Trapping Coming to an End for the Year
This year we started a month early with trapping – had a location with over 30 cats in a barn so we could work on them without risking their health. We’ve been going full tilt since then, so many weeks with two trips per week. We’ve had fewer trapping volunteers, fewer transporters, a big increase in the kittens born before we are contacted. With this blog post we have gotten to almost 800 cats for the year. In the next two weeks the overnight temperatures will start to be below freezing. Cats get vaccinations at the time of surgery and that lowers their immune systems, shaved tummies allow heat to escape. We stop trapping at this time to reduce harm that we might cause. We’ll start up again by the beginning of April, we will see what conditions are as we get closer. For now, put out shelters, provide good, nourishing food, wait and call us in the Spring. This week is our last official trip for ferals. There are limits to what we can do. We will still be working thru the kittens we have on hand that will be old enough for surgery over the next few weeks.
Taken for Granted
How can I express this without sounding negative? We constantly get calls where we’re asked to take in kittens, owner give-ups, outside of DuPage cats. “So-and-so said to call Feral Fixers.” We have a reputation of doing everything, from trapping, taming, adoptions, relocating, feral health care. All shelters are overwhelmed, we get that. But those other organizations need to step up, do more in their areas, figure it out for their residents. The alternative is a huge jump in euthanasia across the board, from bottle babies to geriatric to simple health issues. There is a limit to resources and more people need to be doing more. Volunteers are not an inexhaustible resource – so many of ours have had life changes, finally doing that surgery they’ve put off for years, home improvements that they’ve put off, their own resources have changed, etc. Our goal is to neuter every cat we can get our hands on in DuPage County. When we can, we do outside DuPage. Kittens and friendlies are a side effect of TNR and we deal with it as best we can. We do NOT call our building a ‘shelter.’ Our goal is to stop any cat being housed at that building if possible – that will be a measure of the difference we’ve made. Good thing we did not get a larger building, we are at capacity for care with this building. Please, if you are referring anyone to Feral Fixers, do the legwork first – where are the cats located? Trap/Neuter/Return – make them aware the cats will be coming back. It is a huge responsibility to have neutered almost 15,000 cats. We do our best. Residents and Rescues need to step up and not take for granted everything we have done and continue to do! So sorry to sound negative but need to make everyone aware! We are very grateful for everyone who does so much for Feral Fixers!
26 Came Thru Last Week
10/19 - DCAS – 22 ferals, 1 friendly, 10 females, 13 males.
10/20 – ADOPT – 3 ferals, 2 female, 1 male.
Numbers for October – 94, 2023 – 797, since start – 14,749!
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| "Just" 3 cats on 10/20 trip - 2 females, one male, dozens of kittens averted? |
As part of trapping, we’ve also taken in more than 10 kittens this past week. National organizations support leaving/putting kittens back outside. That would just be gut-wrenching for us but there is a point where you cannot take more. So difficult to say ‘no.’ Please share our Adoptables with your family & friends!
Upcoming Adoption Events
Here are the next four adoption events over the next two months:
- Saturday, 11/4, 11am-3pm, PetSmart in Finley Square Shopping Center (1550 Butterfield Rd, Downers Grove)
- Saturday, 11/18, 11am-3pm, Feral Fixers building
- Saturday, 12/2, 11am-3pm, PetSmart in Finley Square Shopping Center (1550 Butterfield Rd, Downers Grove)
- Saturday, 12/16, 11am-3pm, Feral Fixers building
Click on our “Want to Adopt” link on our home page and get pre-approved. We do not do same day adoptions. Did you know that there are other organizations that charge for adoption applications? Completely understandable considering the amount of time it takes to process, the phone calls, waiting for call backs from vets and landlords. You would be amazed at the time invested in finding our cats the best homes possible.
The World Is Getting Smaller - Update
Update: A friend of a volunteer contacted us on Wednesday (18th?) regarding a mom & 2 kittens. Next day a volunteer trapper was able to get over there and got first kitten, used it as bait and got mom & second kitten. When they got to the building, mom was eartipped! It was Dusty! She was returned later that day, and we have the kittens in our care now. At least 3 locations impacted by Dusty’s wandering! Microchips are forever!
From 10/15 Blog Post: Caretaker contacted us, volunteer facilitated trapping, Dusty was spayed on Thursday. No indication of nursing, etc., no notes on paperwork. Dusty was picked up and released Saturday morning. Got a call from someone with screaming kittens under her deck but was not going to be home for the next few hours. Realizing it was the same street, checked with original caretaker, who walked down to the neighbor’s house and there they were, with the mom! She backed away, still on the phone with me, went to the Ring doorbell and to shorten the story, they are going to work together and with Feral Fixers to get the kittens trapped! It is such a small world, and it is wonderful to find such caring people, willing to do their best to help these cats! And, they had never met before, so this is building neighborhood relations!
