Feral cats can provide a valuable service to communities by reducing the rodent population, but they can also become a nuisance if their numbers aren’t kept in check.
With that in mind, officials in Indian Head Park opted to partner with a nonprofit organization that specializes in human control of the feline population to address resident and public health concerns, and to give residents an opportunity to assist with the effort.
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“We heard from residents frustrated with outdoor cats,” said village President Amy Jo Wittenberg. “This program gives us a humane way to address that while reducing the population over time.”
The village has partnered with Western Springs-based Triple R Pets, which specializes in what’s called “trap-neuter-return.” Through this process, feral cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and returned to their territory. Volunteer caretakers then monitor and care for the colonies.
“We knew that we needed both to educate the public about our ordinance prohibiting pets roaming free and to deal with feral cats in a humane way,” said Gavin Morgan, Indian Head Park village administrator.
Under village ordinance, managed feral cat colonies may operate within Cook County’s animal control framework. The ordinance distinguishes organized colony management from uncontrolled feeding and preserves the village’s authority to address unsanitary conditions, property damage, rodent attraction and other nuisance issues.
Because cats can quickly repopulate vacant areas, trap, neuter, return is widely recognized as a more effective long-term solution than removal alone.
“Feral cats play an important part in the overall ecosystem,” said Judy Clark, Triple R Pets executive director. “They help control rodents, so much so that in some cities they have a feral cat ‘loan’ program to help residents.”
But if left unmanaged, the feral cat population can multiply quickly, Clark cautioned.
In addition to spaying or neutering and vaccination, cats are “ear tipped” to easily identify those having gone through a control program, Clark explained.
“Many feral cats find themselves on the street after that cute kitten is now a cat and a family moves and leaves the cat outside or even can’t afford to take care of the cat and places it outside,” she said. “Other times, they may have had a wonderful, loving home, but ended up lost and become feral over time. Microchipping is important to ensure that cats can be reunited with their family if they become lost.”
Each cat is entered into Triple R’s database. “From time to time, a cat may end up in a vet’s office and a quick scan will allow the caretaker to be contacted and the cat returned to its colony,” Clark said.
Indian Head Park is seeking residents interested in serving as feral cat colony caretakers. Triple R will provide training, with no experience required. “Our volunteers help support the caretakers by providing hands-on training in how to trap cats, and then how to care for them,” Clark said. “We ask a new caretaker to come to a workshop to learn about the program.”
Triple R, which partners with several clinics in the West, South and Southwest suburbs to provide low cost spay/neuter packages, coordinates trapping efforts, maintains colony records, provides volunteer training, arranges veterinary services and monitors program outcomes.
Just how many feral cats call Indian Head Park their home is difficult to quantify.
“We don’t know the exact numbers of feral cats in the village,” Morgan said, noting that other communities have adopted similar control programs. “We do know it is growing because a number of the cats were having litters, and the number of calls about them was increasing.”
Clark said she hopes that creating awareness around TNR programs will help control the feral population. “Each suburb is different in the number of colonies and cats we see,” she said. “Over our 20-year history, in the communities where TNR is embraced, we’ve seen cooperation with the caretakers and the suburbs, and over time, the number of cats declines.”
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Beyond volunteering to help manage cat colonies, Morgan offers this guidance for village residents:
Avoid leaving food out in a way that attracts cats, wildlife, rodents or other pests.
If feeding cats, do so only as part of a managed feral cat colony program whenever possible.
Keep feeding areas clean and promptly remove leftover food, containers and waste.
Eliminate conditions that can become nuisance areas, including accumulations of debris or other materials that harbor animals or pests.
“If a resident is concerned about feral cats on their property, they should contact the village or a participating managed colony organization rather than attempting to relocate the cats themselves,” Morgan advised.
Clark reminded residents that feral cats differ greatly from domestic pets. “Do not approach a feral cat thinking that you can handle that cat. It is a wild animal and needs to be respected as one and given space,” she said. “There are community cats that are domestic, but if they are on the streets long enough, they become feral, so caution is always advised. That said, many caretakers, over years, establish close bonds with the cats they care for. Every cat is different.”
How to get involved
Triple R Pets provides guidance on its website, www.tripleRpets.org, on how to become a registered caretaker and how to trap and care for a feral cat colony.
“The program starts with the caretaker reviewing the information, attending a workshop and then signing a caretaker agreement,” explained Judy Clark, Triple R’s executive director. “The only thing needed to participate is a willing attitude to learn and a commitment to care for the cats as outlined in our caretaker agreement, which meets the Cook County Feral Cat Ordinance guidelines.”
Triple R volunteers provide education but caretakers are responsible for trapping the cats and caring for them when returned to their colony.
The cost to borrow a trap from Triple R is $80, which is fully refundable when the trap is returned. “We also ask for a $40 donation to help offset the costs of the spay/neuter package,” Clark said.
Residents interested in volunteering or learning more about the program can visit www.triplerpets.org or contact the Indian Head Park Village Hall at 708-246-3080.
Jim Dudlicek is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.