treat between their fingers. When reaching close to pet, Juice Box sits up, leans back, widens his eyes, tilts his ears to the side, and hisses. He calm down when the assessor slowly pulls their hand away to offer more treats that he eats. When distracting him with more treats, the assessor pets Juice Box on the head and body with the scratcher tool and Juice Box harshly hisses and leans away. After giving him a few seconds to recover, he is rewarded with more treats for calming down and tolerating the interaction. Pick up was not attempted in order to reduce stress. 10/6/25 FB73 Juice box was laying on top of his den, hissing upon approach. Was unable to get him to come forward for treats, but was able to pass him treats using the scratcher tool. Began attempting clicker training, loaded the clicker (click and treat) several times until he began anticipating the treat and picking up on it, was able to have him target a stick (the back of the scratcher tool) with his nose, he picked up on it very quickly and began targeting the stick with his nose after just a few tries. 10/09/25 FB32 Resting curled up on top of den, began clicker training. Quickly charged the clicker since he has been doing well with training. Initially trained to have him lean his head forward and sniff my hand/finger. Does well with repetition. Continued with targeting his nose to my finger. When rewarding with a treat and attempting to transition into petting while he was distracted with eating, he hissed and stepped back when pet on the head. He recovers fairly quickly and we continue with more nose-finger targeting. 10/19/25 FB73 Juice box is sitting at the front of the kennel, watching me with a slightly tense body as I approach. He is able to be hand fed a squeeze up through the kennel door, beginning to eat it immediately. I attempt to pet him on the head while he eats, and he flinches and backs up. He recovers quickly and is able to be coaxed back to the front when offered the squeeze up again and continues to allow me to hand feed it through the bars. 10/19/25 FB73 Juice Box is sitting at the front of the kennel, ears slightly back as I approach. As the cat in the kennel next to him stretches out a paw and rattles the door, Juice Box turns to hiss at him. He remains at the front of the kennel, and his attention is easily refocused by offering him a squeeze up, which I am able to hand feed him through the bars. When attempting to pet him on the head while eating, he flinches back, hisses, and lip licks before going back to eating the squeeze up.
ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Subdued
VOCAL:: Quiet
CHARACTER TYPE: : Shy ,Calm,Curious,Timid,Independent
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,New home adjustment period
Potential challenges comments:: He is food motivated with high valued treats and will eat them out of the assessor's fingers or palm. We recommend clicker training or building a positive association with treats and touch because he may lean back and hiss to avoid touch.
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:: Juice Box was awake but resting on top of his den. When the assessor approached he remained in a loaf position. Treats were offered on a gloved scratcher tool, Juice Box sniffed the tool and ate the hard treats. When the assessor tried to pet with the gloved tool, Juice Box would dart around, sniff and even raise a slow paw. He would resume to enjoy the treats offered. When the assessor removed the glove off the tool, Juice Box became more accepting of touch with the tool and soon started to head bunt the tool and raise his hips to the petting of the tool down his back and side. The assessor placed treats and a catnip stick in the kennel which Juice Box started to play with as the evaluation ended. Juice Box tolerates attention and petting but appears fearful or stressed in the shelter. He may be a little more independent, and may need time to warm up to his new home. We recommend 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 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.