This question really stumped every other headmate who read the question, so this guesses that means it's a good one? So some pooltoy instincts would be things like affinity for water, or a contentedness to just sit there unmoving. Some sqrrks dropped into speech too.
Given in this context it would be this specific pooltoy's instincts, it would also include biting, and perhaps a prediliction for transforming others too—although that would also require a near-complete physical transformation to actually achieve. Similarly, naturally shifting between liquid and solid states, and fluidly incorporating it into movement. Technically if this leaves someone able to liquidshift, without some instincts to back it up, they would remain a puddle on the ground, sqrrk!
