153 So Far This Year!
Amazingly we are still finding colonies of 10+! And now, in locations that we TNR'd ten years ago, as the previous cats disappear, fresh, new unneutered cats are showing up. Our approach is much more specific, thankfully, being able to get the mom and her kittens before an explosion happens but it doesn't look like we are going to be "done", the size of the area and the people involved and the economy all play a part in our ongoing work – but we are making a difference in all their lives! Total of 19 in additional April trips, 60 for the month, 53 so far in May, 153 for the year and 13,367 since our beginning in 2007, almost 15 years ago!
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| May 2nd trip to DCAS Whether 1 cat or dozens, each s/n trip is worth it! |
Ronald R. Bork Fund of DuPage Foundation Grant
We are very grateful for the grant we have received from the Ronald R. Bork Fund of DuPage Foundation which is to help us provide funds for the spaying and neutering we do for the next year. The $15,000 will equal services for approximately 250 cats in the coming months. We could not continue to reduce the feral overpopulation and euthanasia without support like this from our community!
Helping Outdoor Cats
In the May issue of the DuPage County Animal Services (DCAS) Newsletter, there is an article about helping outdoor cats. From the article:
- Talk to your neighbors to see if anyone is providing food or shelter
- Contact Feral Fixers for care resources: www.feralfixers.org/
- Trap/Neuter/Release is the most humane way to keep feral cat populations under control
- Don't Kitten-nap! Kittens do best with their mom until old enough to be socialized. If you find a kitten on its own, mom may be out getting food. Give mom a chance to come back and monitor the kitten for signs of distress. Speak with a rescue organization before bringing in a kitten.
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| Kittens come in and are housed in crates temporarily until they settle down enough for "Cats In Transition" |
Fund Our Ferals Future Fund
Our Ferals Future Giving Grid Campaign ends May 31st. As I write this, we have raised only 14% of our total goal. So much is happening in the world, gas and food prices, so many people and other organizations in need, it is not surprising. Who knew so much would happen in such a short period of time? Our donors are so wonderful, we know that if they are not directing their donations towards Feral Fixers, they are still doing so much good in the world, how could we feel badly if we do not meet this one goal? Fundraising is a constant, there will be more opportunities to support us! Please do your best to share and invite others to participate, it would be tremendous to meet our goal! In the meantime, hug your cats, give 'em some catnip, some extra treats and remember how lucky you are to be able to do so! Thank you all for what you do! We have $18,000 in pledges to be matched, we can get quite a lot done with that! Please help us to continue to make improvements, make our building safer!
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| Things that need to be fixed in our Parking Lot! | ||
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| Another picture of the Parking Lot and the Back steps that need to be improved. | ||
Constipated cats!
We have had a rush of ferals with constipation issues! Be sure to put out water and to mix water in with canned food you are feeding them!
Kitten Progression
The graphic below shows the progression of kittens from Newborn through 10 weeks. It is difficult to read, so you can see an easier to read and more detailed explanation at the Alley Cat Allies Kitten Progression page.
More Pictures!
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| When kittens come in, fresh from being trapped, they take awhile to get used to being handled. | ||
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| When cats are under stress, the pads of their feet actually sweat! | Hard day - trapped, handled by humans for the first time, need some rest! |
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| This family is still with their mom in Caturnity (the mom & kitten ward in the building). Out for play time, they will be going to foster soon! | When we encounter moms & kittens, depending on age and situation, they come to the building, kittens are put in a feral cat den and mom is transferred to join them. This mom settled down right away and started nursing! The den is then placed in a crate which gives everyone plenty of room to move around and get comfortable, there's a port hole on the side. |
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| These guys were comfortable enough to come to the front of the crate but still needed to be close to each other. |
(Click on any of the picture thumbnails to see a full-size version)