About Us

Cat Guardians, Inc. was opened in 1988 by director Kathy Blackwell in a two-story white clapboard house near the corner of St. Charles and Westmore Rd. in Lombard, Illinois. The shelter has seen over 2000 cats adopted from the shelter, where they have been nursed back to health or at least avoided the need to scavenge garbage or prowl for prey in the wilds of suburban Chicago.

Cat Guardians does not employ euthanasia, except in extreme circumstances in which medical conditions are such that prolonging a cat’s life would no longer be humane. Due to this policy, Cat Guardians is usually filled to its legal capacity of feline residents. Today, some 50 cats and a rotating population of kittens reside at Cat Guardians shelter. Although some cats and kittens are caged for their protection (due to illness, skittishness, aggression or their young age), most roam freely, having the freedom to play or nap in their choice spots.

For over 30 years, we have matched abandoned and stray street cats with loving families, and provided a permanent home for cats that have not been adopted due to age, medical conditions or socialization issues. We’re funded entirely by your generous donations and staffed entirely by dedicated volunteers.

The daily activities of the shelter are feeding the cats, administering medication, cleaning the litter boxes and the shelter, are performed with the help of volunteers and funded through supporters like you.

Download a printable shelter brochure here: Cat Guardians 2024 Brochure