A new community initiative led by Dr. Tamara Murphy of Growls & Meows in Cisne is taking aim at the growing feral and stray cat population across Southern Illinois. The goal: to humanely reduce overpopulation and improve the overall health of outdoor cats through free or donation-based spay and neuter services, paired with vaccinations.
“We are attempting to gather enough donations to spay and neuter cats at no charge,” said Dr. Murphy, a consulting veterinarian for Southern Illinois Critter Fixers. “We do, however, ask for a donation if the person requesting help can donate.”
The program also includes rabies and other essential vaccinations, aiming to reduce the spread of diseases common among unvaccinated, outdoor cats. “Rabies is present in the wild population and is easily spread through the saliva of an infected animal,” Dr. Murphy warned.
Each altered cat will have its left ear tipped for quick identification, and the program will track the number and location of sterilized cats. Organizers plan to report their progress at local village, city, and county board meetings.
The urgency of the project stems from the cats’ rapid breeding rate. “Just one female cat can have up to four litters per year, averaging five kittens per litter,” Dr. Murphy explained. “That’s nearly 20 kittens from one cat each year — and females can become pregnant as early as five months old.”
So far, four veterinary clinics have joined the effort:
Growls & Meows (Cisne)
Deuel Veterinary Clinic (Salem)
Fairfield Veterinary Hospital
Town & Country Veterinary Clinic (McLeansboro)
Veterinary clinics in Wayne, Edwards, Hamilton, Clay, Jefferson, White, and Marion counties were invited to participate.
In addition to surgeries, the program plans to establish feral cat feeding stations in local communities as donations allow. “Even barn cats should be altered,” Dr. Murphy emphasized. “There are always more cats than homes, and many outdoor kittens don’t survive due to predators or disease.”
The initiative seeks to fill a gap left by many humane societies, which often cannot respond unless cats are tame or complaints are made.
Donations to support the project can be sent to:
Southern Illinois Critter Fixers
101 Railroad Street
Cisne, IL 62823
Dr. Murphy and the team hope this grassroots effort will protect not just the cats but also local pets, wildlife, and communities from the negative impacts of uncontrolled feline populations.
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