About Us
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide a loving home and solid adoption opportunities for abandoned, unwanted, or abused felines. To educate the community through humane education to spay or neuter their companion or feral felines. To attempt to return lost animals to their owners; to find suitable homes for homeless animals; and to provide a humane means to end an animal’s suffering.
About the Founders
Marylou and Bob Stachon are the founders of Kitty Harbor. Long-time cat lovers, they share their home with five formerly homeless felines. Marylou had previously managed another animal sanctuary and decided she wanted to operate her own. She and Bob felt that founding a new sanctuary primarily for cats was a legacy they both felt good about.
Marylou had attended a conference called “No More Homeless Pets” in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2004, sponsored by Best Friends. She was inspired to help as many people in our community as possible to spay and neuter their companion felines, as well as feral colonies they were feeding. She also wanted to provide shelter and care for abandoned animals, with the goal of placing them in loving responsible homes. In addition, she plans to work with local schools regarding “Humane Education.”
In March of 2005, Bob and Marylou spent a week at Best Friends in Kanab, Utah. Marylou attended a conference called “How to Start a Sanctuary,” while Bob worked with the maintenance and building crews getting ideas on how to build and maintain Kitty Harbor. They were surprised to learn that many of the ideas they had were in place at Best Friends.
When they returned to Connecticut, they began to look for a piece of property where they could begin to build Kitty Harbor. In May 2005, they closed on a 2-acre parcel of land in Griswold, with a home and outbuildings on it. If you go to the Scrapbook you can see pictures of the property before they started and progress to date. Extensive remodeling was needed and continues.
The doors opened in August 2005 and homeless cats and kittens started pouring in. All animals have been tested for Feline Aids and Leukemia and currently must be negative to be admitted to the sanctuary. They receive all needed vet care including vaccinations, and are altered if old enough.
Their ultimate dream would be to have a veterinarian on the grounds to run a low cost spay / neuter program and monitor the health of the sanctuary cats and kittens.
Robert E. Stachon, 71, of Shetucket Turnpike, passed away unexpectedly Monday at the William W. Backus Hospital. He was born March 22, 1938 in Gary, Indiana, son of the late Edward J. and Lillie A. (Uzumecki) Stachon. On September 3, 1960 in South Bend, Indiana, he was married to Marylou Horvath. She survives him.
Robert had attended Macomb Community College in Michigan. He was last employed with the Department of Transportation for the United States Coast Guard. He was a retired Army Veteran. He received the Secretary’s Award for Meritorious Achievement from the United States Department of Transportation.
Robert was the co-founder of Kitty Harbor. He was an active member of the Antique Auto Club, Jewett City Chamber of Commerce, Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc. the Nutmeg Chapter, Snowflake Festival Committee, and Jewett City Business Association.
Besides his wife, Robert is survived by his sister Carol Ann Pickering of New Mexico, 5 cats at home, and approximately 70 at Kitty Harbor.