KNOWN HISTORY:: Rex Splode! was brought in as a stray, there is no known information on his behavior history in a home environment. Upon intake, he was head butting and meowing softly at staff for attention. he allowed staff to collar him and take his picture.

ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 11/21/22 At front of kennel, ears forward and face slightly tensed. He chirps and arches his back when spoken to, and I spend the session clicking and rewarding each time he leans in for chin or cheek rubs. He is a New Hope Only behavior determination but was pretty tolerant today. Granted, I did not pet him along the body because I wanted to end the session on a positive note and did not feel comfortable pushing him past a potential threshold. He did well today - has potential! 11/29/22 He is curled up resting at the front of the cage as I approach, and stands up with a neutral face and body when I open the cage door. He sniffs the scratcher tool and begins to head bunt and rub his cheeks along the tool, allows petting along back as well with tail high. He will turn back to look at the tool but then head bunts it. Doing well! 12/01/22 Standing in front of kennel ears forward and face relaxed. He chirps and begins kneading on the kennel bars when spoken to (making it a bit difficult to open the kennel door initially) and he allows petting along his head and body while leaning in and raising his tail. He allows all petting without showing any signs of escalation, but his extended tolerance can potentially be due to his lowered energy levels (has a URI). Will continue to monitor a bit longer, but he has level 2 potential! 12/2/22 Sitting toward the back of his cage with ears forward and face and body neutral. When the cage door is opened he comes to the front and allows the assessor to pet him and leans roughly and enthusiastically into the touch. He is head bunting with his tail high and allowing all petting. I test to see if he will let me pick him up and he does, he is a little hesitant after but comes right back to me and head bunts for more pets before he turns and bites me on the hand. There is a possibility of overstimulation/uncomfortable with pick up. 12/04/22 Standing in front of kennel today, rubbing his cheeks against the kennel door with his tail raised and back arched. He allows all petting today with the scratcher tool while leaning in and turning to watch the tool as it passes along his back. His tail is pilo-erect at the base, curved at the top and swirls around a bit throughout our interaction. He does not escalate further today (it is possible he has a higher tolerance for touch when using the tool vs a human hand). Did well! Has the potential to become overstimulated. 12/5/22 Resting in box but gets up to greet me by the front when approached. He starts heads-butting the door to solicit attention and will accept petting. He does show signs of over-stimulation (he huffs during petting, tail sways, his body twitches) but does well as long as I go slow. Will flip his head back to watch my hand if I move too quickly. GAN

ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Moderate

VOCAL:: Somewhat chatty

CHARACTER TYPE: : Playful,Bold,Social,Curious,Independent

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: New home adjustment period,Uncomfortable with pick up,Overstimulation

Potential challenges comments:: Rex Splode! exhibits behaviors in the shelter (tense face, turning his head quickly, fur twitching) that indicates that he becomes overstimulated and appears to have a limited threshold for touch. He has also shown behaviors that indicate he may be uncomfortable with pick up as his bite incident (a result of possible trigger stacking) occurred after the assessor lifted him up after some prolonged petting and may have been the final thing to trigger him to bite.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : New Hope Only

RECOMMENDATIONS:: Adult only home

Recommendations comments:: Due to Rex's limited threshold for touch, his more subtle indicators of overstimulation, as well as his skipping/jumping of steps in aggression (hissing, swatting, etc) to biting, the behavior team feels it is best he goes to an adult only home.

BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: Rex Splode! is laying curled up at the front of his cage with ears forward and face and body tense. He eats the treats offered by the assessor through the cage door quickly. When the assessor introduces the scratcher tool through the cage door, he tenses and sniffs it before going back to eating. He appears to be tolerant of touch for a moment while he is still eating but remains tense with his ears tilted slightly and will turn quickly to look at the tool. He reaches his limit and when touch along his side he turns quickly and bites the stick of the scratcher too before then lunging and biting the tip of it. He does so again a few more times and begins to swat and lunges to bite the tool again. Although timid initially, Rex Splode! has now warmed up to the care center. Rex Splode! Was standing in front of his kennel as the assessor approached, face relaxed and tail raised. Rex Splode! Remained calm as the kennel door opened, then he allowed petting along his head and body with the scratcher tool while leaning in and turning his head to watch the tool. He does not escalate further today but pick up was not attempted due to him beginning to fixate on the tool and movements around him. Upon re-eval, Rex Splode! is sitting upright at the front of his cage with ears forward, body neutral and face slightly tense, eyes alert. He stands up and vocalizes as he rubs against the cage door with his ears forward and tail up high. The assessor introduces a scratcher tool into the cage through the door and allows him to rub his body along the tool. He head bunts the tool and arches his back into the touch before he begins to turn his head back quickly to look at the tool and his fur begins to twitch. The assessor removes the tool and offers some treats to break up the point of escalation. His tail remains high throughout this. Once done, the assessor opens the door as he paws at their hand. They use the Assess-A-Hand, introducing it into the cage, at first allowing him to solicit the attention and interact with the hand, which he does and again begins to turn quickly to look at the tool after he rubs against it 4 or 5 times. They then move the hand and initiate the contact, petting along his cheek and then down his back which he turns to watch as he starts to fixate on it. When it moves again, he swats at the hand before pinning it to the cage floor and biting it and shaking his head a little before releasing but remaining focused on the hand. While he may solicit attention with his tail high and a body language that may appear generally neutral, he has a small threshold for touch before he begins to become overstimulated, giving some subtle indicators that may not be caught by those interacting with him, before he moves to bite. Rex Splode! is displaying behaviors that preclude placement in the adoptions room and the behavior department feels that placement with a New Hope Partner is the best option at this time.