Animal Profile
Sailor Boy
Hello, my name is Sailor Boy. My animal id is #265749. I am a male tabby cat at the Manhattan Animal Care Center. The shelter thinks I am about 3 years 1 months 3 weeks old.
I came into the shelter as a owner surrender on 9/17/2026, with the surrender reason stated as person circumstance - hoarding situation.
Sailor Boy 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.
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. Sailor Boy 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: I have lived with cats in my previous home. I can be slow to adjust to new environments. I prefer to take things at my own pace. 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. A volunteer writes: My heart breaks for our shy, withdrawn Sailor Boy. Recently relinquished to the Care Center with his brother cat, Business Man (265747), Sailor Boy is a gentle guy who shows absolutely no aggression but likely wasn't socialized too well with humans in his former home. Even the most extroverted cats need time adjusting to the cat adoption room, and staffers are taking extra care to make Sailor Boy more comfortable so he comes out of his shell. Maybe he was always a fraidy cat; maybe it's just the shock of losing his home and coming into an unknown environment that's left him hesitant to make friends. Either way, we're not giving up on Sailor Boy--and hopefully you won't either. Meet this handsome sweet man on 110th Street today.
My medical notes are...
Weight: 9.45 lbs
9/18/2026
DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2-5y Microchip noted on Intake? scanned negative History: Owner surrender due to too many cats in house Subjective: BAR Observed Behavior - When approached in den has airplane ears and hissed. When touched lightly with towel, started striking. Elected sedation to allow for reduced FAS Evidence of Cruelty seen -no Objective T = P =wnl R =wnl BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: adult dentition with minor staining and tartar PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: male intact, 1 scrotal testicle, unable to palpate the retained testicle 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 unilateral cryptorchid Prognosis: good Plan: Sedated for examination and tasks using 0.1ml dexmedetomidine 500mcg/ml, 0.1ml ketamine 100mg/ml, 0.1ml butorphanol 10mg/ml IM. Needed additional 0.05ml of each medication intake tasks neuter new home SURGERY: Okay for surgery-abdominal cryptorchid
9/21/2026
Staff note pet hissing and growling in shelter A: high fas P: advise placement Gabapentin 100mg/ml 1ml in food bid while in shelter
10/15/2026
Noted on symptoms board to be mildly congested S: QAR in kennel and cuddled up in cubby. Wet food eaten. O: EEN- eyes clear, clear nasal discharge H/L- eupneic, no sneezing or audible congestion while cage side but sputum on kennel door MSK/i- ambulatory x4, healthy haircoat Neuro- alert/appropriate A: Mild URI Eating P: Fortiflora 1 packet PO SID x7d Recheck at end of course
10/20/2026
Not eating S: QAR in kennel and cuddled up in cubby. Food does not appear to be touched O: EEN- eyes clear, clear nasal discharge H/L- eupneic, no sneezing or audible congestion while cage side MSK/i- ambulatory x4, healthy haircoat Neuro- alert/appropriate A: Mild URI Anorexic P: LRS 100ml SQ SID for 3 days Cerenia 0.4ml SQ for 2 days Vit B12 0.25ml SQ
10/22/2026
SO: diagnosed with mild URI BAR, at back of kennel eent: eyes clear, mild serous nasal dc apparent h/l: eupneic, occasional sniffling/sneezing appreciated msi: ambulatory x4 neuro: mentation alert and appropriate A: URI mild P: URI persistent, but not progressive medical feeding SID x5d
10/28/2026
QAR and eating. No respiratory symptoms Plan okay for surgery
10/29/2026
S: QAR in kennel and cuddled up in cubby. Has been eating, but not eating today O: EEN- Moderate dry ocular and nasal discharge H/L- eupneic, no sneezing or audible congestion while cage side MSK/i- ambulatory x4, healthy haircoat Neuro- alert/appropriate A: URI mild to moderate P: Doxycycline 0.4ml PO SID for 10 days LRS 100ml SQ SID for 3 days Cerenia 0.4ml SQ for 3 days Vit B12 0.25ml SQ
11/2/2026
QAR and eating dry food
11/8/2026
No respiratory symptoms. Plan okay for surgery
Details on my behavior are...
Behavior Condition: 4. Orange
KNOWN HISTORY:: Sailor Boy was brought in from a hoarding situation with limited information on his behavior history in a home environment.
ENRICHMENT NOTES:: 9/22/26 Vol. Curled up in his privacy den when I approached the kennel. He recoiled from the clicker with Squeeze-ups. Afraid of the scratcher tool. Gave him some catnip toys but didn’t seem interested. Fearful kitty! 10/1/26 Vol. Sailor Boy was in the back of the cubby, eyes wide, ears up, whiskers back. He allows petting with the clicker ball passed through the portal. Shows no interest in crunchy or puree treats and dodged attempts to be pet with the scratcher tool, sitting up on his haunches, drawing his tail around him. Pupils are not dilated but remains scared. 10/14/26 Vol. Sailor Boy is in loaf, paws tucked under, eyes neutral, at the front of the cubby. He remains still when kennel door is opened, and he shifts his gaze through the portal. When the tool with the treat is extended through the portal, he sits up on his haunches and wraps his tail tightly around him. Ignores crunchy treats deposited near him. He continues to make eye contact through the portal, body tense. (Hasn’t eaten his wet food). Still fearful. 10/21/26 ACFR Sailor Boy was asleep in the main cubby when the handler approached. Sailor Boy, did not move much and is currently under the weather. Sailor Boy avoided all contact with both a scratcher tool and the handler's hand as well. His body body stayed tense and ears drawn back.
ACTIVITY LEVEL:: Subdued
VOCAL:: Quiet
CHARACTER TYPE: : Shy ,Timid,Skittish,Independent
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:: Fearful,New home adjustment period,Adult cat socialization
Potential challenges comments:: Sailor Boy is an adult cat that may not have had many interactions with humans from an early age. He is very apprehensive of people and while showing no aggressive behaviors, she does attempt to flee and avoid human contact. It is difficult to predict if he will respond to socialization, but we recommend offering high value treats and food to help build a positive association to humans. Please be mindful that older cats will require more time and skill in order for them to be comfortable around people. Please speak to an adoption counselor to learn more about socialization techniques. Sailor Boy should be given a slow introduction to the home, one room at a time starting in a small room like a bathroom with food, litter and water. Interact with him in this room until he seems sufficiently confident that you feel you can introduce him to the next part of the home without running the risk that he will hide. Please speak to an adoption counselor for additional information on methods to help introduce your cat to the home.
BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: : Level 3
RECOMMENDATIONS:: No young children,Other
Recommendations comments:: No young children under 13 years old, Counselor discretion advised. Sailor Boy may benefit from being in a home with another, friendly, and appropriately socialized cat from whom he can learn behaviors and have interactions with humans modeled by, to help him gain confidence and comfort in a new environment.
BEHAVIOR SUMMARY:: 9/20/26 Sailor Boy was lying in his den with dilated eyes and squirmed further back when the handler approached. When the handler offered treats on the click stick, he squinted and showed no further interest in them. When petting with the click stick, he avoided all contact and squirmed away from the stick. 10/20/26 Sailor Boy is sitting up in the middle of the kennel with tilted ears and moderately dilated eyes. He curls his tail around him tightly in the when treats are placed in front of him. He raises a paw and flinches away when petting is attempted, allowing touch but ultimately fleeing into the cubby to avoid interaction. Sailor Boy tolerates attention and petting but appears to be moderately fearful or stressed in the shelter. He will likely need time to warm up to his new home. We recommend that he go to a home with some cat experience preferred or at least be well counseled in fearful cat behavior. 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.