Meet new friends at PAWS’ adoption center on Miller Road.

Winnie, a rotund 8-year-old calico, lounges on the sill of a sunny, south-facing picture window.

Nine-year-old Sarah Zimmerman sits on a cat tree and scratches the cat’s chin as it meows in contentment. Under the window a “meditation fountain” bubbles.

At home with the Zimmermans? Guess again.

It’s the new PAWS adoption center, which opens this weekend on Miller Road.

The living room-like setting inside a 6-by-12 foot enclosure – called an “open colony concept” – is cutting edge for shelters, taking cats out of cages and putting them into homey settings.

“This is a great leap forward for us at PAWS,” said Judy Hartstone, executive director of the nonprofit for animal welfare, “because we haven’t had a physical location.”

The Progressive Animal Welfare Society of Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap adoption center will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Weekday hours will be added in April, and other times are possible by appointment.

Potential pet parents can meet cats and kittens looking for homes, or get advice from PAWS counselors about about misbehaving cats and integrating new cats into the household. Last year, PAWS placed 309 cats and responded to more than 2,300 phone calls.

Cat intakes still are handled by calling ahead to PAWS and not through the center. Due to health considerations, no pets should be brought to the center.

Hartstone believes the center will help the organization place more cats more quickly, and make better matches.

Cats in cages tend to feel stressed, and frequently need 10-15 minutes to “chill out” before they can be themselves.

With the open colony concept, “people can go in and sit with (the cats) and get a feel for the cat,” said Marylou Zimmerman, Sarah’s mother and PAWS cat adoption coordinator. “If a person is looking for a playful cat, they can see if the cat responds to a toy, or see if a cat will snuggle. We can do a better job of matching people and cat personalities in this environment.”

The adoption center replaces the role that Paws and Fins pet store on Madison Avenue filled for PAWS the last seven years. The shop donated floor space for people to meet cats for adoption and staff time to do paperwork.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Paws and Fins for their gracious hospitality,” Hartstone said. “We can’t overstate that.”

“For years we couldn’t have existed without them,” Zimmerman added, “but both Paws and Fins’ business and our adoptions have been growing.”

With cat counselors available to give advice, PAWS hopes to reduce the number of adult cats put up for adoption due to cat personality conflicts.

“If Missy or Fluffy don’t get along, we can deal with that,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman, who has had cats since the neighbor’s feline jumped into her playpen when she was 18-months old, says there are a variety of strategies for helping cats that are “beat up” by other cats, or a cat that isn’t using the litter box.

Hartstone stressed that PAWS will still need the same support and team of volunteers that has sustained them throughout.

Foster homes for cats and kittens are still needed. Hosting them “is a great way to experience cats without owning them,” Hartstone said.

“And good for families considering getting a cat” but are not sure, added Zimmerman.

The need is especially great during “kitten season,” which runs from June through October; PAWS may go from having two litters to seven litters in the space of two days. At one point last summer, the Zimmerman fostered 42 kittens, with Sarah and her brother Sam doing litter pan duty as PAWS’ youngest volunteers.

Since kittens have immature immune systems, each litter must be kept in different cages if not enough foster homes are found.

In past years, litters took up all the cages PAWS owned, so that there were not enough to show adult cats for adoptions, meaning they often would languish unadopted through the summer.

With the new enclosure, adult cats can be shown even if cages are not available. The panels of the enclosure will be up for sponsorships, with dedication plaques, to help pay for the rent.

Hartstone was looking forward to opening day. “It provides an adoption center where we can do it right,” she said.

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Helping PAWS

The PAWS adoption center is located at 8820 Miller Road (next door to Bainbridge Rental); phone 780-0656. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, or by appointment for other times. For health reasons, bring no pets to the adoption center.

PAWS is seeking 14-20 volunteers, over 18-years old, to staff the adoption center during open hours. Volunteers should have interpersonal skills, knowledge of cat behavior, good supervisory and communication skills, and be able to commit to one four-hour shift per week.

Year-round, and particularly during “kitten season” from June to October, foster homes are needed. Also, children and adults can become “cat cuddlers” to groom, cuddle and play with cats at the adoption center.

All PAWS volunteers go through a one-month training course.

For more information on volunteering, PAWS services or to put up a cat for adoption, call PAWS at 842-2451 or see www.pawsbainbridge.org.