KNOWN HISTORY:: Previously lived with: 3 Adults; 1 child Behavior toward strangers: Curious, Shy & Timid Behavior toward children: Curious Behavior toward cats: No experience Behavior toward dogs: No experience Bite or Scratch history: Has scratched another person 6 mos ago, please see "potential challenges" section for more info. Litter box training: Royce has access to 1 covered, scented litterbox located in the living room. Energy level/descriptors: High Energy Level Other notes: Royce can be described as lazy/couch potato, a lap cat, and friendly. He spent most of his time in the living room and enjoyed playing with things that crinkle, chasing bugs or moths, and received interactive playtime multiple times a month. He enjoys scratching on carpet/fabric and was noted to also scratch furniture. The previous owner's favorite thing about him was that he was talkative. If he were to hiss, growl, swat, or bite, it was noted that these behaviors are usually defensive. Royce will struggle or squirm when his nails are trimmed, his coat is brushed, when picked up/held, and when placed in a carrier. During intakes minimum handling was done.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 2/27/25 FB58 In den and hidden from view, can't be coaxed out. When the den cover is lifted, he hisses a couple times and when I place some dry treats down, he sniffs the air. He lip licks and tolerates a few touches with with the tool before low growling, hissing and lunging at the front of the den. Starting him on gaba. 3/2/25 Vol. Royce smacked the den from inside as soon as I touched the cover. I heard him begin to grumble.  I lifted the den cover and saw him hunched up. He hissed and grumbled at me. I threw some treats into his den and he continued to grumble. I put my hand against the clear side of the den and he just stared at it. I spoke softly to him but did not put my hand inside the den. I ended the interaction, closing the kennel door. I could hear him grumbling for a long time after that. He was not ready to socialize today. 3/4/25 FB58 In den and pokes his head out as the cage door is opened, ears forward and eyes slightly wide and slow blinks- he leans forward to sniff the hand offered to him. He accepts a few scratches on his head and cheeks before he ducks back into the den and hisses hard at me. He eats the treats offered and pokes his head out again, allowing a few more head scratches before again ducking into his den and hissing. 3/7/25 FB79 Inside his den, Royce hisses as soon as he hears me open the kennel door and speak to him; he has dilated wide yes and tilted ears with hunched shoulders as he continues the harsh hissing. However he stops the hissing when i toss some treats inside and he leans in to sniff - although he doesnt eat them he tolerates pets on his head and downs his back as he closely watches the tool with his eyes still wide and back still hunched over. 3/9/25 Vol. Royce was in his den. I heard him swat the wall of the den as I approached. I lifted the den cover and he grumbled and hissed at me. I put Churu near the opening. He put his head out to investigate but did not taste it. He stepped out of the den for a moment but turned around and went back inside immediately. I think he wanted to escape but I was blocking his path. He licked his lips a lot. I did not try to pet him because I didn’t want to escalate his emotions. He is fearful now. 3/11/25 FB58 In his den and hidden from view- he begins to low grumble from inside - his face is slightly visible and he sits with eyes wide and dilated. I offer some dry treats outside the den and lightly toss some into the den as well and offer squeeze up on the tool but he doesn't show interest. Instead I just sit and watch him as I slow blink and speak softly, letting him get his grumbles and hisses out. After some time I offer some dry treats in my hand and he pokes his head out slowly with eyes wide to eat from my palm as he grumbles. He repeats this another time while eating from my palm but as the room starts to get loud he ducks back into his den with a tense face. -GAN

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate

VOCAL:: Somewhat chatty

CHARACTER TYPE: : Social,Shy ,Sweet,Playful,People oriented,Curious,Timid,Skittish,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Overstimulation,Fearful,Other,New home adjustment period

Potential challenges comments:: *There was a recent bite/scratch incident on 3/25/25* A Cat Companion Volunteer was interacting and Royce came out of his den, and so she believed he wanted to be interacted with. Royce was ok with being pet for about 30 seconds and then heard a loud sound from elsewhere in the cat adoptions rooms and bit and scratched her right hand. There was very faint blood drawn but the wound was very superficial. There was no one else in the room at the time. The volunteer washed out the wound and went home for the day, and did not seek medical attention at this time. Royce was noted to have previously scratched someone in the past as per previous owner - He added that Royce scratched his mother in September 2024 when she fell out of bed. She suffers from dementia. Royce approached her out of curiosity, but Mom pushed him away. Royce scratched or bit her on her left leg, resulting in bleeding/stitches. It appears that while Royce may be curious, he is easily triggered by noise or fast movement and it is important that Royce always have the option to retreat from any people or environment he does not feel comfortable in to avoid any escalation. 3/25/25 Royce has made very slow but steady progress with the feline behavior time while also on gabapentin for anxiety. Where he initially would hiss, growl and lunge from inside his den... he gradually began to poke his head out to sniff at treats placed down and then to eat treats from staff's palm. In the last two weeks he has begun to show interest in coming out of the den fully and he is now able to sit in his den with the den cover removed (for the last week) without lunging or swatting when the cage door is opened. He will also come out and depending on the environmental stimuli, is able to solicit attention and pets and leans into touch from staff. He remains very sensitive to his environment and will hyper focus on sounds or movements behind staff during interactions and may even back up and begin to low growl or tense and walk close to staff if very overwhelmed and interactions or ended. He still has moments where he may raise a paw or begin to get too tense and growl-y for interactions to be productive but he has really shown that he is interested in interactions but is a very sensitive boy. 04/2/25 Royce also appears to have the potential to become overstimulated - a combination of environmental stimuli (loud noises, fast movements, etc.) as well as petting/interactions individually appear to cause Royce to become overstimulated. If combined they may result in a quicker trigger to swatting or biting. As evidenced by the recent bite/scratch incident in shelter, while Royce may solicit attention as he gets more comfortable, trigger stacking may result in a quick shift to swatting and biting if he is startled or has reached his threshold.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Other,Adult only home

Recommendations comments:: Due to the behavior seen in shelter and needing a longer time to warm up, the behavior team feels Royce would do best in an adult-only home where they would be able to acclimate in a calm environment. Royce is very sensitive to environmental stimuli and will require a low traffic adult-only space to decompress from the shelter environment. Due to his history of bite/scratches due to loud noises or a sudden fast movement, Royce would do best in a home where he has space to remove himself from triggers and where he can have a calm and quiet environment to decompress and gain confidence.

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: 2/24/25 On the top part of his kennel, Royce has a slightly tense body with wide/dilated eyes when the assessor opens the kennel door and speaks to him. He has no interest in treats that are placed in front of him and fixates on the sounds and room behind the assessor. When the scratcher tool is introduced, he has no reaction and tolerates pets on his head/cheeks but starts to lip lick and looks back towards the tool when it is used to pet down and around his body. However, Royce tolerates all petting while remaining very still, with his eyes wide and a slightly tense body. 4/2/25 Upon re-eval, Royce continues to show similar behaviors to his previous evaluation. On approach, he is in his den but comes out fully when the cage door is opened, ears forward and tail raised. He appears to have a slightly tense face and body, and eyes wide as he focuses in on the room and noises happening out in the hallway. he sniffs the hand offered and accepts a few pets on his head and cheeks with the assessor's hand as he leans in. He then begins to grumble and steps back raising a paw to swipe. When treats are then offered, he steps over and begins to eat - sniffing the scratcher tool offered and accepting and leaning into pets along his head and cheeks. When pet along his back and side with the tool, he tenses and begins to grumble, appearing to begin to get overstimulated when pet in these areas. 4/9/25 Upon meeting with him again, Feline Behavior staff are interacting with Royce to get a video to assist with placement. On approach, he is in the cage and at the front, vocalizing and appearing to solicit attention. When the cage door is opened, he stands at the front with ears forward, face and body mostly neutral, and tail raised. The assessor offers him treats and he shows some interest but becomes hyper focused on the noises in the hallway with eyes wide and dilated and neck stretched out. He appears tense and the assessor places more treats down to re-direct him. He eventually looks back from the door and down at the treats where the assessor has their hand and is pointing at the treats. He leans down to sniff either the treats or the assessor's hand before he moves forward quickly to bite the assessor's finger. Skin is not broken due to the assessor wearing a ring, the cage door is close and the interaction is ended. 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, scratch, bite, 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.