Anyone who has room for another dog or cat in his or her life might want to check out an easy-to-use new pet adoption search engine available through MarthaStewart.com/pets.

Recently, I went on this Web site and clicked on “Cats” and then plugged in my Washington home zip code. Then I indicated the distance I was willing to drive to connect with an available pet (50 miles) and selected the breed of cat I was interested in (Persian). I then indicated I was willing to consider a cat of any sex, age, color or hair length. Up popped photos and extensive profiles of eight cats that fit my criteria that were ready for adoption.

One cat that showed up was Vladimir, a lovely white Persian with green eyes who loves to sit in your lap and then there was Alexis, a fluffy cream-colored Himalayan who lost her home due to an overseas move. The stories are compelling.