Feral Fixers is an organization dedicated to practicing & promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Our Goals:
(a) To educate local governments and the public on the benefits of a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) program in DuPage County. (b) To humanely control the population of feral cats in DuPage County, Illinois, primarily through a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) program. (c) To provide educational resources and other assistance to feral cat colony caretakers and local veterinarians. (d) To pro
vide coaching on TNR methods to feral cat colony caretakers and others interested in furthering the objectives of TNR. (e) To work in cooperation with other animal welfare organizations interested in furthering the objectives of TNR in DuPage County, Illinois. (f) To promote the importance of spaying and neutering for all cats, feral or non-feral. Feral Fixers offers its TNR services to all colony caretakers, without charge. While we ask for donations from colony caretakers, we recognize that for some of them, any additional cost is just too much. Therefore we rely on donations from other individuals to make up the difference and allow us to continue our work. These donations allow us to spay/neuter additional cats, keep a 'bank' of traps and trap dividers we loan out for free, hold workshops and provide other educational benefits.
02/13/2025
Taggart, adopted in April 2024 and renamed Dracula, has now bonded with his family.
In the words of his adopter: "I had to share the HUGE development with Drac tonight! It took 10 months, but Drac finally let me love him up!!!"
We so appreciate the patience and devotion of the special families who adopt our shyer cats & kittens. Their long wait is always worth it has once the trust has been won and the bond established, the love is forever!
02/12/2025
Lyndsay is a sweet and gentle 7 month old gray tabby & white kitten girl.
She is a bit cautious initially and takes a few minutes to warm up to new people, but once she is comfortable, she loves attention including lots of petting and lap sitting. She does nose to nose with her foster mom - a very loving kitten!
Lyndsay eats dry and wet food, loves fresh water and treats, and uses the litter box like a champ. She loves to play in the cat tunnel with her siblings, enjoys a good wrestling match with her sister, Lyssa, and is happy chasing a ball, toy mouse or string around.
Lyndsay needs to be adopted with her sister Lyssa, as Lyssa brings out the playful nature in Lyndsay. They are a great complementary pair - Lyndsay, the cuddler, and Lyssa, the energetic player.
Adoption fee is a minimum $85 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. All cats are up to date on shots, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $150 for a pair.
Brief screening questionnaire and contract apply! Please email [email protected] or call (630) 881-7459 for more information
Although she is the smallest of the litter, little 7 month old Lyssa is the most determined, fierce, and playful of her siblings. She is a gray tabby polydactyl girl with extra toes on all four of her paws. Her foster mom has nicknamed her Polly. The extra toes don't stop her for a moment.
Being a lap cat isn't Lyssa's style, but if you hold her upside down in your arms like a baby she will be content ... for a few minutes, then she has to be down to play and run - she does not slow down! She likes to be in control of her situation and her interaction with people and other cats. When the time is right, she will come and sit on the table next to you for pets and loving.
Lyssa eats dry and wet food, loves fresh water and treats, and uses the litter box like a champ. She loves to play in the cat tunnel with her siblings, loves string toys, and loves to play with her foster mom too.
Lyssa needs to be adopted with her sister, Lyndsay, who is more sedate, but is more than happy to wrestle and play with Lyssa.
Adoption fee is a minimum $85 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. All cats are up to date on shots, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $150 for a pair.
Brief screening questionnaire and contract apply! Please email [email protected] or call (630) 881-7459 for more information.
02/12/2025
We are back out trapping at the "junk" house before the storm. Got 3 so far :)
02/11/2025
Hi there, I’m Korrie. I’m a classic tabby beauty, gray and brown with distinct black stripes. I’ve got a pencil-eraser nose and luminous green eyes, and I'm a petite gal overall. I’m young, maybe 1-2 years old. My most unique feature is my tail. I've got a curl in my tail - it folds back on itself in a "U" shape right near the end - so cute! It looks like I'm beckoning to you!
I am still a kitten at heart and I have lots of playful energy. I have a daily routine established at my foster home that I like to follow. In the morning and evening following mealtime, I have the zoomies and like to run around the house batting around my toys and scaling my cat tree. In the afternoon, I like to settle in for a nice long nap in my cat tree, mesmerized by the views outside the window. In the nighttime, I enjoy hopping into bed with my foster family for some cuddle time.
While I never pester you for attention and can still be a litte skittish at times, when I am in the mood, I enjoy all of the petting I receive. I like chin and cheek rubs and forehead scratches and long strokes down my back. I purr, make biscuits, and follow your hand with my head to get more. The scritches on my shoulder blades, wow, that’s amazing! And of course, I do “elevator butt” when you rub down my back. When the time is right, I enjoy curling up next to you for some nice petting sessions.
As far as other animals, I get along fine with the male and female cats in my foster home. The male cat and I are chase buddies - we get the zoomies and run around together. The female cat does her own thing. There was a dog in my prior foster home, so I got used to his barking, but we didn't interact much. I would also be happy being your only pet., as long as you are home enough to give me good attention. I enjoy meeting new people and will be happy to greet your guests. I have not been around young children, but will be happy to meet school age children or older.
Adoption fee is a minimum $85 per cat donation to Feral Fixers. All cats are up to date on shots, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV negative. Discounted adoption fee if two cats are adopted together, $150 for a pair.
Please email [email protected] or call (630) 881-7459 for more information.
02/10/2025
Here's a few new photo's of adoptable kitten Berry Pie.
Berry Pie is a beautiful tortoiseshell girl with a slender physique and a gorgeous orange & black mottled pattern on her back. She was born in June 2024. She has a sweet and calm demeanor and likes to cuddle between her foster mom's legs. She is good with other cats and would enjoy a cat or kitten companion.
I’m a special kitty because I have cerebella hyperplasia (CH), but don’t worry I don’t let it slow me down. What is it you ask? It’s a non-progressive neurological disorder which makes me a little wobbly on my feet. It’s quite cute if you ask me!
I still romp around, chase toys, and get around quite well, especially on carpet. I just choose places lower to the ground to climb and jump on. So I won't be cruising your counters or table tops!
I still chase my sister and pounce on her. It’s so much fun! I would love to be adopted to a home with a welcoming resident kitty. I’m also good with school aged kids because I love pets while sitting in a lap, after I’m done being “busy”.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
02/09/2025
Sunkist is a petite, orange tabby girl with big, expressive eyes. Born at the end of September 2024, she was the smallest of her siblings and will likely remain a petite girl.
Sunkist is very affectionate, and quick to purr with a little attention. She likes to spend her days snoozing under her foster mom's desk. She wakes periodically, jumps up on her foster mom's lap for a chat and some cuddles, and then settles back in again by her feet.
Her favorite thing to do is play with her human foster sister (a 2-year-old little girl). Sunkist always runs up with excitement to fetch the toys her humans throw for her. She doesn't even mind when her foster toddler squeals with excitement as they play.
Sunkist is curious about the resident cats in her foster home, but hasn't made friends with them yet. She seems suited to a home with other cats, or one without, as long as she has a human playmate/companion! She's done exceptionally well befriending her toddler, and is playful but gentle, so would be a good choice for a family with children.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
02/09/2025
Sunkist is a petite, orange tabby kitten girl with big, expressive eyes. Born at the end of September 2024, she was the smallest of her siblings and will likely remain a petite girl.
Sunkist is very affectionate, and quick to purr with a little attention. She likes to spend her days snoozing under her foster mom's desk. She wakes periodically, jumps up on her foster mom's lap for a chat and some cuddles, and then settles back in again by her feet.
Her favorite thing to do is play with her human foster sister (a 2-year-old little girl). Sunkist always runs up with excitement to fetch the toys her humans throw for her. She doesn't even mind when her foster toddler squeals with excitement as they play.
Sunkist is curious about the resident cats in her foster home, but hasn't made friends with them yet. She seems suited to a home with other cats, or one without, as long as she has a human playmate/companion! She's done exceptionally well befriending her toddler, and is playful but gentle, so would be a good choice for a family with children.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
02/09/2025
2025-2026 Holiday Card Contest!
Feral Fixers has been sending out Holiday Cards each year to our Friends & Supporters since 2009.
Since 2012, the pictures on these cards have been the winning entries in our annual Holiday Card Contest.
This year, again, we are asking our friends and supporters to send in pictures of their feral cats in the snow to grace our 2025-2026 Holiday card.
Pictures must show snow and a visible eartip on the cat(s). The picture can be in either landscape (wider) or portrait (taller) mode and we can handle just about any kind of file format, but we much prefer higher-resolution pictures that will look good printed on the card stock.
Please email your entries as an attachment to [email protected]. If your entry is chosen, we will ask you for a short biography of your cat that we can include on the card. Please note that by sending your picture(s) to Feral Fixers, you give us explicit permission to use them to print on the Holiday card or for any other purpose that we deem appropriate.
Contest ends April 15, 2025.
Thank you for all of your support and we are looking forward to some great pictures!
Hello I'm Berry Pie, I’m a sleek, tortie girl with a luxurious coat, who was born in June 2024.
I’m a special kitty because I have cerebella hyperplasia (CH), but don’t worry I don’t let it slow me down. What is it you ask? It’s a non-progressive neurological disorder which makes me a little wobbly on my feet. It’s quite cute if you ask me!
Cerebellar Hypoplasia is a neurological condition that affects the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination. As such, Berry Pie has a bit of a wobble in her walk, although it does not stop her from engaging in play and enjoying life. The condition is stable. It is not expected to get worse and has actually continued to get better as she has learned to compensate for it. She will navigate best in a single level home, preferably with carpeting. The good news – she will not jump on your counters!
I still romp around, chase toys, and get around quite well, especially on carpet. I just choose places lower to the ground to climb and jump on. So I won't be cruising your counters or table tops!
I still chase my sister and pounce on her. It’s so much fun! I would love to be adopted to a home with a welcoming resident kitty. I’m also good with school aged kids because I love pets while sitting in a lap, after I’m done being “busy”.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
02/09/2025
Appleton is a handsome brown tabby boy with exquisite fur markings who was born in August 2024.
He started off shy and it took a lot of time to earn his trust. But through lots of love, hard work and persistence, his foster mom is extremely proud at how much progress he has made. Appleton now welcomes chin/ head pets and loves to be rewarded with treats!
Appleton gets along with other cats. He would do well and needs to be with a welcoming resident cat who can show him the ropes and be his buddy.
Loud noises and quick sudden movements still do scare him, so a calm, quiet environment would be best. His favorite thing to do is play with plastic cat springs and with any toys that allow him to show off his amazing jumping skills. Patience and persistence is the key to his heart. Your work will be well rewarded though as anyone can see the love Appleton has in his eyes that he so desperately wants to give once he knows he is safe and loved!
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
02/08/2025
Berry Juice has been adopted! By a wonderful family in Ottawa. They have a 3 year old male cat and an 8 year old female cat. Their senior cat recently passed and the 3 year old needed a playmate. Berry Juice should have lots of fun chasing around with him.
02/08/2025
Saturday, February 22, 2025 • 11am-3pm - Feral Fixers Adoption Event! - Feral Fixers will be hosting an adoption event at the 330 Eisenhower Lane N Feral Fixers building in Lombard, IL, from 11am to 3pm.
All of our cats/kittens are in Foster homes, are spayed/neutered, current on their vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed and FeLV/FIV tested.
If you would like to get pre-approved for same-day adoption, please email us (by noon Friday, February 21) at [email protected]
Petey was adopted by a Wauwatosa grad student. He’s wanted a cat for forever and living vicariously through his friend and girlfriend’s cats. I think they’re in love already.
02/07/2025
Update & Photos of Ethan & Ethena (now Meeko & Kit) adopted in January 2024
We adopted Meeko (prev. Ethan) and Kit (prev Ethena) just over one year ago. We were volunteers in the CIT program and I swore we were not going to fall in love and bring anyone home. These two stole my heart and I knew we needed them. Meeko is the sweetest boy and loves to snuggle and is also a great reading buddy for my 9 year old. Kit is a moody teenager like our older daughter. She loves to be loved but only when she wants it. Thank you Feral Fixers for bringing them into our lives.
02/07/2025
Rocky has been adopted! By a first time cat dad and friend of one of our volunteers in Indian Head Park. Rocky is sure to be a great pal for him.
02/07/2025
Update & Photos of Poppi adopted May 2024
Poppi is doing great. His fur coat has grown in very thick! He and his resident cat companion have become good friends.
02/07/2025
Driscoll is a sweet, friendly and affectionate 3 year old black boy who is looking for a stable and loving home to call his own. He loves having his tummy rubbed, and will flop over and roll around for petting whenever you come by him. He also seems to be a huge fan of cuddles and is happy to receive all of the attention he gets.
Having lived part of his life outside, Driscoll can get easily spooked. So he would likely be happiest in a quieter home. He seems happy and content being safe inside. He is fine with the other cats in his foster home, and would likely enjoy a welcoming cat friend, or being an only cat in a home with someone home most of the time.
Driscoll came to us twice in the last year and has made it clear that he would like us to help him find a forever home. He was initially trapped in July 2024 with a roll of packing tape around his neck. Despite his dilemma, he was quite patient and friendly, but we were full and it wasn't clear that he was ready to come inside. So we removed the tape, neutered him and returned him. As he walked out of the trap, he looked back at the trapper as if to say "maybe I will come and see you again".
Sure enough, he did! In January 2025, he was turned in to a police department as a stray cat, his chip was scanned, and we were contacted. This time he made it clear that was ready to stay inside and find his forever home. Would you like to welcome this handsome hunk of love into your home? If you give him the affection he craves, he will most certainly be your loyal companion.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and tested FeLV/FIV. Adoption fee is a minimum $85 per cat donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two cats are adopted together, $150 for a pair.
A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Feral Fixers posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Business
Send a message to Feral Fixers:
Videos
Happy Adoption Update - Taggart
Taggart, adopted in April 2024 and renamed Dracula, has now bonded with his family.
In the words of his adopter: "I had to share the HUGE development with Drac tonight! It took 10 months, but Drac finally let me love him up!!!"
We so appreciate the patience and devotion of the special families who adopt our shyer cats & kittens. Their long wait is always worth it has once the trust has been won and the bond established, the love is forever!
Sunkist is a petite, orange tabby girl with big, expressive eyes. Born at the end of September 2024, she was the smallest of her siblings and will likely remain a petite girl.
Sunkist is very affectionate, and quick to purr with a little attention. She likes to spend her days snoozing under her foster mom's desk. She wakes periodically, jumps up on her foster mom's lap for a chat and some cuddles, and then settles back in again by her feet.
Her favorite thing to do is play with her human foster sister (a 2-year-old little girl). Sunkist always runs up with excitement to fetch the toys her humans throw for her. She doesn't even mind when her foster toddler squeals with excitement as they play.
Sunkist is curious about the resident cats in her foster home, but hasn't made friends with them yet. She seems suited to a home with other cats, or one without, as long as she has a human playmate/companion! She's done exceptionally well befriending her toddler, and is playful but gentle, so would be a good choice for a family with children.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair. A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Our cats and kittens are in private foster homes and need a completed questionnaire before an appointment can be made to meet them.
All of our cats/kittens are in foster homes throughout DuPage County. We consider adopters within a reasonable driving distance.
Driscoll is a sweet, friendly and affectionate 3 year old black boy who is looking for a stable and loving home to call his own. He loves having his tummy rubbed, and will flop over and roll around for petting whenever you come by him. He also seems to be a huge fan of cuddles and is happy to receive all of the attention he gets.
Having lived part of his life outside, Driscoll can get easily spooked. So he would likely be happiest in a quieter home. He seems happy and content being safe inside. He is fine with the other cats in his foster home, and would likely enjoy a welcoming cat friend, or being an only cat in a home with someone home most of the time.
Driscoll came to us twice in the last year and has made it clear that he would like us to help him find a forever home. He was initially trapped in July 2024 with a roll of packing tape around his neck. Despite his dilemma, he was quite patient and friendly, but we were full and it wasn't clear that he was ready to come inside. So we removed the tape, neutered him and returned him. As he walked out of the trap, he looked back at the trapper as if to say "maybe I will come and see you again".
Sure enough, he did! In January 2025, he was turned in to a police department as a stray cat, his chip was scanned, and we were contacted. This time he made it clear that was ready to stay inside and find his forever home. Would you like to welcome this handsome hunk of love into your home? If you give him the affection he craves, he will most certainly be your loyal companion.
All cats & kittens are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and tested FeLV/FIV. Adoption fee is a minimum $85 per cat donation to Feral Fixers. Discounted adoption fee if two cats are adopted together, $150 for a pair.
A brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
If you are interested in meeting and adopting one of our cats please email: [email protected]
Hi there, I’m Korrie.
Hi there, I’m Korrie. I’m classic tabby beauty, gray and brown with distinct black stripes. I’ve got a pencil-eraser nose and luminous green eyes, and I'm a petite gal overall. I’m young, maybe 1-2 years old. My most unique feature is my tail. I've got a curl in my tail - it folds back on itself in a "U" shape right near the end - so cute! It looks like I'm beckoning to you!
I am still a kitten at heart and I have lots of playful energy. I have a daily routine established at my foster home that I like to follow. In the morning and evening following mealtime, I have the zoomies and like to run around the house batting around my toys and scaling my cat tree. In the afternoon, I like to settle in for a nice long nap in my cat tree, mesmerized by the views outside the window. In the nighttime, I enjoy hopping into bed with my foster family for some cuddle time.
While I never pester you for attention and can still be skittish at times, when I am in the mood, I enjoy all of the petting I receive. I like chin and cheek rubs and forehead scratches and long strokes down my back. I purr, make biscuits, and follow your hand with my head to get more. The scritches on my shoulder blades, wow, that’s amazing! And of course, I do “elevator butt” when you rub down my back. When the time is right, I enjoy curling up next to you for some nice petting sessions.
As far as other animals, I get along fine with the male and female cats in my foster home. The male cat and I are chase buddies - we get the zoomies and run around together. The female cat does her own thing. There was a dog in my prior foster home, so I got used to his barking, but we didn't interact much. I would also be happy being your only pet., as long as you are home enough to give me good attention. I enjoy meeting new people and will be happy to greet your guests. I have not been around young children, but will be happy to meet school age children or older.
All cats & kittens are up to
Feral Fixers has many moving parts. After cats are trapped, we assess whether they might be friendly enough to come inside. When cats (or kittens) seem more friendly than feral, we take them into our Cats in Transition program (CIT). They receive the medical care that they need and then we work on socializing them so they can move onto a foster home or be posted for adoption. The CIT program is staffed by volunteers who work with these cats at least twice a day. We need a lot of volunteers to provide the best care especially during the height of the season!
Want to volunteer? Check out our website https://www.feralfixers.org/want-to-help/volunteer
Trapping is tough.. we are not "open" yet for 2025, but are helping some emergency situations
These are just some of the working cats we have available.. many are already fixed, etc. and ready to go!
Email us at [email protected]
Grecco is a charming tabby boy with soft brown fur and beautiful stripes. Born in July 2024, he is polite and easygoing, but also curious and playful. He is a very chatty cat, with a full range of meows, chirps and “brrrrpp” sounds to express his excitement, questions, and the occasional complaint! There are no secrets with Grecco, you will always know what he’s thinking about.
Grecco loves to play with the ball tower, and to chase the wand toys, but his top favorite toys are the little stuffed toy mice! He loves to chase them, bat them around, and chew on the little tails. If you throw the toy mouse across the floor, he will chase it - and often, bring it back to you!
Grecco loves to be pet, and even likes belly rubs! He has a good appetite and is a card-carrying member of the Clean Plate Club. He is curious about other cats, and would thrive in a house with another welcoming cat, or with his brother Gremlin. He enjoys sharing the attention, and having another kitty to play with. He would do well in a quieter home, and comes out of his shell in a calm and relaxed environment. He is friendly, curious, and ready to make new friends!
Adoption fee is a minimum $110 per kitten donation to Feral Fixers. All cats are up to date on shots, microchipped, dewormed, fixed, and FeLV/FIV tested. Discounted adoption fee if two kittens are adopted together, $175 for a pair.
Brief screening questionnaire and contract apply!
Please email [email protected] or call (630) 881-7459 for more information.
Feral Fixers, an organization dedicated to practicing and promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in DuPage County, Illinois. Our Long-term goal: To reduce both the number of cats euthanized and the feral cat population in DuPage County while improving the quality of life for both cats and humans through the high-volume use of low-cost or free spay-neuter services to sterilize feral, semi-feral, stray and domestic cats. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes when homes are available and through no-kill shelters.
Our Goals:
(a) To educate local governments and the public on the benefits of a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) program in DuPage County.
(b) To humanely control the population of feral cats in DuPage County, Illinois, primarily through a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) program.
(c) To provide educational resources and other assistance to feral cat colony caretakers and local veterinarians.
(d) To provide coaching on TNR methods to feral cat colony caretakers and others interested in furthering the objectives of TNR.
(e) To work in cooperation with other animal welfare organizations interested in furthering the objectives of TNR in DuPage County, Illinois.
(f) To promote the importance of spaying and neutering for all cats, feral or non-feral.
Feral Fixers offers its TNR services to all colony caretakers, without charge. While we ask for donations from colony caretakers, we recognize that for some of them, any additional cost is just too much. Therefore we rely on donations from other individuals to make up the difference and allow us to continue our work. These donations allow us to spay/neuter additional cats, keep a 'bank' of traps and trap dividers we loan out for free, hold workshops and provide other educational benefits.
Tammy’s 10K Speech - How Feral Fixers Got Started!
In April of 2007, I met both Ted Semon and Sue Lee for the first time at an Alley Cat Allies Seminar on TNR at Anti Cruelty in Chicago. Sue had started doing TNR for just a few cats she knew about and had questions. At that time Ted was a volunteer for Cat Guardians and had been trying to work towards a Maddie’s Fund grant for DuPage County, attempting to bring all of the shelters together – that was the way that Maddies’s Fund worked in those days, first everyone had to agree to work together. This was a chance encounter – he did not know who I was and I did not know his background either. He was wearing a Cat Guardians t-shirt and I wanted to say hello to Cathy. Soon after this, the executive director for DuPage Animal Control suggested that Ted and I meet to talk about TNR. I was resistant, as he will tell you – I don’t rely on people easily! By September of 2007, we had brought together other “cat” people and created Feral Fixers.
The idea of an organization devoted to Trap/Neuter/Return was still very new. And it has evolved for us over time. We created a mission statement which we have actually followed as it turns out:
Our Mission statement:
Feral Fixers was founded to reduce both the number of cats detained and the feral cat population in DuPage County while improving the quality of life for both cats and humans through the high-volume use of low-cost or free spay-neuter services to sterilize feral, semi-feral, stray and domestic cats. By reducing the number of unwanted kittens, local governmental agencies charged with animal control will be able to redirect money and staff normally targeted towards euthanizing unwanted animals. Vaccinating feral cats for rabies contributes to the public health by building a “barrier” to the spread of rabies to both animals and humans.
When TNR first started, the only way to “sell” the program was to emphasize that we would be reducing disease in the cat population. No cat leaves our hands without being vaccinated for rabies. That alone is over 10,000 rabies vaccinations.
“Reducing the feral cat population while improving the quality of life for both cats and humans…” We have definitely done that. In 2007, cats were roaming the streets all night, every night. Police officers had to dodge them in the dark as they patrolled the streets. We get thanked all the time for what we have done to improve that situation! Initially, we were mavericks, breaking the law. We have followed a path of civil disobedience to be sure! Ten years later, the policy on feral cats has been reversed in almost every municipality in DuPage County. Citations are rare, the police departments would much rather have us handle EVERY cat situation that they would formerly have been contacted about. Animal control officers within police departments are pretty much a thing of the past and they have been able to reduce their budgets and direct those monies elsewhere.
“By reducing the number of unwanted kittens, local governmental agencies charged with animal control will be able to redirect money and staff…” Not only the local police departments but DuPage County Animal Control has a completely different outlook on feral cats from 10 years ago. No longer are they a vector of disease, but cats with varying levels of friendliness. We have made great strides in working together, as much as the current laws will allow and hope to do more. Again, their workload on cats has been greatly reduced, they are not always at capacity and for three years have not had to euthanize an adoptable cat and last year the number of ferals euthanized was down to 50 in contrast to the hundreds and hundreds that were euthanized yearly in the past.
“By reducing the number of unwanted kittens…” One of the greatest burdens on Feral Fixers has been the enormous number of kittens that we have taken from the outdoors. More than we ever could have imagined. In addition to all of the cats and kittens that have been adopted thru Feral Fixers, we have called upon our partners to help us with finding homes – West Suburban Humane Society, ADOPT Pet Shelter and Naperville Area Humane Society are the main shelters we have dealt with. Caretakers have adopted cats from their yards, worked with friends and family. We owe our partners and our adopters so much in helping us with this. If we can’t get there before the kittens are born, what else are we to do but find a solution for them? Little did Sue Lee know that a few years after our meeting she would be asked to join our Board and take on the Adoption Manager role! And isn’t it great that we have realized a portion of Ted’s goal – we are all working together these days!!!
“…the high-volume use of low-cost or free spay-neuter services to sterilize feral, semi-feral, stray and domestic cats.” We certainly have done high-volume! We could not have done so many neuters without PAWS Chicago and without the addition of ADOPT’s spay/neuter clinic more recently and the continued support of Glen Ellyn Animal Hospital. We have definite criteria on services and record-keeping and not all clinics and vets can produce what we need. We are hoping so very hard that things will improve in that direction!
We have wonderful people who transport to the clinics for us. So many of our volunteers do not just one function but several.
We cannot continue with the building resources we currently have – which is the homes, garages and basements of our volunteers. We need space to house our adoptable's, our cats that are in transition – recovering from injury, awaiting relocation, waiting for foster homes, pre and post TNR, the list goes on. We have started looking at properties. It would be wonderful to get all of our needs in one location – the price tag on that is around $500,000 if we purchase plus the monthly maintenance expenses. Monthly expenses could be around $2,000.
We could not do what we do without your support and we thank you so much! Cannot say often enough – Thank you!!!
Feral Fixers is an organization dedicated to practicing & promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
