Answered By: Robin Dillow
Last Updated: Feb 06, 2023     Views: 110

First of all, thank you for your concern about the feral cats in your yard. 

Fortunately, there are a number of resources available in the Chicago area, but each organization or program varies in terms of what it offers.  For example, some organizations will lend traps to you and teach you how to catch, recover and then return the cats to the neighborhood.  Others offer low-cost and, depending on where you live, even free neuter-spay services. 

No-kill shelters by their very nature are limited admission and, generally speaking, do not accept feral cats or kittens for admission to their adoption programs.  Even with neuter-spay clinics, early neuter-spay programs, and adoptions, there still are too few spaces for too many homeless animals for no-kill facilities to accommodate them all.  However, you still should attempt to develop a relationship with the organizations and programs in your area. 

Before you contact them, please be prepared to think about what you can do - foster and socialize the kittens, pay for their neuter-spay surgeries, provide an outdoor shelter and care for them (ferals actually do quite well if properly cared for in a colony setting), and what you know - do owned cats in your neighborhood go outside, have you seen stray cats before, are there other ferals in the neighborhood. The better prepared you are, the better equipped they will be able to assist you.

Learn more about feral cats at Alley Cat Allies.  Additionally, the local organizations listed below are a great place to start.  Good luck!

Robin K. Dillow

Adjunct Faculty, Library Services

Tree House Humane Society
Email:
tnr@treehouseanimals.org  
Phone: 773-262-4000
Website: https://treehouseanimals.org/

PAWS Chicago
Email: info@pawschicago.org
Phone: (773) 328-2230
Website: https://www.pawschicago.org/

Feral Feline Project
Email: FeralFelineProject@gmail.com
Phone: 847-800-0095
Web site: https://feralfelineproject.org/

CatVando
Phone: 708-829-6013
Web site: https://www.catvando.org/

Triple R Pets
Email: info@triplerpets.org  
Phone: 708-738-1438
Web site: https://triplerpets.org/