Animal Profile
Twix
Hello, my name is Twix. My animal id is #219686. I am a desexed male tabby cat at the Queens Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 6 years 3 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a stray on 2/1/2025.
Twix is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. She has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to her stress levels, it is in her best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. She would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give her plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers.
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. Twix is on the at-risk list due to behavior. She is not thriving in the care center and continues to display distance-increasing behavior when approached for interactions. She has not warmed up despite staff using treats to build a positive association. Due to her stress levels, it is in her best interest to move out of the kennel environment and into a stable home as quickly as possible. She would do best in a home with adopters who are willing to give her plenty of time and space to adjust, and who have experience with helping a fearful cat adjust to strangers. Twix is an adult cat that may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. He is apprehensive of people and while showing no aggressive behaviors, he tolerates attention and petting but may be fearful or stressed in the shelter, and may be intimidated by small children. Please be mindful that older cats will require more time and skill in order for them to be comfortable around people, we recommend offering high value treats and food to help build a positive association to humans. Due to the behaviors seen in the care center, we feel that this cat will do best in an experienced, adult only home. A volunteer writes: Perhaps Twix thinks that if he doesn't move around so much, we'll just forget he's there though that sounds like wishful thinking for a cat who seems like he'd rather be anywhere but here. Twix doesn't often come out of his den, even when treats and toys are involved. So committed is he to his role of nonchalant kitty, he barely even sniffed the ones we held out for him at first. Twix came to us from a home with many other cats and doesn't always seem to know how to cope with Care Center life. However, with lots of love and support, Twix is coming around to trying the different things we have to offer. He's been accepting pets from us and while that might not seem like a big step, it truly is for a guy who's coming along to love on his very own terms. Dear Twix is FeLV positive and ready for a full and happy life with his forever family.
My medical notes are...
Weight: 8.52 lbs
2/2/2025
DVM Intake Estimated age: 6 years Microchip noted on Intake? No History: Owner surrender Subjective: BARH, no coughing/sneezing/vomiting/diarrhea Observed behavior: Wide eyes, fled when initially approached. Able to handle using towel, patient frozen Evidence of cruelty seen: No Evidence of trauma seen: No Evidence of neglect seen: No Objective: P: WNL R: WNL BCS: 5/9 OP: Mucous membranes pink and moist. Stage II dental disease, missing top incisors causes tongue to stick out EENT: OS corneal scarring, no discharge OU, ears, and nares clear bilaterally, no discharge noted. PLN: Small/soft/symmetrical/nonpainful CV: No murmurs or arrhythmias, pulses strong and synchronous. RESP: Eupneic, no crackles/wheezes GI: Soft, nonpainful, no palpable masses. UG: male castrated, no discharge INT: Good hair coat, no areas of alopecia or pruritus, no ectoparasites or masses noted. MS: Ambulatory x4, no pain on palpation of epaxials NEURO: Mentation appropriate, cranial nerves intact, no deficits noted. Snap test: FeLV+ Assessment: -Stage II dental disease -Corneal scarring -FeLV+ (no clinical signs at this time) Prognosis: Good Plan: -Recommend at home dental care with placement, follow up with rDVM for further characterization of FeLV status Surgery: Neutered
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow
Cat arrived in trap and could not scan due to fearfulness. ran directly into den.
KNOWN HISTORY:: Twix was brought in from a hoarding situation with limited information on his behavior history in a home environment. Cat arrived in trap and could not scan due to fearfulness. ran directly into den.
ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 2/6/25 FB79 Twix has a very tense body with hunched shoulders, wide dilated eyes and paws tucked away when I lift the den cover for a better view. Has no reaction when treats are tossed in as well as when the scratcher tool is slowly introduced. He allows petting on the head/cheeks as well as up the back while remaining tense, but very still. 2/13/25 FB61 Frozen in cat den, body and face tense and tail wrapped around his body. Although his food bowl is empty (he ate all his food) he does not show any interest in the squeeze-ups I leave in front of him. He tolerates petting while flinching and licking his lips. I keep the interaction brief to reduce stress. 2/17/25 FB79 Today, Twix tolerated all petting on his head/cheeks as well as around his body with my hand while he was in his den with a neutral face/body. He showed no interest in any treats and remained still while accepting pets. His breathing did however start to pick up shortly after so i left some toys and ended the interaction. 2/20/25 FB79 Inside of the den, Twix has his paws tucked under his body, but tightens his tail when I lift the den cover for a better view. He leans in to sniff the high value treat I offer but shows no interest and slowly raises his paw when I slowly introduced a pointer tool; however, he does tolerate pets on his head, cheeks and down his body with no reaction or escalation. 2/22/25 FB79 Twix was inside of her den, with a very relaxed face/body; she has soft eyes, forward ears and a loosely wrapped tail. She allows me to slowly bring my hand in and accepts all pets on her head, cheeks as well as down and around her body with no moment or reaction when i spoke to her softly either; she remained very still and frozen until i completely removed the clear den cover. Twix tensed up, shifted her body and turned towards the corner of the den; she has a crouched fearful body with wide eyes and when i reached in to pet on her head and potentially pet she very quickly darted out and retreats to the inside of the cubby where she stands in her litterbox with a very tense low body and wide dilated eyes while i cover her den up and remove myself from her kennel. When the kennel door is closed she quickly runs back into the den. 2/23/25 & 2/27/25 FB79 Today, Twix displayed the same behavior from the previous enrichment note.
ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Subdued
VOCAL:: Quiet
CHARACTER TYPE: : Shy ,Timid,Independent
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,New home adjustment period,Adult cat socialization
Potential challenges comments:: Twix came from a home with about 10 other cats, it is likely that he was not appropriately socialized to humans.
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : Level 3
RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home
Recommendations comments:: Due to the behavior seen in shelter and needing a longer time to warm up, the behavior team feels Twix would do best in an adult-only home where they would be able to acclimate in a calm environment.
BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: On approach, Twix is in his den and completely hidden from view - he is unable to be coaxed out when offered treats or when spoken to softly. When the den cover is lifted, he is sitting with a tense face and body, eyes wide and dilated. The assessor slowly introduces the scratcher tool into the den and he is tolerant of some brief and light pets along his cheeks and and side but remains tense. Pick up is not attempted. Twix is an adult cat that may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. He is apprehensive of people and while showing no aggressive behaviors, he tolerates attention and petting but may be fearful or stressed in the shelter, and may be intimidated by small children. Please be mindful that older cats will require more time and skill in order for them to be comfortable around people, we recommend offering high value treats and food to help build a positive association to humans. Due to the behaviors seen in the care center, we feel that this cat will do best in an experienced, adult only home.