04:24 PM PST on Thursday, November 11, 2004

KING5.com

SEATTLE - The Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) reached an inspirational milestone Wednesday as the 6,000th cat was adopted from Cat City, PAWS' satellite adoption center in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood.

The lucky cat was an eight-week-old Siamese kitten named Marcus, who went home with the Ganzkow family from Everett.

Frankie is just one of the cats at PAWS looking for a home.

"I walked in and immediately saw this little guy so I picked him up," said Karen Ganzkow. "He gave me a kiss on the cheek and I fell in love."

When PAWS Cat City opened in 1997, it was the first of its kind in Seattle: a cat colony adoption facility. With its neighborhood setting, relaxed, home-like environment and cats roaming free of cages, potential adopters are able to interact with them in a bright, comfortable atmosphere.

PAWS takes in almost 2,500 cats each year and adopts them from Cat City and its Companion Animal Shelter in Lynnwood.

The organization shelters homeless companion animals, rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife, and works to end animal abuse and exploitation.

PAWS envisions a world where all people "recognize the intrinsic value of animal life and consistently demonstrate compassion and respect."