Philly Felines

Thanks to a generous donor-funded gift, ACCT Philly is offering a limited-time $500 rescue placement incentive for select cats who have been in our care for 30 days or more and may be more difficult to place due to age, behavior, medical needs, or other individual circumstances. The first five eligible cats pulled by approved Love Local Partners will qualify for a $500 incentive per cat.
Honor 21, Rah Rah & Willow are eligible.
Honor 21**$835 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Rah Rah**$380 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Willow**$185 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Grandman**$285 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
ACCT Philly, Philadelphia
Timestamped for Euthanasia
🚨2nd EXTENSION 😿Honor 21 ACCT-A-257848 must have confirmed placement with an EXPERIENCED ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
🚨EXTENDED 😿Rah Rah ACCT-A-257631 must have confirmed placement with an EXPERIENCED ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
🚨EXTENDED 😿Willow ACCT-A-259187 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER or EXPERIENCED ADOPTER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
😿Grandman ACCT-A-261918 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
🆕😿Candi ACCT-A-262898 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH 10AM.
🆕😿Silo ACCT-A-214450 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH 10AM.

🟥PLEDGE FORM (To pledge/donate for rescue please fill out this form): https://forms.gle/QCBt13kiimk3din78
🟥FOSTER: If you can “foster for the rescue that may pull” or adopt email [email protected] immediately.
🟥VIDEO: 😿Meet Honor 21 https://youtube.com/shorts/kubmUU8lOLc
😿Meet Rah Rah https://youtube.com/shorts/FGnJSy5D0cU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeJbgvP3kpw&t=14s
😿Meet Willow https://youtube.com/shorts/tZCqclU2SPE?si=S7uKHVWN8J2ooHV8
😿Meet Grandman https://youtube.com/shorts/juPNl4DzcQY?feature=share
😿Meet Silo https://youtube.com/shorts/f9IdTerw6qk?feature=share

😿Honor 21 is now one of only three cats from a group of over thirty that are still at the shelter waiting patiently for their next chapter. At 3 year old, Honor was initially very stressed in this new environment; even a place to hide in his kennel didn't make him feel safe, and he would activate upon interaction by clearly demonstrating his discomfort with hisses, and if the interaction continued, he would swat. This resulted, early on, in a scratch when a member of the public attempted to pet him.
Honor, to his credit, does a very good job of communicating his boundaries. But in a kennel, it's easy for cats to become protective of their space, especially if they cannot retreat to a comfortable space. Honor has improved a lot since his arrival, and his human friends have worked really hard to pay attention to his cues when saying hello, and, equally important, to ignore him. By moving at his pace, and by existing without pressing an interaction, Honor's friends have reinforced that his boundaries are being respected, and that he does not need to prepare for physical contact that he does not want.
What Honor does want, we have learned, is churu. Particularly the chicken flavor. Seeing Honor feel safe enough to enjoy treats in the presence of strangers, even so far as to allow some careful pets at the same time, has been an excellent show of his progress, and a glimpse into a personality that was previously hidden behind fear.
Behavior
9/21
"VERY invested in churu. Less invested in me. Honor appeared very relaxed in his kennel, stretched out and snoozing, but he immediately perked up when I approached. He was a little apprehensive when I opened the kennel door, but he zeroed in on that churu. I offered it to him off to the side, and when he turned his body I did some very light pets down his back. His available 'kitty minutes' seem directly related to how long it takes him to eat his food, however, because once the churu was gone, he promptly turned to hiss at me. I did not attempt to pet him when I had his full attention, because he was fully facing me and was not presenting me with an option for physical contact that seemed acceptable to him."
9/10
“I went to see Honor 21 yesterday to see how he would do with interaction. He was sitting right next to the kennel door and hissed when I opened up, and his ears started to airplane. He did not escalate at first, and I inched the fake hand close to him. He hissed a couple more times until it came a few inches from him, and then he swatted & connected. I elected to leave him be after this.”
8/11
"Quiet, alert, responsive; a little timid at first but warmed up while doing PE and accepted rubs.”
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-257848
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😿Rah Rah is 2 years old & came to ACCT with two other adult cats, and her kittens when their owner lost their home. Her owner was able to reclaim the other adults after they were fixed, and intended to reclaim Rah Rah after her kittens were weaned and able to be separated, further attempts to contact the owner regarding Rah Rah have not been successful.
Rah Rah's kittens have tested positive for ringworm, and it is highly likely that Rah Rah also has ringworm, but she has not been able to be handled for confirmation by way of woods-lamp or culture. Rah Rah had also been suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection, and we felt that she would have a better chance at recovery if she was separated from her kittens, and hoped that if they were not with her, she may feel less protective over them and open up to her human friends.
Unfortunately, Rah Rah's behavior has not improved. While she's able to relax in her kennel, and enjoys a tuna churu even in the presence of a human she doesn't care for, she does not want to be touched. Rah Rah will give clear cues that she's uncomfortable by hissing, flattening her ears, and backing into her the corner of her kennel, but she also won't hesitate to stand her ground if her boundaries are not respected by swatting.
We would really like to see her leave with someone who can commit to creating an environment where she can feel safe and recover. It is our hope that by leaving the shelter, she can better trust a new human to provide her with the medical care that she needs.
Behavior
9/22
Really likes Churu! When I approached, she promptly hissed and her ears were very pinned back. She remained tense, and moved slowly towards the offering of churu. She did eat in front of me, and would hiss when I shifted the tray. I kept the kennel door open, and placed my hand on the floor of the kennel. She was able to still focus on the snack, and let me move my hand a little closer. However, she has repeatedly swatted at the behavior wand, so I did not attempt to touch her.
9/15
Super tense when approached. Crouched super low, ears back + eyes dilated. Tried to scooch backwards when approached with toys and treats. Hissed and retreated when the door opened.
9/2
Our medical team was attempting to treat Rah Rah for conjunctivitis, but she was not amenable to treatment; swatting, hissing, and cowering at back of kennel. She was noted to have a URI (upper respiratory infection) and is high level of FAS (fear, anxiety, stress).
8/30
Per bite report, staff presented hand to see if cat would come to them (they needed to medicate cat) and cat scratched finger.
8/14
Unable to be titer tested due to behavior - hissing, swatting, airplane ears.
8/13
Approached kennel and she was laying with her babies in the back of the kennel and did not get up. Eyes wide and scanning me. She’s a cautious mama.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-257631
***************************************
😿Willow is 3 years old & came to ACCT Philly on August 20th after his owner was evicted, along with more than 20 other cats from the home. With so many cats living together, Willow may not have had many opportunities for individual attention or socialization, and the shelter environment has been especially overwhelming for him.
Willow is a sensitive boy who has shown that he can make progress when given the chance to take things at his own pace. During a calm session with a staff member, he allowed gentle pets with an extendable petting wand and then by hand. More recently, Willow has become more vocal and forceful when he feels overwhelmed, making it clear that he needs space when he is uncomfortable. He needs a quiet, low-pressure environment with someone experienced in helping fearful cats build confidence and trust. Due to his behavioral concerns, Willow is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner, experienced adopter, or a working cat placement.
Behavior
Staff 9/22
Previous memos from staff 9/1 indicate cat was more shut down. Today, when I approached, Willow nearly fell off the shelf hissing, swatting and lunging at me. He immediately ran to the other side of the kennel (seems like he was also startled and knocked off balance by his own reaction). When I circled back a little later with a churu, his ears were flat, and he backed into the corner of the kennel, growling. Concern for an escalation of deterioration. ACA in that room was also surprised at Willow's reaction, and said that he had remained calm while she had cleaned his kennel. Cat was initially very shut down in kennel and allowed closer contact. Concern that Willow is declining, in the sense that he is more confident with his reactions. While he used to curl into himself and try to disengage, now he is a lot more forceful with his cues.
Staff 9/5
Hung out with Willow for ~20 minutes, slowly ramping up interaction from petting with an extendable scratcher (initially just between the ears, then all over) to gentle pets with my hand. He's clearly under the weather so his tolerance was hard to read, but he allowed all the above without hissing, vocalizing, swatting, or otherwise reacting: at most, just airplane ears and shirking away, and that mostly toward the start. Playing some white noise / purring sounds helped break the ice. Didn't appear food motivated at the time. Allowed me to spot clean his kennel around him without issue.
Staff 9/2
Noted to be shy with pinned ears, downcast hard staring, and unwilling to interact. Appears to be shut down.
Staff 9/1
Very shut down in kennel when I approached. Willow had his ears pulled back, and he lowered his head. I offered him a churu, and Willow hissed back at me, unmoving. I put on a bite glove to be safe and leaned in a bit further, and Willow had no reaction. He remained unmoving and let me pet him with the glove. He certainly did not enjoy it, but did not attempt to bite or swat.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-259187
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😿Grandman at 7 years old came to ACCT Philly as a stray on September 16th after a kind community member who had been feeding and looking out for him for the past three years noticed that he was having some medical concerns that needed attention. His caretaker called him “Grandma,” and clearly cared about him enough to make sure he received help when he needed it. Grandman has been fearful but tolerant of handling in the shelter. He may hiss or swat when he feels scared, though he has also allowed gentle petting on his head and back with a calm approach. Grandman's wounds have healed but he has significant dental disease requiring cleaning and extractions. Due to his medical concerns, Grandman is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner.
Medical
9/22 Vet Exam
Wounds on ears, nasal planum, right elbow, and right front 2nd digit are all healing appropriately. 104 is loose and diseased and 204/304 are fractured. Remaining teeth have moderate associated calculus and gingivitis. Cat is not a good candidate for RTF due to need for dental w/ extractions.
9/16 Triage Exam
Scabbing behind both ears and on bridge of nose. Scalding, raw skin on front right limb. Severe dental disease.
Behavior
Staff 9/23
Grandman was at the front of his kennel today. I pet his head with no hissing.
Staff 9/22
When I saw Grandman the other day, he was in the paper bag facing sideways. Today he was laying in his litter box when I approached. He appeared uncomfortable when I pet his head and he hissed after the first pet. I was able to pet his head and back with no further reaction, though he remained tense.
Staff 9/17
Per nurse: hissing and swatting, and it took two people to do our best to get him SSD cream. Use the bite glove, he will try to lunge.
Staff 9/16: Fearful, tolerant of full exam.
Finder 9/16: Shy, scared.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-261918
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😿Candi is 2 months old & came to ACCT Philly as a stray on September 25th with a ruptured right eye that will need to be surgically removed. Despite being in a new and unfamiliar environment while not feeling his best, Candi has been tolerant of gentle handling, accepting pets and chin scratches. He can be a little flinchy, but has continued to allow interaction and was described by his finder as friendly. Due to his medical concerns, Candi is urgently seeking a rescue partner who can help him get the care he needs and give him the chance to recover, settle in, and show more of his personality.
Medical
9/25 Vet Exam
Ruptured right eye with mucoid discharge. Otherwise appears in good health overall. Requires enucleation.
Behavior
Staff 9/25
Scared but allowed handling.
Staff 9/25
Candi was a little flinchy, but was tolerant of pets and chin scratches. She lip licked a few times.
Finder 9/25
Friendly.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-262898
***************************************
😿Silo is an approximately seven year old cat who came to ACCT Philly as a stray on September 17th. He was adopted from ACCT last year, but was later rehomed and ultimately found his way back to the shelter as a stray. While we have not been able to connect with his most recent owners, Silo has made it very clear that he is happy to have people around. He is an immensely friendly guy who will hop right down from his perch to come say hello, weave between your legs, lean into pets, and purr and chirp happily along the way.
Silo has periodontal disease, particularly affecting his canine teeth, and would ideally have further diagnostics before undergoing a dental procedure with extractions. Despite his medical needs, he has been a remarkably affectionate and outgoing cat who is eager to interact with everyone he meets. Due to his medical concerns, Silo is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner.
Medical
9/22 Vet Exam
Senior exam. Periodontal disease, especially associated with canines. Patchy alopecia on cranial dorsum, fleas noted at intake. Neutered male in fair body condition. ALP elevation, neutrophilia, hyperglobulinemia, very mild anemia. FIV/FeLV negative. Cat would ideally undergo further diagnostics (ie additional bloodwork and abdominal imaging) prior to a dental with extractions.
Behavior
Staff 9/24
I went to say hello to Silo, and he was such an extremely friendly boy. He was relaxing on a chair in his office, and he hopped right off to say hi to me. He walked between my legs, allowed all pets, and rubbed himself against me while purring. He even chirped!
Staff 9/17
Very friendly, cuddly, purring while being treated. Super sweet boy!
Staff 9/17
Friendly, doesn't like a lot of picking up and handling.
Finder 9/17
Cuddly.
Staff 3/6/25: Silo did get a bit overstimulated during the meet but didn't bite or scratch.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-214450
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Contact Lifesaving if you are considering fostering, adopting or tagging at [email protected], 1-267-385-3800 (press 6, then 1).
If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email the lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/
Please honor your pledge when rescue emails you. They rely on these pledges to provide medical care.
Philly Felines was formed in 2019 to promote ACCT Philly cats. Philly Felines is not affiliated with ACCT Philly.

Honor 21, Rah Rah, Willow & Grandman are still in need.
Thanks to a generous donor-funded gift, ACCT Philly is offering a limited-time $500 rescue placement incentive for select cats who have been in our care for 30 days or more and may be more difficult to place due to age, behavior, medical needs, or other individual circumstances. The first five eligible cats pulled by approved Love Local Partners will qualify for a $500 incentive per cat.
Honor 21, Rah Rah & Willow are eligible.
Honor 21**$835 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Rah Rah**$380 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Willow**$185 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
Grandman**$285 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
🔔FAIRLIFE WAS ADOPTED 🎉 🎉
🔔SILKY MILKY WAS ADOPTED 🎉 🎉
Silky Milky**$165 in pledges to any rescue that may pull**
ACCT Philly, Philadelphia
Timestamped for Euthanasia
🚨2nd EXTENSION 😿Honor 21 ACCT-A-257848 must have confirmed placement with an EXPERIENCED ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
🚨EXTENDED 😿Rah Rah ACCT-A-257631 must have confirmed placement with an EXPERIENCED ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
😿Silky Milky ACCT-A-259190 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER or EXPERIENCED ADOPTER by FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH 10AM.
🚨EXTENDED 😿Willow ACCT-A-259187 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER or EXPERIENCED ADOPTER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
😿Grandman ACCT-A-261918 must have confirmed placement with a RESCUE PARTNER by SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 10AM.
🆕😿Fairlife ACCT-A-259330 must have confirmed placement with an EXPERIENCED ADOPTER or RESCUE PARTNER by SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH 10AM.

🟥PLEDGE FORM (To pledge/donate for rescue please fill out this form): https://forms.gle/QCBt13kiimk3din78
🟥FOSTER: If you can “foster for the rescue that may pull” or adopt email [email protected] immediately.
🟥VIDEO: 😿Meet Honor 21 https://youtube.com/shorts/kubmUU8lOLc
😿Meet Rah Rah https://youtube.com/shorts/FGnJSy5D0cU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeJbgvP3kpw&t=14s
😿Meet Silky Milky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEDh_REoQd8
https://youtube.com/shorts/OF2sCRAi63E?feature=share
😿Meet Willow https://youtube.com/shorts/tZCqclU2SPE?si=S7uKHVWN8J2ooHV8
😿Meet Grandman https://youtube.com/shorts/juPNl4DzcQY?feature=share
😿Meet Fairlife https://youtube.com/shorts/l9_YAe7Vgj4?feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCLAmhAnkXg

😿Honor 21 is now one of only three cats from a group of over thirty that are still at the shelter waiting patiently for their next chapter. At 3 year old, Honor was initially very stressed in this new environment; even a place to hide in his kennel didn't make him feel safe, and he would activate upon interaction by clearly demonstrating his discomfort with hisses, and if the interaction continued, he would swat. This resulted, early on, in a scratch when a member of the public attempted to pet him.
Honor, to his credit, does a very good job of communicating his boundaries. But in a kennel, it's easy for cats to become protective of their space, especially if they cannot retreat to a comfortable space. Honor has improved a lot since his arrival, and his human friends have worked really hard to pay attention to his cues when saying hello, and, equally important, to ignore him. By moving at his pace, and by existing without pressing an interaction, Honor's friends have reinforced that his boundaries are being respected, and that he does not need to prepare for physical contact that he does not want.
What Honor does want, we have learned, is churu. Particularly the chicken flavor. Seeing Honor feel safe enough to enjoy treats in the presence of strangers, even so far as to allow some careful pets at the same time, has been an excellent show of his progress, and a glimpse into a personality that was previously hidden behind fear.
Behavior
9/21
"VERY invested in churu. Less invested in me. Honor appeared very relaxed in his kennel, stretched out and snoozing, but he immediately perked up when I approached. He was a little apprehensive when I opened the kennel door, but he zeroed in on that churu. I offered it to him off to the side, and when he turned his body I did some very light pets down his back. His available 'kitty minutes' seem directly related to how long it takes him to eat his food, however, because once the churu was gone, he promptly turned to hiss at me. I did not attempt to pet him when I had his full attention, because he was fully facing me and was not presenting me with an option for physical contact that seemed acceptable to him."
9/10
“I went to see Honor 21 yesterday to see how he would do with interaction. He was sitting right next to the kennel door and hissed when I opened up, and his ears started to airplane. He did not escalate at first, and I inched the fake hand close to him. He hissed a couple more times until it came a few inches from him, and then he swatted & connected. I elected to leave him be after this.”
8/11
"Quiet, alert, responsive; a little timid at first but warmed up while doing PE and accepted rubs.”
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-257848
***************************************
😿Rah Rah is 2 years old & came to ACCT with two other adult cats, and her kittens when their owner lost their home. Her owner was able to reclaim the other adults after they were fixed, and intended to reclaim Rah Rah after her kittens were weaned and able to be separated, further attempts to contact the owner regarding Rah Rah have not been successful.
Rah Rah's kittens have tested positive for ringworm, and it is highly likely that Rah Rah also has ringworm, but she has not been able to be handled for confirmation by way of woods-lamp or culture. Rah Rah had also been suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection, and we felt that she would have a better chance at recovery if she was separated from her kittens, and hoped that if they were not with her, she may feel less protective over them and open up to her human friends.
Unfortunately, Rah Rah's behavior has not improved. While she's able to relax in her kennel, and enjoys a tuna churu even in the presence of a human she doesn't care for, she does not want to be touched. Rah Rah will give clear cues that she's uncomfortable by hissing, flattening her ears, and backing into her the corner of her kennel, but she also won't hesitate to stand her ground if her boundaries are not respected by swatting.
We would really like to see her leave with someone who can commit to creating an environment where she can feel safe and recover. It is our hope that by leaving the shelter, she can better trust a new human to provide her with the medical care that she needs.
Behavior
9/22
Really likes Churu! When I approached, she promptly hissed and her ears were very pinned back. She remained tense, and moved slowly towards the offering of churu. She did eat in front of me, and would hiss when I shifted the tray. I kept the kennel door open, and placed my hand on the floor of the kennel. She was able to still focus on the snack, and let me move my hand a little closer. However, she has repeatedly swatted at the behavior wand, so I did not attempt to touch her.
9/15
Super tense when approached. Crouched super low, ears back + eyes dilated. Tried to scooch backwards when approached with toys and treats. Hissed and retreated when the door opened.
9/2
Our medical team was attempting to treat Rah Rah for conjunctivitis, but she was not amenable to treatment; swatting, hissing, and cowering at back of kennel. She was noted to have a URI (upper respiratory infection) and is high level of FAS (fear, anxiety, stress).
8/30
Per bite report, staff presented hand to see if cat would come to them (they needed to medicate cat) and cat scratched finger.
8/14
Unable to be titer tested due to behavior - hissing, swatting, airplane ears.
8/13
Approached kennel and she was laying with her babies in the back of the kennel and did not get up. Eyes wide and scanning me. She’s a cautious mama.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-257631
***************************************
😿Silky Milky is 3 years old & came to ACCT Philly on August 20th after his owner was evicted, along with more than 20 other cats from the home. With so many cats living together, Silky Milky may not have had many opportunities for individual attention or socialization, and the shelter environment has been especially overwhelming for him.
Silky Milky is a quiet, reserved boy who has been content to relax on the top shelf of his kennel, where he seems most comfortable. He has not been seeking conflict and has allowed gentle interaction when approached slowly and calmly. With patience and an understanding of fearful cats, Silky Milky may have the opportunity to show a side of himself that we simply have not been able to see yet. Due to his behavioral concerns, Silky Milky is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner, experienced adopter, or a working cat placement.
Behavior
Staff 9/23
Very tense on shelf in top kennel, ears pressed back, pupils fully dilated. Very uncomfortable when approached, but did not attempt to hiss, bite or swat. Still seems incredibly shut down.
Staff 9/3
Relaxing on the top shelf in kennel, appeared calm, letting hind leg dangle off the back of the shelf. Silky gave me a hard stare as I opened the kennel door, and showed no interest in churu snacks when offered. Gently, I used the spoon to pet his head. He pulled his ears back, but did not attempt to hiss, swat, or shy away from the contact, instead more so trying to put his head down and ignore me.
Staff 9/2
Noted to be flat against back of kennel, ears back, dilated pupils, hard staring, tense, shut down, and unwilling to interact.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-259190
***************************************
😿Willow is 3 years old & came to ACCT Philly on August 20th after his owner was evicted, along with more than 20 other cats from the home. With so many cats living together, Willow may not have had many opportunities for individual attention or socialization, and the shelter environment has been especially overwhelming for him.
Willow is a sensitive boy who has shown that he can make progress when given the chance to take things at his own pace. During a calm session with a staff member, he allowed gentle pets with an extendable petting wand and then by hand. More recently, Willow has become more vocal and forceful when he feels overwhelmed, making it clear that he needs space when he is uncomfortable. He needs a quiet, low-pressure environment with someone experienced in helping fearful cats build confidence and trust. Due to his behavioral concerns, Willow is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner, experienced adopter, or a working cat placement.
Behavior
Staff 9/22
Previous memos from staff 9/1 indicate cat was more shut down. Today, when I approached, Willow nearly fell off the shelf hissing, swatting and lunging at me. He immediately ran to the other side of the kennel (seems like he was also startled and knocked off balance by his own reaction). When I circled back a little later with a churu, his ears were flat, and he backed into the corner of the kennel, growling. Concern for an escalation of deterioration. ACA in that room was also surprised at Willow's reaction, and said that he had remained calm while she had cleaned his kennel. Cat was initially very shut down in kennel and allowed closer contact. Concern that Willow is declining, in the sense that he is more confident with his reactions. While he used to curl into himself and try to disengage, now he is a lot more forceful with his cues.
Staff 9/5
Hung out with Willow for ~20 minutes, slowly ramping up interaction from petting with an extendable scratcher (initially just between the ears, then all over) to gentle pets with my hand. He's clearly under the weather so his tolerance was hard to read, but he allowed all the above without hissing, vocalizing, swatting, or otherwise reacting: at most, just airplane ears and shirking away, and that mostly toward the start. Playing some white noise / purring sounds helped break the ice. Didn't appear food motivated at the time. Allowed me to spot clean his kennel around him without issue.
Staff 9/2
Noted to be shy with pinned ears, downcast hard staring, and unwilling to interact. Appears to be shut down.
Staff 9/1
Very shut down in kennel when I approached. Willow had his ears pulled back, and he lowered his head. I offered him a churu, and Willow hissed back at me, unmoving. I put on a bite glove to be safe and leaned in a bit further, and Willow had no reaction. He remained unmoving and let me pet him with the glove. He certainly did not enjoy it, but did not attempt to bite or swat.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-259187
***************************************
😿Grandman at 7 years old came to ACCT Philly as a stray on September 16th after a kind community member who had been feeding and looking out for him for the past three years noticed that he was having some medical concerns that needed attention. His caretaker called him “Grandma,” and clearly cared about him enough to make sure he received help when he needed it. Grandman has been fearful but tolerant of handling in the shelter. He may hiss or swat when he feels scared, though he has also allowed gentle petting on his head and back with a calm approach. Grandman's wounds have healed but he has significant dental disease requiring cleaning and extractions. Due to his medical concerns, Grandman is urgently seeking placement with a rescue partner.
Medical
9/22 Vet Exam
Wounds on ears, nasal planum, right elbow, and right front 2nd digit are all healing appropriately. 104 is loose and diseased and 204/304 are fractured. Remaining teeth have moderate associated calculus and gingivitis. Cat is not a good candidate for RTF due to need for dental w/ extractions.
9/16 Triage Exam
Scabbing behind both ears and on bridge of nose. Scalding, raw skin on front right limb. Severe dental disease.
Behavior
Staff 9/23
Grandman was at the front of his kennel today. I pet his head with no hissing.
Staff 9/22
When I saw Grandman the other day, he was in the paper bag facing sideways. Today he was laying in his litter box when I approached. He appeared uncomfortable when I pet his head and he hissed after the first pet. I was able to pet his head and back with no further reaction, though he remained tense.
Staff 9/17
Per nurse: hissing and swatting, and it took two people to do our best to get him SSD cream. Use the bite glove, he will try to lunge.
Staff 9/16: Fearful, tolerant of full exam.
Finder 9/16: Shy, scared.
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-261918
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😿4 year old Fairlife is one of four cats who were left behind by their owner when they moved. While they all initially were a little fearful and shy with the strange new humans who wanted to be friends, Fairlife is now the only one still at the shelter. Even after about a month, he is still not amenable to handling, and appears clearly uncomfortable with interactions--even with snacks involved.
We have no notes or indication of how Fairlife behaves in a home where he feels safe and comfortable, and it's entirely possible that he spent his formative years outdoors and is still adjusting to the idea of living inside. He may recognize humans as "not bad, providers of food," but may not yet be comfortable with the idea of being a spoiled companion. We think that this level of socialization would make Fairlife a good candidate for a working cat adoption, where he can accept human interaction at his own pace, to whatever extent he wants.
It's also possible that we are seeing a cat truly devastated by his change of environment, the loss of his person, and the separation of his feline friends. Either way, Fairlife would benefit most from someone who can provide him with a quiet place to decompress, who can prioritize his comfort, and who is willing to hang out with him--even as associates, if that's all he wants--for the long haul.
Behavior
9/24
"Went to move Fairlife from one room to another, and he was sitting on top of his den, he seemed very fixated on me, and hissed before I opened the kennel door. When I did open it, he remained perched on the den. I tried to tilt the den to encourage him to move, and he did so begrudgingly. I eased the den towards him, hoping that he would step into it, but he seemed to anchor down. With my other hand, I gently touched his hind end, and that seemed to startle him into the den.
When moved to a different room, and a bigger kennel, Fairlife easily stepped out of the den. He hunkered down into the litterbox, and was not interested in treats at that time. I put on a bite glove, to gauge his reactions to my proximity, and slowly moved my hand towards him. He was still very tense, with his pupils dilated, but he allowed some gentle touches. He will definitely distance himself from stimuli if given the opportunity, but gives clear cues of discomfort if he cannot remove himself."
9/3
"Relaxed posture in kennel, but immediately tensed up as I approached. When I opened the kennel door, he gave a hiss. However, when I offered up some churu, he immediately perked up and leaned in to sniff. I let him sniff the spoon, but any adjustment of the spoon resulted in another hiss. Fairlife did not attempt to swat, and would only flinch away from the behavior wand."
8/25
"Hissing, tense, avoidant, airplane ears, whale eye. Unable to place microchip."
8/23
"Hissing whale eyes tense body.”
https://new.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/ACCT-A-259330
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Contact Lifesaving if you are considering fostering, adopting or tagging at [email protected], 1-267-385-3800 (press 6, then 1).
If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email the lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/
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Philly Felines was formed in 2019 to promote ACCT Philly cats. Philly Felines is not affiliated with ACCT Philly.