07/31/2026
Southern Illinois Critter Fixers is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) not for profit organization made up of volunteers that trap feral and community cats in accordance with regulations set by the state of Illinois.
Southern Illinois Critter Fixers representatives initially met with Mayor Moore in July 2025 to explain how Trap Neuter/Spay Vaccinate, Return (TNVR) humanely works to reduce the population of feral and community cats, while also improving the health and lives of these cats.
In August 2025, a representative presented TNVR information to Fairfield City Council. We requested financial assistance from Fairfield City to support the TNVR program, and to provide mobile feeding stations. These feeding stations could begin to be moved from the current location to a more desirable location (edges of town). No money was offered, instead we were asked how much money it would take to fix the cat problem.
Representatives again met with Mayor Moore, Alderman Eckleberry, Mr. Colclasure, and the Wayne County Humane Society in June. Mayor Moore continued to suggest that any cat caught, not be returned to Fairfield. According to Illinois TNVR policy, feral cats legally must be returned to the location they were trapped. Again, we were asked to present a proposal to eliminate the cat problem. Some discussion about the cost did occur, with Mayor Moore stating that he was already paying the humane society $2000/month, and did not feel any additional funds to Southern Illinois Critter Fixers would help solve the problem, since he wants the cats removed.
It costs approximately $180 per cat to spay/neuter/vaccinate. The trapped cats are sterilized, marked by ear tipping to be easily identifiable, and vaccinated for the rabies virus. We have also gone above the set standards to help reduce the spread of contagious feline diseases such as viral feline upper respiratory infections and panleukapenia (a fatal diarrhea virus). Feral cats also play a vital role in towns acting as rodent control. Vaccinated feral cats also act as a barrier against rabies to the human population by catching or chasing away wildlife carrying rabies. In our view permanent removal of stray and feral cats may result in unwanted pest population exploding.
TNVR is the only proven method that has been able to control cat populations due to cats being territorial. The humane society can legally destroy any cat they deem to be a problem animal. If trap and euthanasia worked the cat population would have been under control a long time ago as this was the previous way of controlling animal populations.
The following information includes Southern Illinois Critter Fixers totals from 2025 and 2026:
Donations from Fairfield residents during 2 year period $6655
Approximate $ spent in Fairfield for TNVR during same 2 year period $12,000
73 cats have been trapped over the 2 year period.
41 of trapped cats (feral) were returned to location trapped, per Illinois law.
22 of trapped kittens (tame) were adopted into homes.
10 of trapped cats/kittens died due to illness.
One female cat can produce up to 20 kittens per year. Using this number as a guide, we calculate that approximately 780 kittens have not been born in Fairfield during our first 2 years of TNVR work.
Approx. 65 surgeries have already been performed with 29 of these done at Growls & Meows Vet Clinic in Cisne and 36 completed at Deuel Vet in Salem and 1 surgery done at Fairfield Vet Hospital.
