The Cat Ladies Society needs money to finish its new home

By Bonnie Hazen

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Kim Koocher, owner of the Cat Ladies Society, said the group needs a miracle in order to move its shelter into the new location on Mahoning Avenue.

The nonprofit, no-kill rescue shelter for felines is “so close to sinking but so close to being wildly successful,” she said. “We’re overcrowded and desperate to move into our new building.”

The current shelter is at 2616 Mahoning Ave. and is a mere 1,500 square feet in comparison with the 4,500-square-foot facility they’ll have if they make the move to the new site.

The new shelter, at 2217 Mahoning Ave., was purchased by Gary Chance, 59, the society’s current landlord, and is being renovated by volunteer Randy Glota, 51, of Pittsburgh.

“Randy’s a very, very good carpenter,” Koocher explained. Glota has been renovating the building since April, and spends many evenings on site.

Glota, who has done almost all the work by himself, could use help from people other than “a bunch of middle-aged cat ladies,” Koocher said, laughing. “We need skilled help. … There’s lots to fix.”

The materials for the new shelter, aside from some donations, are primarily begged, borrowed and scavenged. They still need drywall, 2-by-4’s, and plumbing pipe to finish the repairs, and funding is tight.

“I had to cash what was left of my IRA to save the place,” Koocher explained.

Although the 2-year-old society became a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization June 9, it has been supported completely by donations and receives no state funding.

Even if they finish all the necessary renovations, Koocher said they will have to move in before everything is finished. The organization had to pay double utility bills last month, but it lacks the funds to keep both buildings running.

Chance said he won’t charge the cat ladies rent for the new building until September, but they still have utilities and other costs necessary to keep the shelter running.

“Vet bills are the great eater of money here,” Koocher explained. With a little over two weeks left, the society needs about $5,000 to finish the necessary repairs.

“We really need to get the clinic in for the sick animals,” she said. In order to do this, the back room has to be studded, insulated, drywalled, mudded and painted.

Koocher is a retired veterinary technician. She graduated from LaGuardia Community College in New York City in September 1991 and has worked for both the North Shore Animal League and Queen Zoo in New York but was forced to retire due to worsening fibromyalgia.

Koocher’s vision can be seen throughout the freshly painted rooms, decorated with bright depictions of cats in various shapes and activities, from sombreros to super heroes — even cats balancing on brightly colored balls.

The decorations downstairs were painted by Darian Mansell, Kayla Strickland and Tawni Temnick, all 15 and of Austintown. The large mural upstairs contains likenesses of Koocher’s deceased cats and was painted by Chance’s daughter, Kerri Dixon, 37.

Located above the mural is a large catwalk — a line of shelves mounted in steps for the cats to enjoy a prowl or two. The room also sports a large custom-built cat tree designed by Glota.

Koocher also has plans for a lab and isolation room, record area and feral-cat colony. She wants to educate people about the importance of spay and neuter programs.

The new shelter has shatterproof glass and a burglar alarm; the felines also will have air conditioning.

The society has about 15 full-time volunteers. They also have seven volunteers who help with the three cages housed at Petco in Boardman. Those volunteers are Michael Bruno of Boardman, Gina N. Centofanti of Austintown and Edie Goetz, Jeff and Edna Bailey, Janet Trevathan and Michelle Soyka, all of Youngstown.

They hope to move the cats — more than 90 of them — to their new location Sept. 1.