Clip and Tip Strays

09/02/2026

Please keep water out during these times of blistering heat! They need it too!

09/01/2026

It does no good to blame but to support the caretakers of colonies.
If you know someone in your neighborhood feeding feral/stray cats, reach out and ask what can you do to help. Work together to resolve the issues. Make a plan together to get them spayed and neutered so that the colony decreases instead of becoming out of control. TNR works!

08/28/2026

Every cat matters but every cat can not be spayed and neutered all at once. Support all local TNR programs and donate so that more ferals can be fixed and please spay and neuter your pets!

TNR’ing one cat might not change the world, but surely for that one cat their world will change forever. 💘

Fixing one cat via TNR might feel like an insignificant dent in the overpopulation crisis . Knowing how many cats there are that need TNR, it might seem like what is the point… But for that cat, you just made their life significantly better! You also helped to prevent future generations of suffering on the streets!

One cat at a time.
One TNR appointment at a time.
One day at a time.
One act of kindness at a time.

That is the only way we will ever build up to a huge impact on the over population crisis. One at a time. 

08/22/2026

Dear Followers and Supporters,
I want to let you know that I have submitted my resignation as Chairperson of Clip and Tip Strays.

My official last day will be the board meeting on September 17th.

The September 8th clinic will still be held at Wags and Wash in Flora as scheduled. If there are any changes to the clinic, everyone who is signed up will be notified.

Thank you to all of our supporters for your continued support of Clip and Tip Strays and the mission to help reduce the number of homeless and feral cats in Clay County.

With appreciation,
Cat O

08/21/2026

Here’s the reason we say spaying cats improves health.
This is Calamity Jane a feral cat in Flora and her life was saved from being spayed at the Clip and Tip Strays Clinic on August 11th. During surgery the doctor discovered she had an infection in her uterus called
pyometra, which literally translates to "pus in the womb". It is a severe, life-threatening bacterial infection that causes a female cat's uterus to fill with large amounts of pus.
There were 3 more cats that were spayed on August 18th that also had pyometra.

How Pyometra Develops:
Hormonal shifts: After a heat cycle, high levels of the hormone progesterone thicken the lining of the uterus.
Bacterial entry: Bacteria (often E. coli from the vaginal tract) enter the relaxed cervix during heat.
Trapped infection: The thick uterine lining creates a rich environment for bacteria to multiply while blocking normal immune defenses and contractions from clearing the fluid.

Symptoms: Lethargy, loss of appetite, heavy drinking, increased urination, fever, and a swollen belly.
Action: This is an absolute emergency requiring immediate veterinary intervention. Treatment usually involves urgent spay surgery to remove the infected uterus alongside aggressive fluid and antibiotic support.

08/21/2026

Clip and tip strays had a productive month. 2 clinics took place, August 11th at Wags and Wash and August 18th at Fur a Good Paws. 38 cats were spayed and neutered from Clay County. Most of them from feral colonies.
Thanks to all our volunteers, Cat, Nicola, Belinda, JohnAnn, Cathy.
Trudy, Karen and Linda with Fur a Good Paws.
Thanks to Dr. Jerden for being the only vet in this area to offer these clinics to communities to help reduce the overpopulation of cats.

08/14/2026

September Clinic is full. For more information on upcoming clinics contact: (217) 218-5563
Spays $80 and neuters $60 includes rabies vaccination and ear tipping for outdoor/feral cats.

Clip and Tip Strays (C.A.T.S.) sponsors a monthly low-cost cat spay and neuter clinic to help reduce the unwanted cat population in Clay County, IL. We have…

08/11/2026

If you didn’t get in our Flora clinic here’s your chance to get that cat fixed at a low cost.

We still have open spots for the spay/neuter clinic this week.
Males - $50
Females - $80
All cats get the FVRCP and if over 4 months of age they get Rabies. Sign up below. If you need financial assistance and live in Lawrence County, please message us.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/aug-14th-spayneuter-clinic

08/08/2026

It’s never “free” but every one wants free!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 “𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞” 𝐓𝐍𝐕𝐑

We hear it every week:
“Can someone come trap these cats?”
”𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘆? 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲. ”

We understand.
Most people don’t realize what goes into TNVR they just think it should be “free” and that someone else can handle it.

But here’s the truth:
That “free” service you’re asking for?
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

Every trap, every can of food, every drop of gas costs someone. 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙨, 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙨, 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧, 𝙙𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙖, 𝙘𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙜𝙖𝙨, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙙𝙨 to line traps none of it appears out of thin air.

Each “free” TNVR job costs hundreds of dollars before we even count the 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜.

And behind every “free” service are real people.
Volunteers washing soiled traps in their driveways.
Loading and unloading scared ferals before sunrise.
Skipping dinners and losing sleep to make sure those cats get trapped, fixed, vaccinated, and safely returned.

This isn’t a hobby it’s hard, messy, emotional, draining, real work.

“Free” doesn’t mean easy. It means someone else is paying the price.
Through their time.
Through their gas tank.
Through their weekend.
Through their heart.

So next time someone says, “𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝘀,” 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. Someone let it get to this point, and 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

If you can’t trap, donate 💰.
If you can’t donate, share 📣.
If you can’t share, educate 📖.

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 “𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲” 𝗧𝗡𝗩𝗥 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Every cat matters. Every caretaker matters. Every dollar helps 🤟🏼🐈🪤.




Copied and pasted from another TNR group. They tagged themselves in the comments 🤣

08/06/2026

For anyone who could not get into our August clinic contact Claws and Paws in Olney. We are very grateful they have opened their clinics to out of county cats.

We have 3 dates this month to help spay/neuter cats! If you want to sign up for this Friday and can pay for it the link is below. If you need financial assistance please message us.
Males are $50
Females are $80

All cats get a FVRCP vaccine if they are 4 months or older they get the Rabies vaccine.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/aug-7th-spayneuter-clinic