Throughout the years Stay-A-While Cat Shelter has always been a special
place to many felines and their admirers. Twenty-five years ago, a caring
couple and their friends had a vision. It was a vision of a place where
strays and abandoned felines could stay in a safe, loving environment until
being placed in a home of their own. An "orphanage", a place for cats to
find a home, and if they never found one, then this special place would
provide a loving home for them.
Bide-A-Wee Cat Shelter was founded in 1981 in Hinckley,
Ohio. Bide-A-Wee, which is Scottish for "Stay Awhile", moved to 8800 Akins
Road in North Royalton, Ohio in 1984. Though humble beginnings this is
where the shelter thrives today.
The name Bide-A-Wee Cat Shelter stood for the well being of
our feline companions for twenty-two years. Unfortunately, another
organization claimed that Bide-A-Wee Cat Shelter did not have rights to the
name "Bide-A-Wee" and fought to have our name changed. As a non-profit
organization, we felt that shelter funds should not be tied up in court
battles over the name. Contributions would best be used to continue to care
for our cats. In the fall of 2003 we held a raffle to pick the new name of
the shelter and the winner was Stay-A-While. The name might have changed,
but the same love and care for our cats continues.
Stay-A-While Cat Shelter has a long standing reputation for
excellence in the care of their cats.
Our mission is to do what is in the best interest of the cat based on
compassion, knowledge, and means for each and every resident at
Stay-A-While. Stay-A-While Cat Shelter has always been a no-kill shelter in
that euthanasia is only performed for health reasons that seriously diminish
the quality of life for the cat.
Stay-A-While is a cage-less facility and only has a few
cages for temporary monitoring of new and sick cats. It is a healthier
environment for a cat to be able to roam freely and not be stressed by the
confinements of a cage. The cats play, run around, interact with each
other, and get the attention that so many of them need. They even get fresh
air and enjoy the outside in the safety of screened in porches.
The shelter is financed by the generosity of feline lovers
and through fund-raisers. Some of the fund-raisers we have are garage
sales, cat shows, annual dinner, holiday gift wrap, and lobby gift shop. We
have many wonderful people who contribute their time and/or money for many
of our fund-raisers. Stay-A-While has some of the most devoted and
hard-working volunteers around. This shelter would not be where it is today
without these loving people who give all they can to help make better lives
for cats.
Stay-A-While Cat Shelter, Inc.
8800 Akins Road
North Royalton, OH 44133
Phone: 440-582-4990
Throughout the years Stay-A-While Cat Shelter has always been a special
place to many felines and their admirers. Twenty-five years ago, a caring
couple and their friends had a vision. It was a vision of a place where
strays and abandoned felines could stay in a safe, loving environment until
being placed in a home of their own. An "orphanage", a place for cats to
find a home, and if they never found one, then this special place would
provide a loving home for them.