Panda is a two-year-old cat looking to make the jump from foster care to her forever home. She’s a patient house-hunter, and not one to make a hasty decision. Though she’s found success in the quiet life with her foster family, Panda’s been thinking a lot, and she’s decided she’s ready to make the commitment to something more permanent.

The shelter environment was “very stressful” for Panda, she says. “You never felt like you had any privacy. I felt like I was back in college. I’ve done so much better in my foster home, with some space to call my own—now I just want to settle down.”

What’s she looking for in a home? A few must-haves on her list: “Big windows to watch the birds outside. Soft chairs I can really curl up in. Most important, though, is that I’d really prefer a more relaxing environment. I never enjoyed gym class, so the active life isn’t what I’m looking for (although I do like to bat a ping pong ball around every once in a while). Give me a nap in the sun over laps on the treadmill any day.”

But the most important part of her house-hunting decision, Panda says, is who she’ll be sharing her new home with. Though she’s easygoing once you get to know her, sometimes first impressions are a little hard for her. She explains, “I really like to get used to someone before I cuddle up to them. Transitions—along with thunderstorms and other loud noises!—are a bit stressful for me, so I’m looking for a roommate who’s willing to give me some space to warm up. I’m not trying to be unfriendly, but I’m cautious around new people.”

Letting Panda set the pace of your friendship is the last item on her wish list. “I could really live with any number of roommates—including other feline friends—but sometimes kids are a little too touchy for me. Until I get comfortable, I like to have my privacy respected. For that reason, I want to do a trial period in a new home, where I stay with you for a while and then we decide how we’re doing together.”

Panda’s current roommate is more than happy to help with her new transition and provide tips for Panda’s success. If she sounds like the cat for you, meet them both today! To schedule a home visit with Panda, contact Homeward Pet’s Shelter Manager, Katie, at

The cat’s out of the bag: Pacific Bag’s design and packaging services are polished to meet your needs. It isn’t all business, though; the company also has a strong philanthropic spirit. We’re fortunate to have a number of local and longtime supporters like them. Just a few minutes down the road from Homeward Pet, Pacific Bag is our neighbor specializing in bulk and custom packaging.

Catch up with Pacific Bag’s very own Marketing Supervisor, Whitney Smyth, and see what she has to say about the busy industry.

“Located on the Woodinville-Redmond Road, Pacific Bag, Inc. got its start over 30 years ago selling stock packaging. It has remained the core of what we do, because the need for unprinted, unlabeled ‘stock’ bags, sold in small case quantities, is stronger than ever.

We service more than 4,500 customers in 50+ countries with a wide selection of stock products ranging from side gusset bags, stand-up pouches, paper tin-tie bags, flat pouches, bulk packaging, java boxes, rollstock, accessories, tins, bag sealers, weigh and fill machines, and more. We specialize in markets varying from coffee, specialty food and pet food, to agricultural products.

PBi takes pride in supporting our local community. Regardless of how you choose to define community, we believe that we have a shared responsibility for it. PBi, while proud of our commitment to all the communities we travel within, we continue to seek ways to help local causes, encourage employee involvement and join with our partners in giving back to this world we all call home. As part of who we are, we believe strongly in giving back into the industries we service and our local community. By helping Homeward Pet Adoption Center, we get to do both and see some wonderful animals find their forever homes. We thoroughly enjoy supporting Homeward Pet!”

Visit the PBi website to learn more.

Roxy’s journey to Homeward Pet is not uncommon. When her owner passed away in June of 2015, she found refuge at Homeward Pet. Unfortunately, the search for her new home hasn’t run smooth. While most animals move on to their forever homes after a few weeks, Roxy’s stay has been much longer. Though she’s content as a lapcat—and her soft fur lends itself to pets—she’s been in and out of our shelter since her first arrival, having been adopted and returned to us four times.

What keeps this ball of ginger fur from fully settling in? Well, Roxy has a regular laundry list of concerns: She has a history of upper respiratory infections, which cause her to become congested and sneeze all over those close to her. Pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease cause her discomfort, which we mitigate through medication and a raw food diet, but she sometimes still misses the litter box. She doesn’t get along too well with other animals, which rules out any multi-pet households. Twice, she was returned when her adopters unfortunately developed allergies. It seems like almost everything is working against this mellow kitty.

Though Roxy can be grumpy when she doesn’t feel well or becomes stressed, our Cat Behavior Team coordinator, Kimberlee (pictured with Roxy), has developed a special relationship with her. To alleviate some of Roxy’s behavioral concerns, Kimberlee and her team work every day with her as we hunt for that special adopter: someone who understands Roxy’s medical and behavioral issues and is able to work with her on her own terms. As she learns calming behaviors, her pleasant qualities are better able to shine. In return for patience and occasional space, she’ll reward you with a lifetime of purrs and play. As Kimberlee puts it, “Roxy has been one of my favorites since she first came to Homeward. She is always happy to greet you when you open her door and the moment you sit down she can’t hop up in your lap fast enough. Roxy is affectionate, lap-loving, and still has a little bit of a playful side when you bring out that feather stick toy! I know Roxy comes with her challenges–don’t we all?–but she is a fantastic cat that would make a great companion for someone who understands her needs.”

Not every adoption we do is easy. She’s not the easiest cat we’ve ever had come through our doors, but we’ll never give up on trying to help her…or searching for a home where she’ll be loved for years to come. We sum it up like this: Roxy isn’t for everyone. But just maybe she’s the one for you.

Interested in learning more about Roxy? Visit her during adoption hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 6pm.