ABOUT
Meet Rachel.
Most "bad" cat behavior is a cat trying hard to communicate. I am here to help you translate.
My life as a cat lady started when I was 8 years old, when I came home from school with two kittens I’d found at a nearby shop and somehow convinced my parents to let me keep them. My negotiation skills apparently peaked early. I’ve shared my home with cats ever since, and I’m still delighted that these tiny creatures with wild instincts choose to curl up in our laps—and occasionally yell at us for dinner.
After college, I moved from Minnesota to Seattle and landed a job working with cats at a large animal shelter. Getting paid to spend my days with cats? Pretty good deal. I eventually led the cat program, but the part that really stayed with me was seeing how many cats struggled in the shelter. I started bringing some home to foster, where they could take a breath, feel safe, and let their personalities emerge.
More than 200 foster cats and kittens later, it’s safe to say that I fell in love with fostering.
Along the way, I developed a soft spot for the cats who needed extra patience: fearful cats, undersocialized kittens, and the ones whose adoption profiles required some creative writing. I became someone people called for the “tough” cats—the ones labeled aggressive, shut down, or feral. There’s something incredibly rewarding about earning the trust of a cat who initially wants absolutely nothing to do with you. That first head bump? Worth every hour spent sitting on the floor pretending to be very interested in something else.
I went on to found Underdog Pet Rescue, where I spent as much time helping overwhelmed owners as I did helping their cats. Loving your cat and feeling completely baffled by them can happen at the same time. Especially when you’ve bought three scratching posts and they’re still choosing the couch.
That’s what led me to create Seattle Cat Herding. All of the paths in my life have guided me here to help loving owners and their cats find peace and harmony in their home.
My mission is simple, to keep cats in their loving homes and out of shelters. Every cat deserves a safe and loving home and every owner deserves a peaceful and happy environment. My job is to show you how to create that life one chin scratch at a time.
RACHEL'S CATS
The four coworkers I actually report to.
the firstborn
Elsa
I adopted Elsa within 48 hours of moving to Seattle and she has been my best friend since. An opinionated lady who has no problem putting a foster kitten in their place and teaching them boundaries.
the helper
Tupac
The most incredible helper cat for every foster I bring home. A former hoarding-case cat himself, he is gentle and loving toward every cat that enters the house — grooming and cuddling them any chance he gets.
the boss
Finn
As confident as cats come, and he loves to play. Finn lets everyone know he runs the household, and he will remind anyone who steps out of line.
the scardy cat
Renger
A gentle giant. Despite being my largest cat, he is terrified of tiny kittens and has no idea they just want to be his friend. A total scaredy-cat — and the sweetest boy, happiest burrowing under blankets collecting all the pets.
NEXT STEP
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