She feeds 75 cats a day across Tuscarawas County & converts coolers into free kitty condos
NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Ever since Lindsay Bailey's cat, Tiger, disappeared a year ago, she has been on a mission to help stray felines.
The search for her missing pet led her to discover colonies of outdoor cats in the New Philadelphia and Dover areas.
"I didn't realize the big cat population there was in Tuscarawas County at all; it's crazy," she said.
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Since fall, she has converted 127 picnic coolers into shelters that allow the animals to stay warm and dry. She had 31 spayed or neutered in December. She takes requests for trapping and sterilizing strays.
"I have been able to find homes for some," Bailey said.
Cat shelters made from coolers available
She feeds more than 75 cats a day in Dover and New Philadelphia. She said she has the approval of the owners of the properties.
Bailey is sharing her story to let others know she can give them an outdoor cat shelter if needed. Anyone interested in receiving a shelter is asked to contact her through Facebook.
"There is no cost, just donations to go towards my supplies and food for the colonies I feed," Bailey said.
Bailey gets used coolers for free. She buys straw for bedding. She gets caulking and tape to make a water-tight seal and to attach the tops. She also has to buy cleaner to use on the shelters before they are deployed. The animals get dry food.
Her efforts are not necessarily appreciated.
While feeding cats next to a vacant trailer, she said, "I've had eggs thrown at my car. I've had people wreck my shelters. Just awfulness."
As multiple cats ran from a gap in skirting below the mobile home to reach food bowls, Bailey said some were likely staying away because two strangers, a reporter and a photographer, were present.
"They don't get treated very well here, so they're scared," she said.
She spotted one that was apparently pregnant.
Bailey guesses that a lot of the cats she tends are not feral, and many might make good house pets if given the chance to have relationships with people.
"I think a lot of them are dumped," she said. "I've seen people drive by the trailer park and just throw cats out the window. Sad."
More stray cat help in Tuscarawas County
Other local entities that help stray and feral cats are Tuscarawas TNR Project and the Tuscarawas County Humane Society.
Teri Edwards, former director of the Twin City Chamber of Commerce, recently start trapping for Tuscarawas TNR, which stands for trap, neuter and release. The group had an internal goal to trap 50 cats in 2022. Edwards said they got at least 75.
Some were kittens, which got socialized and placed in homes. Getting to the cats young means they can be sterilized before they can reproduce.
“If you don’t get them fixed, they continue to populate," Edwards said. "Two turns into six, and then six turns into a bunch more."
She believes the efforts to trap and neuter are helping in Uhrichsville.
"We haven’t had any kittens so far this year," she said in December. "We’ve noticed the kitten cycle is already starting to break.”
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
Reach Andrew Dolph at adolph3@gannett.com or on Twitter, @andrewdolph.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: New Philadelphia woman makes shelters for outdoor cats, feeds them
