‘This is insane:’ Pet parents flock to rapidfire adoption event at Seattle ‘Kitty Hall’

Prospective pet parents lined the hall inside the first floor of Seattle City Hall on Wednesday, waiting in line for their turn to meet and potentially adopt a new feline companion.

Inside the Bertha Knight Landes Room, visitors queued — first, passing informational stands on shelter operations, but soon after, reaching the promised centerpiece — three play tents, each filled with several curious kittens, ready to make their case for a forever home.

With a veritable blessing from Mayor Bruce Harrell, the Seattle Animal Shelter organizes the so-called “Kitty Hall” event yearly, complete with a mock election for “Kitty Council President.”

Visitors were asked to vote for which cat should win the race for “kitty council president.” (Photo: Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio)

Looking to adopt? Seattle’s City Hall is now “Kitty Hall” – The animal shelter is hosting an adoption event where dozens are now lining up to meet and greet some kittens.

Pictured: Ash and Craig, 2 “staff members” on the Seattle Kitty Council. pic.twitter.com/oyn9pRO3go

— Sam Campbell (@HeySamCampbell) March 5, 2025

“Seattle is a city that cares deeply for its animals, and this event highlights our commitment to finding loving homes for cats in need,” Harrell’s office wrote in a press release.

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Prospective owners limited to 2 minutes with each cat during Seattle adoption event

Because of the volume of people coming to see the kittens, shelter volunteers limited each person’s playtime with the cats to only two minutes — they had to decide then and there whether they’d be gaining a new furry roommate.

Alara was adopted at Wednesday’s “Kitty Hall” event. Despite a vigorous campaign, she did not win the election for “kitty council president.” (Photo: Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio)

“This is a little bit nerve-wracking,” said Theo Johnson of West Seattle. “I’ve never done speed dating. This is insane. You have two minutes to decide on a family member I’m going to have until I’m 80 (years old).”

He and his wife, Lisa Dodge-Johnson, came downtown to look for not one but two kittens – hoping to find one with black tuxedo coloring and a tabby. They found both.

“We have always had kitties, and we lost our last cat a year ago,” she said. “This is the right timing for us.”

They were just two of more than a hundred interested people to show up in the two hours the event ran.

A shelter volunteer holds Lorwyn, a kitten named after a character in the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering. (Photo: Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio)

“Be ready to adopt if you are coming (to these),” Theo said. “We said, ‘maybe,’ but look — boom. There it is.”

Twenty-two of the 26 cats up for adoption were taken home Wednesday, according to the shelter.

A cat named Squid won the election “in a landslide,” a shelter worker told KIRO Newsradio. While official ballot tallies have yet to be made public, there have been no demands for a recount, and there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

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