KNOWN HISTORY:: Stallone Previously lived with: 2 adults; 2 children (ages 18, 11) Behavior toward strangers: Hides initially Behavior toward children: Plays gently Bite or Scratch history: Yes, most recent incident reported below. Litter box training: Yes Energy level/descriptors: Medium energy level Other notes: Stallone is described as a bold, seemingly fearless cat who prefers interaction on his own terms. Although his previous owner appreciated his affectionate nature, Stallone may have a low tolerance for unwanted or prolonged physical contact and may respond defensively when he feels uncomfortable. He primarily lived indoors, spending most of his time in the living room and bedroom, and reportedly showed little interest in play, with interactive play occurring rarely. His preference for scratching carpet, fabric, and vertical surfaces suggests that providing appropriate scratching options may help meet his environmental needs. Previous behavioral concerns included frequent vocalization and hiding in fear, which may indicate stress or difficulty adjusting to certain situations. Combined with the observed tail thumping, hissing, biting, and defensive kicking during assessment, these reports suggest that Stallone may become overstimulated or stressed during handling despite appearing confident. His behavior should be approached with an emphasis on choice, predictable interactions, and respect for his boundaries, allowing him to initiate contact and disengage freely. *The cat may be displaying unpredictable aggression, potentially associated with overstimulation, redirected aggression, fear, or sensitivity to movement and environmental changes. Initially, in the foster's home the cat sought physical contact by rubbing against the foster’s legs and accepting pets, then suddenly bit the foster’s upper right arm twice when approaching the couch before retreating under the bed. His subsequent return to solicit attention suggests that his desire for social interaction remained, although it does not necessarily indicate that he was fully relaxed. The later attack on the foster’s left calf occurred when the foster turned to move a blanket near the litter box, suggesting that movement, proximity to a particular area, or another unidentified trigger may have contributed to the response. The repeated biting and use of claws, followed by retreat or re-engagement, may reflect difficulty regulating arousal or communicating discomfort, but the precise motivation cannot be determined from the foster alone.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: *Prior assessments: *7/2/26 Stallone was highly defensive on approach, hissing and lunging from inside his den. He remained alert with wide eyes and accepted soft petting through the side portal using a scratcher tool to maintain safety, briefly allowing head pets before retreating farther into the den. He continued to low growl and lip lick throughout the assessment. Stallone ate offered treats by the front of the kennel towards the end when left undisturbed. *8/2/26 Stallone is laying in the back of his cubby, body and eyes neutral as the handler approaches. When the cubby door is opened, he is initially tense. With some soft talk he stretches, approaching the front of the kennel. Stallone tolerates and leans into some petting on the head and cheeks but does flinch away when petting is attempted elsewhere. He allows the assessor to feed him a squeeze up and tolerates some more petting on the head but begins to stiffen and tail flick. Pickup is not attempted due to observed behavior. *9/2/26 Stallone was lying in his cubby and perked up with neutral eyes and forward ears. He sniffed the treats offered to him before eagerly licking them up. He returned slow blinks with the handler and allowed petting along his head. After some gentle head pets, his eyes dilated and he flinched back, raising a paw. He did not strike or swat but instead started moving towards the back of his cubby. *10/1/26 Stallone is lying on his shelf at the front of the kennel, observing the room with dilated pupils. When the kennel door is opened, he leans his head forward, sniffing the air. He allows petting for a few seconds on the head and cheeks, leaning in. After a few seconds he backs away, tail beginning to flick and lip licking. Interaction is ended to reduce stress. 7/18/26 FB09 Stallone was lying behind his litter box and looked up at the handler with dilated eyes and forward ears. He leaned forward to sniff the treats held out for him but showed no further interest in them. He allowed the handler to pet along his head, his body tense but tolerant. Coming along. 8/7/26 Vol. Stallone allowed me to stroke him with the smooth side of the scratcher while he ate from his tray, although he stiffened slightly after a period of contact. He ate a squeeze-up treat directly from the tube but swatted at the wrapper when I retrieved it. He watched the laser light moving around his castle. I added Churu to his dinner tray, but he did not eat it until I moved the tray into his cubby. 9/12/26 FB20 Stallone is at the front of the kennel meowing very cutely! His ears are forward and eyes wide and dilated. He eats treats eagerly as they are dropped in the kennel. He will not eat directly from a squeeze up tube, but he also licks those treats up as they are dropped into the kennel.

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Laid back,Mellow

VOCAL:: Quiet

CHARACTER TYPE: : Bold,Curious,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Pet-induced aggression,Overstimulation,Fearful,Uncomfortable with pick up,New home adjustment period,Adult cat socialization,Carrier aversion

Potential challenges comments:: See relevant behavior flyers. The behavior described in the scratch incident is most consistent with an episode of defensive or fear-related aggression. Potential contributing factors include stress, pain, overstimulation, a sudden startle response, or an underlying medical condition. Because the precise trigger was not observed, the exact cause of the attack could not be determined from the information provided. No additional witnesses were present during the incident. Scratch/Bite history: *According to the report, the cat was walking by when it suddenly attacked one household member while playing a video game and then scratched the second person when they attempted to intervene. The cat's behavior appears consistent with a fear-based or overstimulated aggression event. Cats may exhibit this type of behavior when startled, frightened, in pain, overstimulated, experiencing a medical issue, or reacting to a stimulus that is not immediately apparent to people in the room. Once the attack occurred, the cat retreated and hid under a bed, which is also a common defensive behavior in stressed or fearful cats.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: Stallone was resting on top of the den upon approach and slowly engaged with the assessor to accept offered treats. When the assessor attempted to pet him using the Assess-a-Hand, Stallone’s tail began thumping, and he bit down on the tool before quickly releasing it. He then slowly moved away with his eyes wide, suggesting increased arousal, discomfort, or stress. When a second attempt at contact was made, Stallone hissed and repeated the biting behavior while kicking at the tool with his hind legs. These behaviors indicate that Stallone was uncomfortable with the attempted physical contact and is communicating a desire for space. The tail thumping, wide eyes, hissing, biting, and defensive kicking were signs of escalating stress and potential defensive aggression. The assessment was ended to avoid further escalation and allow Stallone to decompress. Future interactions should prioritize allowing him to approach voluntarily, avoiding forced contact, and closely monitoring his body language for signs of discomfort. Stallone 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 bite and is extremely stressed 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. He may have a known history of behavioral issues that need to be addressed.