The Feral Blog

March updates

Written by: Tammy McAuley

This Would Normally Be Time Off

But hey, ain’t nothin’ normal these days. In the past we did not start trapping until the first week of April. These 60 degree days made that very difficult to do so we have been neutering cats. Of course, on days we were trapping, the cats weren’t always in the right frame of mind! Let’s hope that improves going forward the rest of the year!

  • 2/26 DCAS - 8 friendly, 16 feral, 14 female, 10 male. One feral male came in the door after the vehicle left but DCAS was able to add him on. One male was already neutered – although had been TNR’d, somehow the eartip got missed!
  • 3/5 DCAS – 20 ferals, 13 female, 7 male. What a difference that is going to make!
  • 3/12 DCAS – 1 friendly, 13 ferals, 5 female, 9 males with one freshly neutered but not chipped, now he is and his caretalers are bringing him in – he is a long-hair and despite the weather TODAY, his hair needs to grow a bit if he ends up going back outside.

We may not be making another trip til 4/2, but we still need to know where the cats are for future trips. If you call, leave the address, it is soooo helpful!

That brings us to February total – 27, March total 34, 2026 – 68 total, 16,613 since 2007!

Patsy
(2/26 Trip) At first, Patsy was purring, then she started making it very clear that she preferred the outside life so she went back!
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(2/26 Trip) All those carriers are for kittens who came in already friendly.
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(3/5 Trip) A mixture of 20 ferals, and cats awaiting vet appointments, relocation.
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(3/12 Trip) 13 Ferals, 1 Friendly.

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

Quest Pet Food Recall

Several forms of Quest Cat food are being recalled due to a possible lack of several essential nutrients. 

Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Freeze Dried – 10oz Bags

Lot #C25288 – Best Buy Date: 10/15/2027

Villa Park Using a Better Mouse Trap!

Villa Park is using new rodent traps to reduce rat population. Instead of poison, the trap uses a snap mechanism – made of metal to prevent squirrel damage and weighted to prevent theft. They also intend to use carbon monoxide in known rat burrows and improve rubbish cleanup along railroad tracks. All non-lethal to feral cats!

And an update from the Village Manager.

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Comment by Tammy: "Not once have I seen Villa Park attack feral cat caretakers in any of their posts. I actually called the Village and thanked them for this!"

Could Next Cancer Treatment Come from Cat Research?

Researchers have been studying various cat cancers and have discovered a similarity between the cancers of humans and felines. This article specifically mentions breast cancer and the identification of a similar gene in both. An interesting read!

Time To Replace Your Car?

For years, the process to accept donated vehicles was extremely complicated. Recently we received an inquiry and checking out the different services, we found CarEasy. The donor had no complaints about the process, CarEasy handled the whole process, car was picked up, Feral Fixers received the donation of $800! Easy peasy! Maybe how they came up with the name 😊. No one likes to shop their used car to dealerships or answer phone calls about vehicles they want to sell – this may be the answer! More details on our Want to Help > Sell Something! web page.

No Adoptions Scheduled Right Now

 We have kittens and adults on hand and absolutely adopters should fill out adoption applications, but we won’t be scheduling Adoption Events til April. Submit an application and perhaps a connection can be made without an Event – a meeting at our building can always be arranged. Please check our Adoptables Page for updates.

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The Lombardian was kind enough to post a picture of Frosty Claws with Francie Schamber front and center!

Cats Don’t Care… But We Do! Morgan, Stitch & Valentino Updates + Feb 22 Event

Written by: Tammy McAuley

Cats Don’t Care

Nope, they don’t care if we need time off.

On 2/12 we took a previously neutered feral into GEAH for limping. No outside wounds, x-rayed, looked all over and could find nothing. Could be Morgan is just so fat that movement is an issue! Or he likes visiting with us as he was treated for a foot injury in 2023! Morgan went back home and hopefully will cut back on the calories. We do our best to assist the cats in the area beyond spay/neuter. (No injuries — just 15.3 pounds of fabulous feral! Click here to view Morgan’s full medical report and elbow x-rays.)

2/18 a cat was brought in that actually was previously neutered and had a microchip. From Chicago, a former feral, he came out to the ‘burbs to be an inside cat. Landlord had the door open and he and his sister got out. Sister came back inside right away, Stitch decided to roam for more than a month. We trapped him, got his info from his chip and he is now back home – his people were taking him to the vet ASAP as he had upper respiratory and diarrhea from his time outside. We enjoy returning lost cats to their owners – those microchips make a difference!

2/16 1 friendly male to GEAH, received injured foot care and neuter – he was sedated anyway! Valentino is a wonderful boy and will be up for adoption when fully recovered and has learned how great houses are in foster care!

2/19 DCAS – 1 friendly, 1 feral, both females. Hoping this feral decides to become friendly but you never know.

That brings us to February total – 4, 2026 – 11 total, 16,556 since 2007!

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

Cat Technology Leads to Car Safety

Cats have benefitted humans in many ways. What you may not know is that cats led to the development of car safety changes almost 100 years ago and have been studied to make current day camera technology improvements.

February 22nd Adoption Event

Right now, we have 13 cats scheduled for an appearance on 2/22 at our building. Some may be adopted before; it is always a good idea to fill out an adoption application in advance. Fosters are often on hand to share information about the cats who have lived with them. Check out our Adoptables on our website and make an appointment to visit with the others who can’t be at this event!

  • Sunday, February 22, 1pm - 4pm, 330 Eisenhower Ln N, Lombard

No Surgeries This Week, But Plenty Still Happening at Feral Fixers

Written by: Tammy McAuley

We’ve been trying to take time off as best we can.

We do have a female in TNR who has turned out to be incredibly sweet and hopefully she will get spayed next week.

We have an enormous previously TNR’d feral in the TNR room who was supposed to have an injured leg, finally, yesterday he was favoring the right front leg – now we have a direction to go in. Vet full today, tomorrow, closed Sunday, he will be seen on Monday, and we’ll pop him into a crate for a couple of days even though he is sure to trash it big time!

Volunteers have family emergencies, vets have come down with that nasty new cold, Monday is a holiday, and despite the warmer weather we just can’t process significant numbers of cats 'til our trip the last week of February. There’s only so much we can do.

We have about 100 cats to trap on our list for the end of February and beginning of March, wish us luck!

Donations Greatly Appreciated!

Part of my duties is processing donations. Very grateful at how busy I’ve been the last couple of months. With all of the hardships everyone is experiencing it is always a surprise when I go to the post office or open an email advising us of a donation.

Yesterday a note was with a check: “Thank you for what you do to help the kitties. I’m starting to see more cats in my neighborhood. They look like they were abandoned and for sure males not fixed. I wish I could send more for a donation but its already a bad money year. Thank you again.”

Of course, as soon as possible we’ll be looking at that area. For years and years, this area was one that community service officers fined people feeding cats and therefore they hid what they were doing, the numbers grew and the neighbors complained, round and round it went. Municipalities simply do not have the funds to pay a CSO to do that work, the numbers continue to grow, but they will not endorse TNR officially, they just respond to complaints to this day with threats of fines – at least they don’t go looking for infractions so caretakers are more likely to contact us without that fear hanging over their heads. The officers do not WANT to pursue fines; it’s the ordinances on the books that they need to follow. But there I go on a tangent!

Trap/Neuter/Return is the main purpose of Feral Fixers. A side effect to this process is friendly cats and kittens, therefore we do adoptions. If we do not find homes for those cats on hand, what happens to the kittens and cats who would be very happy in homes but do not get the chance to come inside and change their lives. Please ask where the cat you are adopting came from, shop local to help with the local issues. Share our Adoption page, talk up how wonderful Feral Fixers truly is!

February 22nd Adoption Event

We still have almost 30 cats/kittens on hand for adoption. If you watch Facebook, there are so many cats still awaiting adoption at all of the area shelters. What can we say? You have to find the right feline for you! Check out our Want to Adopt? link at the top of our website. Fosters should be on hand to give you information on these cats who have lived with them. These are not cats that have continued to live in cages, they have experienced real life. If you cannot attend, individual meetups are possible. Fill out an adoption questionnaire in advance to speed up the process but you can stop in at an adoption event to learn more about our cats on hand that day and fill out a form for a future adoption. 

  • Sunday, February 22, 1pm - 4pm, 330 Eisenhower Ln N, Lombard, IL

Events Are for YOU As Much as Feral Fixers!

Great to see the El Famous diners yesterday while I was there. Adopter brought in photos of her two boys adopted last year with updates about them – they came from the Echo Point location – so glad they are doing well! These events are not just fundraisers; they allow us to see familiar faces! Food was great, I could have had yet another order of tacos, but I did bring nachos home to have as leftovers! Our next dining out event will be in April, look for updates!

Thank you for reading this update. Back to trapping in two weeks!

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

From The President

2026 - Can You Believe it!

Written by: Tammy McAuley

We’re almost thru 2025 as this is written. The year zoomed by!

Volunteers, caretakers, fosters, donors contributed to the spay/neuter of 811 feral and stray cats and kittens. Once again, we have done over 300 adoptions this year with the help of our trappers, fosters, adoption and animal care volunteers with just 10 days to go til the end of the year as I write this. We’ve helped so many cats and humans with the care of cats. Long-lasting effects in the future of cats in the DuPage County area.

Another year where there were limited spay/neuter services, pet owners and feral caretakers impacted by financial and housing issues. This has resulted in increased volume of cats outside and intact, creating more kittens. All shelters in the area are full, constantly.

We started trapping in February at locations with barns and outbuildings and accomplished 117 by the end of March – very early start. The whole year had its ups and downs with surgery and volunteer availability. But this contributed to a total of 16,545 spay/neuters since our start in 2007. Amazing, isn’t it?

Weather is the great unknown, but we hope to hit the ground running once again by the end of February, there are many locations that we need to get back to. Cats move around and just when we think we have resolved an area – a call with 20 more cats from a “finished” location comes in. Feral Fixers is at the top of all the search engines and perhaps someday we can expand our coverage to more than firm DuPage County response. That would take more trappers and more animal care support across the board. Please consider learning to trap and working in your own neighborhood, making a lasting difference! So many cards this year have mentioned how they are not seeing kittens as a result of our efforts.

Each week of trapping can result in kittens or cats that can become adoptable, requiring additional care at the building and then fostering and then adoption. Injured cats needing additional care are held at the building for recovery. Cats that must be relocated are usually held at the building until that can be arranged. This all requires an increased number of volunteers so that we can meet the need.

Our donors have made a huge difference, supporting us with the funds that keep the cats healthy, fed, warm in the Winter, cool in the summer. Imagine the food bill this past year! Skids of cat litter!

We always hope for fewer cats to be trapped, unlimited spay/neuter capacity and the day the phone will stop ringing with more and more cats to be cared for. Please help us make 2026 that year!

Donors, volunteers, caretakers have been doing so much for the past 18 years, and we’ve done so much – 16,545 cats!  Just remember –

As Many As Possible As Soon As Possible

It's 2025!

Written by: Tammy McAuley

2025 – Already Here!

2024 has been a very long year, hasn’t it? Yet it seems to have been over in the blink of an eye!

The volunteers, donors, caretakers, fosters, all playing a part in Feral Fixers accomplishing 854 spay/neuters of feral and stray cats and kittens. We have adopted approximately 342 cats and kittens to wonderful homes with the help of our adoption, foster and animal care volunteers and there are two days left in the year as I write this. We have assisted many sick and injured cats. We’ve done so much that is positive and will have long-lasting effects for both cats and humans.

We have to mention the challenges of the year – spay/neuter clinics shut down for reconstruction or permanently, veterinarians leaving the work force, all reducing the number of available surgery slots we could obtain. Pet owners faced housing and financial issues, resulting in more cats being outside and intact. Every shelter is full – we keep saying that and it does not improve.

Judging by the number of phone calls we have received and the locations we just could not get to, 2025 may be an even busier year. We resume trapping when the overnight temperatures are above 30 degrees consistently – that date is anyone’s guess in Chicagoland these days. We have to take the situations on a case- by-case basis. More people are bringing cats into their homes and arranging s/n themselves and we applaud them!

Through it all, our donors have helped so much. While fundraising takes time and there has not been near enough of that this year, we have been able to keep the lights on, the cats fed, the litter boxes scooped and spay/neuter to the capacity of the surgeries available to us.

We are hoping that increased capacity for surgery will increase our yearly s/n numbers in 2025 – the only way we are going to get ahead. We are hoping that more people will be able to volunteer, foster and adopt!

Even though this is hard work, we have to remember the impact we have had, how many cats would be roaming the streets, producing more and more, the suffering that has been alleviated, feline and human alike! We have much more work to do but what a difference has been made so far!

You - donors, volunteers, caretakers, are all responsible for the huge difference Feral Fixers has achieved in the last 17 years! Remember –

As Many As Possible

As Soon As Possible

It's 2024, finally...

Written by: Tammy McAuley

2023 – What A Year

Together, volunteers, donors, caretakers, everyone involved with Feral Fixers, we have accomplished 926 spay/neuters of feral and stray cats and kittens. With the help of our dedicated adoption and foster and animal care volunteers, we have found homes for 360 cats and kittens. In just this year, you can see the impact as we reduced the volume of cats outdoors, we reduced the overpopulation crisis from every direction, helping felines and humans alike.

The challenges have been immense. 

Kitten numbers have increased dramatically –societal changes may be the biggest impact: lack of vet access, money, movement of our population – combining households, isolation and hoarding, etc. People are actually paying more attention to the cats outside and are discovering the pregnant cat, the litter of kittens much more readily than in the past which results in overall increased volume that we are contacted about. Every shelter is full. Everyone is doing their best to save every cat they can. Adults and kittens are becoming friendly at an increased pace. Years ago, a feral was a feral was a feral. Not anymore. Kittens sometimes are friendly from the time they are trapped, adults will have a complete turnaround to being friendly. National organizations are seeing this and the only advice they can offer is that even if a cat is friendly, put it back outside – there just aren’t enough homes.

Volunteers. The data can be looked at in many different ways, but finding information that DuPage County ranked 2nd in 102 Illinois Counties of charities per square mile illustrates why it is so difficult finding and maintaining volunteers. No one seems to have as much time as we used to. There are so many choices of where to spend that valuable volunteer time. Our lives can change in an instant and our personal responsibilities must take priority. Feral Fixers has wonderful volunteers, and we treasure them every day. We need more, the volunteer staff is not a constant and can change quickly. From trapping to transport, fostering and shifts of cat care at the building, cleaning – oh my, the cleaning! We do need volunteers who can snuggle kittens just as much as we need those who can sweep floors and do laundry. Social people who can interact with adopters on adoption days, help with events, host events! Everyone has their own strengths and abilities, please share them with us!

Need everywhere. We can average five calls a day for help.

*Discovered kittens under the shed, come help. *My mother let a pregnant cat into her house, come trap and take the kittens. *My cat has lost its mind and is attacking me, help. *I have 15 cats in and around my house (usually results in 60+ cats). *I live outside your area, but I can bring the cats to you. *Been feeding a cat for 2 years, not neutered, now he’s injured from fighting, come help. On social media, you may often see “call Feral Fixers, they will help you” and we do help so many!

With all these challenges we must remember the impact we have had, can you imagine how many cats would be roaming the streets, producing more and more, the suffering we have alleviated, feline and human alike! We have much more work to do but what a difference has been accomplished! 

You - donors, volunteers, caretakers, are all responsible for the huge difference Feral Fixers has achieved in the last 16+ years!

April News...

Written by: Tammy McAuley

The False Information That Won’t Die

Recently, the Smithsonian printed misleading and false information about feral predation on birds – so false that the author of the article was terminated. But, just like when a disclaimer gets printed on page 32, the original information is circulated again and again. This article in the Journal of American Veterinary Medicine is the latest instance of copycat journalistic laziness. What is interesting is that their headquarters is right in Schaumburg – not even a long-distance phone call! The contact information is available in the banner above the article – follow “contact us” and feel free to comment on what was supposed to be an impartial pro/con article on feral cats. Shame on R. Scott Nolen and shame on his editors for repeating the same old drivel! No wonder vets are scared to have ferals in their practices when a resource that states “We Are Veterinary Medicine” claims that ferals are responsible for millions of bird and wildlife death. Please take the time to read the article and make your feelings known. If we can’t influence the “locals”.....

Children Are Our Future

I would like to single out one of our donors – Nora is the daughter of one of our long-time fosters. She loves cats so much! She supports Feral Fixers by doing impromptu fundraisers, the latest of which was in honor of her birthday. Nora donated $131 of her birthday money to Feral Fixers! Thank you, Nora!

Busy, As Always!

We have a few events going on currently and more coming up!

We’d like to thank our friends at Stella & Chewy’s for their offer to make a donation from all the sales in the month of April at Natural Pet Market in Wheaton. Natural Pet Market is a great place to stop in and learn a lot about food options that aren’t on the shelves of some of the other pet food vendors! No coupon necessary, its automatic with purchase!

Our Feral Fixers’ Bazaar “Shop 4 Strays” is imminent! Where else can you shop such a variety of home party vendors, the Feral Fixers Boutique AND our fabulous Bake Sale at one time! Nowhere else! As always, Feral Fixers volunteers will be on hand to answer questions, so come, hang out, have some coffee & shop!

Our Petco Foundation “Life Is Better Together” fundraiser is still going til April 29th. Emphasis on “fundraiser” - you vote with your donation. We have a team of animals, under VIEW PHOTOS, enter Feral Fixers and all the options appear! We have some really cuties! They all have a story, check them out and vote! We need to raise $1500 by the 29th or all of the money we have raised goes into a big pool, and we would only receive it if picked in a drawing. So pass the information on to your friends and family!

Keeping Pace With Last Year

We are, at this writing, one shy of the total number of cats neutered at the end of April last year. I expected us to be slowing down, but people really do not want their ferals to have kittens! This is great news! We are crossing our fingers as usually the shelters are awash in kittens by now and that is not the case yet! Yea!!!

I have to tell you about a recent trapping experience. I rarely GET to go out trapping myself anymore, there’s just too much to do! But, for this location, there wasn’t anyone who could go this far, in this direction. Sue was stopping at a barn to leave food for the cats and was concerned about how many kittens would be born if they did not get TNR’d. She was sure there were 17 cats, she had counted that many. So, I brought 18 traps with and made contingency plans for someone to come later and take filled traps away and bring more empties, just in case. We trapped 14 cats before we called it an afternoon – it was time to address the peeping of kittens that I had heard off and on. By then (super volunteer) Judy had arrived with the drop trap that she had been sure would be needed. She and (super volunteer) Ted had been on a project even further out in the boonies and I had asked that they stop and check on the situation on their way back. We were pretty certain which was the mother of the kittens, having seen her jumping out of the trough in which 3 kittens were screaming, barely a day old in the small amount of straw they were laying in, soooo cold. We set up the drop trap, put the kittens in a bowl with “their” straw, warmed them in the car periodically and finally! got the mom! That was definitely enough for that day. The next day, Judy and I came back with the drop trap and with Sue’s help, got 8 more cats before the remaining cats would no longer come out of hiding to check on what was going on. We knew there were more. Over the next 5 days, Sue trapped the remaining 9 cats. Yes, 14 + 1 + 8 + 9 = 32 cats & 3 kittens. Mom had a rocky start, but is doing well with the kittens now. And we have a new trapper in Sue who has gotten the TNR bug and is willing to help with locations in her area! With 14 adult females, you do the math, there could have been 50 – 60 kittens born there this Spring! Great job, Sue!

As always, we thank everyone who donate their time and money to making Feral Fixers a success!