August Declared no-kill Shelter Month

Illinois declares August no-kill shelter month for the first time!

Wonderful when publicity centers around the need for change in animal welfare! Hope this is followed by increased funding for more spay/neuter resources to get to NO-KILL! This may be a start!

So Many Calls

An average of 4 calls a day regarding new locations, cats outside of DuPage County. Cats that have been fed for a year and now there are kittens, cats in houses and basements that need to be trapped because they are feral and yes, there are kittens, I’m moving and cats need to leave, brought a kitten inside – you have to take it, and on and on.

The worst first sentence is “I trapped a cat yesterday, last night, this morning - what do I do?” Well, making arrangements in advance to do trapping is the most important thing they could possibly do as we are not a clinic and have limited s/n slot access. Please share that with anyone you speak with about TNR!

It can be the hardest thing to say no to someone who has no idea of what goes into TNR and rescue of cats. They may think we are a service that must provide whatever they need, they may be so overwhelmed and beyond help in every facet of their lives and this is the thing they can solve so why don’t we help them immediately?

There are the Good Samaritans that get a cat in a carrier and expect us to adopt it out. That cat is friendly to them for a short period of time, gets to our building and turns completely feral. Getting a cat out of a carrier and into a trap that does not want to move is a major challenge. Many cats like this have already been neutered and have a microchip and the Good Samaritan might even have taken it to be scanned for a chip, and it was not found. We get it into a trap, use our pole scanner and there it is. Then time to track down the purchaser of the chip and the person who is linked to that chip. So very lucky when that person can be found and they want the cat back then we arrange the return!

“As If They Were Our Own” Fundraiser

Feral Fixers does the best they can to treat all the cats that come into our hands “As If They Were Our Own.” It may start with spay/neuter but goes on to snap tests, dewormers, vaccinations, blood tests, and health care that can range from wounds, upper respiratory, and end-of-life care. So much that caretakers cannot provide for the cats they feed and care about. If you take a look at the numbers we’ve done n the last 5 weeks, you will see notes about the extra care some cats have needed.

A very generous donor has agreed to not just match the funds raised but actually triple the match. This means if you donate $10, the donor will donate an additional $30. So, your donation of $10 actually becomes a $40 donation thanks to their generous support. Our goal is to raise an initial $15,000! If we do this, the donor will triple-match this donation and donate $45,000 on top of the amount we raised making it possible that we could receive $60,000 from the 2026 "As If They Were Our Own" fundraiser. Donors also donate online and by mail, outside of using the Giving Grid and right now, our donations amount to $14,157 on our way to $15,000!!! The generous donor did say they were willing to go above matching $15k if we went beyond the initial goal! 

$60,000 can equal so many services beyond the basic spay/neuter surgery!

Please participate from 7/4 to 9/4 and help us take extra care of the cats in our area!

Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated and keep us in mind to donate by 9/4 to reach our ultimate goal!

AND, our original “As If…” spokescat has been adopted! He went home and two additional kittens were adopted with him. We will tell the story of Warren as another example of what your donations mean to all of the cats in our care!

Warren

Warren was neutered with other colony members in July. The caretaker said they were keeping everyone inside. Got an email that Warren was lethargic and not eating – could be a reaction to vaccinations, no other symptoms were given. Then a call on Monday that a wound had been found. Had the caretaker bring him to our building and there was a massive 2inch abscess on his upper leg. FF took him to vet, abscess and total of 4 punctures drained, antibiotics given, xray taken but swelling was huge and obscured break. Drained again two days later. Doing better but back to vet for re-check in a week. Swelling down enough that xray showed clean femur break. More antibiotics and a splint that was a big challenge for the little guy. Break has made big progress and maybe the splint can come off this coming week! Warren will be so happy. Amazing how quickly he can get around, shooting across the room with great speed even with that cast! We cannot wait 'til he is fully recovered and can find a safe home that will keep him safe inside!

Too Busy to Write a Blog!

So much is involved in the TNR process and there are not enough volunteers to get everything done – with an animal in front of you, the phone ringing, writing a blog keeps getting put off. Do NOT assume we’re not doing anything, as the numbers below will show. Wish we could do even more! But not enough trappers, volunteers at the building, fosters… Oh, and the ever-important lack of s/n slots.

Our next s/n is 8/20!

Recent TNR numbers:

• 7/1 – ADOPT – 4 friendlies, 2 male, 2 female.
• 7/2 - ADOPT – 3 friendlies, 1 male, 2 female.
• 7/2 – DCAS – 10 friendly, 16 feral, 14 male, 12 female – 1 already spayed, 1 euthanized due to peritoneal pericardial diaphragmatic hernia (liver surrounding heart).
• 7/15 – ADOPT – 9 friendlies, 5 male, 4 female.
• 7/16 – DCAS – 19 ferals, 10 male, 9 female – 1 with pyometra.
• 7/23 – ADOPT – 4 friendlies, 2 male, 2 female.
• 7/23 – DCAS – 11 friendlies, 19 ferals, 14 male, 16 female, 1 already neutered, 1 already spayed.
• 7/30 – ADOPT – 10 friendlies, 3 male, 7 female.
• 8/3 – DCAS – 1 feral female, had given birth to extremely premature kittens.
• 8/4 – GEAH – 1 friendly female, had miscarried.
• 8/6 – ADOPT – 5 friendlies, 1 male, 4 female.
• 8/6 – DCAS – 8 friendlies, 13 ferals, 10 male, 11 female.

July total 103, August total 28, 2026 total 450, 16,995 since 2007! #17,000 coming up soon!

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

Apologies To Norman Rockwell

For years I have blamed a Norman Rockwell style print of a cat drinking squirts of milk straight from the cow for influencing the public giving cow’s milk to their cats. The image started with a photographer in 1954, not with Norman Rockwell. Still, do not give cats cow’s milk. It can cause fatal damage when given long term. I bring this up because a caretaker contacted us after we TNR’d their cat, that he was not doing well. He was consistently given cow’s milk. He was recently euthanized due to kidney disease. This cat guide lists kidney damage as a long-term symptom.

Coffee Anyone?

Coffee For A Cause is a very simple fundraiser, you order coffee, Feral Fixers receives 33% of the purchase price of $24/bag. What is unique is that immediately upon your order being processed – the coffee is shipped! No waiting til the conclusion of the fundraising dates in order to receive your coffee! Gives you time to order more than once! Yeah, we’re promoting this as the temperatures are in the 90’s!

“As If They Were Our Own” Fundraiser

Feral Fixers does the best they can to treat all the cats that come into our hands “As If They Were Our Own.” It may start with spay/neuter but goes on to snap tests, dewormers, vaccinations, blood tests, and health care that can range from wounds, upper respiratory, and end-of-life care. So much that caretakers cannot provide for the cats they feed and care about.

We have a very generous donor who has agreed to not just match the funds raised but actually triple the match. This means if you donate $10, the donor will donate an additional $30. So, your donation of $10 actually becomes a $40 donation thanks to their generous support. Our goal is to raise an initial $15,000! If we do this, the donor will triple match this donation and donate $45,000 on top of the amount we raised making it possible that we could receive $60,000 from the 2026 "As If They Were Our Own" fundraiser. 

$60,000 can equal so many services beyond the basic spay/neuter surgery!

Please participate from 7/4 to 9/4 and help us take extra care of the cats in our area!

Amazing How the Weather Affects Trapping!

Our next s/n is 7/16!

6/25 – DCAS – 14 friendlies, 19 ferals, 18 females, 15 males.  Two males were in terrible condition with severe dental disease and abscessed wounds and were euthanized.

June total 66, 2026 total 319, 16,864 since 2007!

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

National Veterinarian Shortage in the U.S.

Scale and Projections

• The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) estimates the U.S. needs about 7,300 new veterinarians per year to replace retirees and meet demand, but schools are producing closer to 6,000 annually, creating a cumulative shortfall of roughly 14,600 veterinarians by 2030.
• Some industry reports suggest the gap could be as high as 55,000 additional vets by 2030 to meet companion animal demand alone.
• By 2030, the U.S. will need 10,000 more veterinarians just to meet demand, with 25,000 job postings in a single quarter in 2023.

Where It’s Hardest

• Rural areas and food animal medicine are hit hardest, with many counties lacking a single vet or emergency clinic.
• Emergency and specialty care is overburdened, leading to long wait times and temporary closures.
• The USDA’s 2026 shortage map lists over 40 counties across multiple states as designated shortage areas.

Causes

• Aging workforce: Many vets are nearing retirement, especially in large animal medicine.
• Shift to corporate practices: Fewer small, independently owned clinics, making it harder to pass on low-cost practices.
• High training costs: Veterinary school tuition has risen sharply, making entry harder.
• Specialty shortages: Open positions for specialists exceed available candidates by up to four times.

Impacts

• Pet owners: Longer wait times (48 hours vs. 12 in urban areas), higher emergency care costs (15–17% more), and clinic closures.
• Agriculture: U.S. dairy farms lost $3.2B in 2022 due to delayed care; rural farm incomes drop 5–10%.
• Public health: Delayed diagnosis increases zoonotic disease transmission risk by 32%.
• Economic loss: Estimated $1.2B annually in lost productivity.

Solutions and Outlook

• More veterinary schools: 20 new schools needed by 2030 to meet demand.
• Incentives: USDA and VMLRP programs target vets to shortage areas.
• Affordable care: Organizations like the Maryland SPCA and Baltimore Humane Society are stepping in to fill gaps.
• Workforce retention: Addressing burnout and improving compensation to keep vets in the field.

In short, the U.S. veterinary shortage is a systemic, long-term issue driven by supply constraints, demand growth, and structural changes in the profession. Without significant expansion of training capacity and targeted recruitment, the gap will continue to widen.

Cat Butt Imprint Study — What It Was and What It Found

A viral “cat butt imprint study” was actually a science fair project conducted by 6th grader Kaeden Henry and his mother, Kerry Hyde, in 2021 to answer a common cat owner question: Do cat buttholes touch every surface they sit on? Upworthy.

How the Study Was Conducted

Hypothesis: Cats’ buttholes do not always make contact with every surface they sit on.

Method:

1. Non-toxic lipstick was applied to the anuses of each cat.
2. Cats were trained to follow commands (sit, lie down, jump up) and sit on a variety of surfaces — soft (pillows, couches) and hard (wooden tables, tile floors).
3. After each sitting, the lipstick was wiped away with a baby wipe.
4. The experiment lasted under 10 minutes per cat.

Participants: Long-haired, short-haired, and medium-haired cats (hairless cats were excluded due to potential contact with wipes).

Results

• Long-haired and medium-haired cats: Their buttholes did not make contact with either soft or hard surfaces.
• Short-haired cats: Their buttholes did not make contact with hard surfaces, but the study did not specify soft surfaces for them.
• Conclusion: Cat buttholes do not touch every surface cats sit on — contact depends on the cat’s coat type and the surface’s texture.

Why It’s Not a “Real” Scientific Study

While the experiment followed the scientific method, it was not peer-reviewed and was presented as a fun, educational project rather than a formal research paper. It was designed to entertain and answer a quirky but relatable question for cat owners.

Takeaway

If you’re worried about cat butts touching your furniture or bedding, the study suggests that coat length and surface type matter. Long-haired cats are less likely to leave a visible mark, while short-haired cats may still leave marks on hard surfaces. For hygiene, regular cleaning of cat resting areas is still recommended.

Cats Came from the Desert but They Need Water!

Providing water for ferals can increase their quality of life so much! If you feed canned food, stir water into the food and it will make a huge difference. Be sure to clean outside water bowls frequently – even daily as a biofilm scum can form easily and do more harm than good!

Why Does My Cat’s Water Bowl Get Slimy? 3 Vet-Approved Reasons

How Much Water Does a Cat Need per Day?

286 Now Compared To 288 At the End of June 2025!

Our next s/n is 6/25!

• 6/8 – DCAS – 1 feral male, injured rear foot and mats on his back. Very talkative. Under review at DCAS and may be adopted thru them. We’ll put him under feral, but…
• 6/11 – DCAS – 13 friendlies, 19 ferals, 18 female, 14 male. Of those 13 friendlies, we have a lot of approved adoptions applications on hand. While we are working on having adoption events, we don’t seem to be keeping kittens in stock!

June total 33, 2026 total 286, 16,831 since 2007!

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible