Insert your content here"One person can definitely make a difference. Don't be afraid to be the first voice—sometimes the biggest cases start with one person speaking up." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Underfoot Podcast. In this powerful and enlightening episode, Stacy LeBaron sits down with attorney Joyce Glass, a passionate and[...]

"Helping that one cat is incredibly valuable... but it also represents a new behavior, a new calling, as to how we are addressing cats in our community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Underfoot Podcast. As 2025 draws to a close, host Stacy LeBaron takes the mic solo to share heartfelt reflections,[...]

"Taking that first step is going to change your life—but it's also going to change the lives of so many animals." – Alex Ricard This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Underfoot Podcast. In this globally-minded episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron chats with Adelle Louise and Alex Ricard—two trailblazing[...]

"Knowing where the cats are is only half the battle—knowing how to reach the people who care for them is what makes targeting truly work." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 2 of this dynamic webinar, Brian Kortis of Neighborhood Cats returns to guide us through the nuts and bolts of implementing[...]

"You don't need to fix all the cats to make a difference—you just need to fix the right ones, in the right places, at the right time." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 1 of this two-part webinar, Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats, breaks down the power of targeted[...]

"We are dedicated to making sure the kittens that we take in are the last kittens born in that colony." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. What do neonate kittens, a chance wedding conversation, and a global mission to stop kitten overpopulation have in common? Jackie Noble. In this lively episode, Stacy LeBaron welcomes[...]

"The goal is simple. Do what's best for this individual cat—not what's easiest for us." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 2 of the Return to Field training, Bryan Kortis walks us through the practical side of RTF implementation—how to assess which cats qualify, how to safely house and return them, and[...]

"Euthanasia is a dead-end policy. We've tried it for decades and the cats are still here." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 1 of this informative workshop replay, Bryan Kortis and Susan Richmond of Neighborhood Cats dive into the effective approach of Return to Field (RTF), reshaping how shelters manage community cats.[...]

"One of the worst things is to have a passion to do something, but no idea how or where to start. That's where we come in—we're a resource. You're not floating out there alone." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Courtney Protz-Sanders, founder of Paws for Life Rescue and board member of the Michigan[...]

"If they won't go hungry, feed them into the trap. We don't just wait—we adapt." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 2 of our Drop Trap Workshop, we move beyond the basics into the advanced strategies and inventive solutions that make drop trapping even more powerful. Brian Cordes returns to unpack real-world[...]

"It's better to miss than to mistime the drop—because once they learn it's a trap, they won't come back." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this first installment of our Drop Trap Workshop, we're diving deep into the fundamentals of drop trapping—a powerful and underutilized tool in the TNR world. Join Community Cats[...]

"Imagine if you told New Yorkers, 'Well, you want someone to take your trash away from your block? Oh, you're gonna have to find a volunteer to do that.' That's exactly what's happening here. But with animal care." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Stacy LeBaron talks with Allie Taylor, founder and president of[...]

"Our goal here is really to work from the bottom up and help change the mentality, help the groups to negotiate better fundings with the municipality. We are only here for a limited time, right? So we wanna make sure that we are building a lasting, sustainable system." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund[...]

"I think just the nature of having a shelter that's supportive and animal control has really expedited this as a success…And I think that made a big difference in the city." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Stacy LeBaron talks with Vanessa Forney, founder and president of Bay Area Cats, an organization in Sunnyvale,[...]

"We are a unique charity, very innovative in this space. What you're really doing is you're inviting people to touch your mission. The number one reason anyone gives to any charity or any cause is to fulfill something within themselves, within their own heart." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this financial innovation[...]

"What we do in Mexico is my dream for Minnesota. We provide free spay neuter to both owned and street animals every single week." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and The Community Cat Clinic. In this international perspective episode, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with Maia Rumpho, founder of Pet Project Rescue, who turned[...]

"A cat that is well socialized is highly adoptable. A cat that is not well socialized sits in the shelter. It's an important part of your fostering responsibility to get them ready to live outside. Before it was just saving their lives. But now we know better." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and[...]

"We want to turn cat haters into cat toleraters, and that has worked so well. Even the people who say 'I hate cats.' Okay, that's fine if you hate cats. But don't wish them dead. We're gonna work to keep them out of your yard." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and 6 Degrees[...]

"A community cat program does not just help cats. You think you're going in there to help cats and you turn out really having more impact on the people in that community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and 6 Degrees of Cats. In this insightful episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Elizabeth Finch,[...]

"If you love cats, you should be concerned about trying to help bring those numbers down so animals don't suffer because this is why we do this. We don't want animals suffering, having unwanted litters of cats and having to have them suffer." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and 6 Degrees of Cats.[...]

"I envision Horn Lake being the hub of North Mississippi when it comes to animal welfare. I want my animal shelter to be the place that people model their strategies after." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Glen Andrews,[...]

"You have to earn a cat's love and respect—and when you do, you have it forever." – Dr. Nicole Liebman This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. In this inspiring episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Nicole Liebman and Ron Coughlin, the[...]

"Whether it's a pet cat, a feral cat, or a wildcat—they all deserve care and respect. TNVR isn't just about controlling populations; it's about preserving a legacy." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. In this compelling episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with Lara[...]

"I've always just had a goal of helping as many animals as possible." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. For passionate individuals and grassroots organizations working tirelessly in the world of animal welfare, financial logistics and nonprofit administration can feel like insurmountable hurdles. In this episode of the[...]

"I'm giving people the really good traps now. The ones that make their lives easier—because the cats shouldn't be the ones who suffer when we don't have our act together." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. In this episode, Stacy sits down with KerryAnn May, founder of Animal[...]

"They're not homeless. They know exactly where their home is, and they've chosen to be there. We're literally returning them home—vaccinated and spayed—so it's a win for the cat, the shelter, and the neighborhood." - Karen Little This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. In this special on-location episode[...]

"My biggest challenge is making sure the welfare of these cats is taken care of. I'll never desert these cats. Never." - Gloria Murli This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants. What happens when a prison island becomes a refuge for hundreds of community cats? In this powerful episode,[...]

"Every single cat was easily trained to go into a drop trap with a roof on it. It's just about giving them time." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Community Cat Clinic. Picking up where we left off in Part 1, Bryan Kortis dives into the advanced techniques that helped his team[...]

"Sometimes the best tip is just not skipping the basics." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Community Cat Clinic. In the first half of this special two-part webinar replay, Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats walks us through the foundational and intermediate techniques that can make or break a successful Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) effort.[...]

"Outdoor cats don't have behavior problems—they just have behavior. It's when we bring them inside that we need to understand how to meet their needs." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this enlightening and heartwarming conversation, feline behaviorist Stephen Quandt joins Stacy LeBaron to explore the intersection of empathy, education, and enrichment in[...]

"Everybody has a role, and if we open up the conversation just a little more, we can help change the numbers—and the lives of these animals." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this powerful and emotionally resonant episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Brandi Winkleman, President and Executive Director of A HOPE Inc., an[...]

"Vaccinating community cats creates a barrier to disease between wildlife, domestic animals, and people." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this special webinar replay edition of the Community Cats Podcast, Brianna Lovell Myers of United Spay Alliance is joined by Dr. Bob Weedon, a leading expert in high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter and public health.[...]

"You're not trying to make the situation perfect. You're just trying to improve it." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Part 2 of "From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement" dives into the operational tactics that sustain and grow a Trap-Neuter-Return program. In this recorded webinar, Bryan Kortis shifts from[...]

"Success attracts donors and grantors, and just provides that foundation for expanding into the wider community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In Part 1 of this recorded webinar, "From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement," Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats, presents a compelling behind-the-scenes look at[...]

"Stop treating cats like dogs—when we see them for who they really are, the right solutions start to emerge." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this dynamic episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron is joined by two passionate advocates making waves in Miami's cat welfare scene: Tia Williams, Director of[...]

"Our industry is full of people with big hearts — but running a shelter takes more than heart. It takes structure, strategy, and systems." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Whether you're running a grassroots cat rescue or leading a multi-million-dollar shelter, the question remains the same: how do we keep the doors open[...]

"If you can't fix 'em, don't feed 'em. You may think you're being kind, but make sure you do the responsible thing and spay and neuter." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. What started as a COVID-era effort to help feed pets in need has transformed into a full-fledged nonprofit tackling the staggering population[...]

"We all want to help, but without the right tools and resources, TNR can feel impossible. That's why we need technology to bridge the gaps." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Trapping and caring for community cats comes with numerous logistical challenges—finding vet appointments, securing transportation, and funding medical care. Alexa Kyler, software developer[...]

"If you're struggling to catch the last cat in your colony, you just haven't figured out the right approach yet. Every cat is catchable with the right technique." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. From building Kuwait's first progressive animal shelter to developing global disaster response programs, John Peaveler has seen it all. In[...]

"You have to feel good about what you can do, even if you can't help them all. Every small effort makes a difference." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Karen Menczer, founder of Animal Kind International, an organization that supports animal welfare groups in under-resourced communities worldwide.[...]

"We want to be the example that proves you should never give up. No matter where you are, if you keep pushing, you can make change happen." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Mat Tougas of the Sioux Empire TNR Coalition back for an exciting update on[...]

"Nothing shows the benefits of TNR better than actually doing it. Once communities see the impact, they come on board, and that's when real change happens." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Harry Eckman, Global Advisor for Cat Population Management at International Cat Care, joins host Stacy LeBaron for an insightful discussion on the[...]

"We know how much the messages and stories we hear impact what we believe to be true. If we change our messaging, we can create real change for animals and communities." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. How can storytelling and messaging shape the future of animal welfare? In this episode of the Community[...]

"We have to stop the endless cycle. Everyone loves kittens, but the goal should be to make sure they were never born into suffering in the first place." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this episode of The Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Robin Post, an experienced Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)[...]

"Cats are an incredible way to help new graduates with their surgical training. You never know what you're going to find, and that hands-on experience is invaluable." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and The Community Cat Clinic. How can we ensure the next generation of veterinarians is equipped to handle the unique challenges[...]

"Over 80% of the tagged cats didn't need to come into the shelter at all. This simple tool is keeping cats in their communities where they belong." – Dr. Amy Dalrymple This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and The Community Cat Clinic. What if a simple collar could help keep community cats out of[...]

"Cats have finally come into their own. For so many years, cats were second-class citizens in veterinary research, but now we're finding treatments and diagnostics specific to them." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and The Community Cat Clinic. For our 600th episode, we're looking ahead to the future of feline welfare with Brianna[...]

"Cats have finally come into their own. For so many years, cats were second-class citizens in veterinary research, but now we're finding treatments and diagnostics specific to them." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this insightful episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacey LeBaron sits down with Dr. Maggie Placer and Vickie[...]

"Fixing a colony is more than just spaying and neutering; it's about creating healthier, happier lives for cats and fostering trust within the community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and Arm & Hammer Feline Generous. In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron chats with Jenna Carr of Cool Cat[...]

"Empathy must guide us—if we truly feel for our feline friends, declawing wouldn't exist." Declawing might sound harmless, but what if it's one of the most misunderstood and harmful practices affecting cats today? In this powerful conversation, Stacy LeBaron chats with Dr. Jennifer Conrad, the trailblazing veterinarian behind The Paw Project, an organization on a[...]

"The fatality rate for kittens is appalling, and the goal is to reduce their suffering while ensuring healthier, happier lives for the cats that remain." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Join us this week for an enlightening conversation as Stacy LeBaron sits down with Gary Evans, the visionary President of the Alliance for[...]

"Every challenge in colony care has a solution. Whether it's predators, pests, or even harsh winters, the key is preparation and creativity." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Get ready to take your colony caretaking skills to the next level in part two of our action-packed webinar series! Bryan Kortis tackles the biggest challenges faced[...]

"Community cats are creatures of habit. By feeding them on a routine schedule, you're not just meeting their needs—you're building trust and making caretaking easier for everyone." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. Welcome to part one of our two-part series on colony caretaking, where we uncover the secrets to thriving community cat colonies![...]

"My job is to figure out ways to get cats fixed. It's about strategy, collaboration, and making humane care accessible to every community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. In this reflective and forward-thinking episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron takes center stage, offering listeners an intimate look at her mission[...]

"Pick that project you've been dreaming of and dive in—you'll be amazed by what you can accomplish for your community's cats!" This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. This week, we're pulling back the curtain on the Community Cats Podcast with Kristen Petrie, our behind-the-scenes "Technical Tabby." Join host Stacy LeBaron as they dive into[...]

"Trap-neuter-return is one piece of the puzzle. When it's part of a strategic cat population management program, TNR becomes a powerful tool for addressing feline overpopulation." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund. How do we piece together the puzzle of cat overpopulation? In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy LeBaron chats with[...]

"By creating this barrier to rabies between wildlife, pets, and people, it's not just about the well-being of the cats—it's about the well-being of the community." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and the Whisker Tracker App. In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down[...]

"97 percent of Meals on Wheels clients say that this type of programming does help them keep their pets. So it is really impactful and we're so grateful for that." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. In this episode, Stacy LeBaron dives into the inspiring intersection of pet welfare[...]

"Trap-Neuter-Return isn't just a method; it's a mission to bring community, compassion, and a little mystery into the world of cats." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with animal advocate and mystery author Sharon Marchisello. Sharon's lifelong[...]

"Working cat programs historically have been programs of last resort... I like to think of the working cats program as really going beyond that, where every cat has the possibility of a live outcome…" This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and the Whisker Tracker App. In this episode filled with[...]

"It's important to understand that nothing else works. There's no other method available if you want to control the cat population besides sterilization." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. If you missed Part 1 of this episode click here to listen now! In this special, two-part audio presentation of[...]

"It's important to understand that nothing else works. There's no other method available if you want to control the cat population besides sterilization." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. In this special, two-part audio presentation of a recent live webinar, we'll Explore Return-to-Field (RTF) programs for community cats with[...]

"I didn't want to start another rescue that was going to fill up." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. In this episode of The Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron chats with Mat Tougas, also known as "Mat the Cat Guy," founder of the Sioux Empire TNR[...]

"Shelters across the country are in crisis… sometimes keeping a pet at home where they're loved and safe is as simple as providing them with a bowl of food." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund. In this insightful episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with Natalia Hansen, Marketing[...]

"Giving back is way more powerful than receiving. The benefits are tenfold, and they come back to you in ways you can't explain." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker App. In this inspiring episode of The Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Michael Schneider, founder[...]

"The reproductive justice framework is really useful for thinking about community cats and TNR because it opens us up to engaging with the lives of the cats both personally and before sterilization, but also afterwards." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and Tomahawk Traps. In this episode, Stacy LeBaron welcomes Katja Gunther,[...]

"We will not spay and neuter ourselves out of the problem...the education is the lasting part of it, and that will go from person to person." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and Tomahawk Traps. In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy interviews Dr. Christine Monroe, a seasoned veterinarian, and Rhonda[...]

"When you're down to the last few cats and time is running out, the drop trap can be your saving grace." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and the Whisker Tracker app. In the second part of this special webinar series, Bryan Kortis from Neighborhood Cats dives deeper into the complexities of drop[...]

"The drop trap is the most humane and effective way to trap those hard-to-catch cats, and once you've mastered it, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Acatemy, and Tomahawk Traps. Join Bryan Kortis and Suzi Richmond from Neighborhood Cats for a special broadcast[...]

"Don't underestimate your cats. Elevate your expectations of them, and you'll be amazed at what they can achieve." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund and The Acatemy . What if your cat's behavior problems could be solved with just a few simple changes to their environment? Today, we're speaking with Ingrid Johnson,[...]

"Our goal is to put as much public pressure on the town representatives as possible and to spread as much awareness as we can, because the more people that are aware of the problem, the more people are going to ask the town to do something about it." This episode is sponsored in part by[...]

"Collaboration between animal welfare groups and local governments is the key to creating sustainable, humane community cat programs that work for everyone." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Keeping People and Pets Together Pet Food Pantry, and Tomahawk Traps. In the second half of this enlightening two-part webinar series, Stacy LeBaron[...]

"Understanding the environment and how we approach the ecosystem with community cats is essential, not just for the cats but for the overall health of the communities they inhabit." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, Humane Canada, and The Keeping People and Pets Together Pet Food Pantry. In this first installment of[...]

"Think about all the things that cats go through…they're smart, they're clever and we can learn from them." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, Humane Canada, and Tomahawk Traps. Are you curious about the evolving landscape of community cat welfare in the United States? In this episode of[...]

"The community building aspect of this is so key…that interconnectedness is really what allows us to have the impact that we do." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, the Keeping People and Pets Together Pet Food Pantry, and Tomahawk Traps. Rural areas present pronounced challenges in community cat welfare,[...]

"Animals were my friends, and even before I had words for it, they understood me and gave me comfort and love in a way that I didn't feel in my life, in my family." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and Tomahawk Traps. Have you ever wondered if[...]

"Understanding a cat's socialization history can be the key to determining the best outcome for community cats in shelters." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and Humane Canada's Summit for Animals. Join us for an insightful conversation with Dot Baisly, a certified behavior consultant with a rich background in[...]

"We were trying to rescue our way out, which is never going to happen." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and Tomahawk Traps. Step into the world of Brandi Sherman as she shares her remarkable journey from a rural upbringing surrounded by vulnerable cats to leading Fresno TNR—[...]

"Without dreaming big and showing people what we think is needed, we'll never get that dial changed and we need that to change mightily." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund, The Community Cat Clinic, and Tomahawk Traps. Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dawn Benefiel, founder of Indy Neighborhood Cats, as[...]

"Everybody that I speak with, I just emphasize that we are the answer. We are the solution and they need to be part of the solution." Episode #567  When Tracy Dean left her advertising career to dedicate herself to the welfare of community cats in Reno, she embarked on an unexpected and redefining journey. This[...]

Our mission is to provide education, information and dialogue that will create a supportive environment empowering people to help cats in their community. 

How can you outsmart even the wariest of community cats? Join us for the second part of our conversation with expert trapper Bryan Kortis from Neighborhood Cats, where he unveils advanced strategies for trapping elusive felines. Learn the art of camouflaging traps with natural materials like burlap, and discover innovative baiting techniques using food boats[...]

What if you could turn the most elusive feral cat into a successfully trapped and cared-for community member? Join Bryan Kortis from Neighborhood Cats as he brings extensive experience to the forefront in this special two-part audio presentation. Learn effective cat trapping techniques, established feeding patterns, and the use of various traps such as roundhouse[...]

Ever wondered how treating a nonprofit like a business can unlock millions in funding? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Stephanie Mathers, a passionate animal welfare advocate and skilled grant writer, who has transitioned from the world of education to founding Grants for Animals.  Stephanie's journey began with the adoption of her first cat,[...]

When Muffin, a little ball of fur with mischievous eyes, first claimed a corner of my heart, I never imagined where that love would lead. Now I'm joined by Kim Lengling, whose story mirrors the transformative power of companionship, not just with our four-legged friends but with those who share our human journey.  Kim, a[...]

Join us as we continue our exploration of the transformative power of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs in the second part of our series with Bryan Kortis from Neighborhood Cats. He shares invaluable insights on adapting TNR initiatives to various community sizes, the balance between grassroots efforts and expert approaches, and the essential steps for involving community[...]

Unlock the secrets behind the transformative Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) movement with Neighborhood Cats' Bryan Kortis as we take you on a riveting two-part adventure. Dive into the grassroots story of New York City's cat population control, discovering how targeted TNR projects and collaborative community efforts led to a dramatic reduction in euthanasia rates. Be inspired by[...]

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a feral cat and wondered what it would take to transform that wary creature into a contented purring pet in your lap? Our guest, Caitlin Porter from From Feral to Family, joins us to weave an inspiring tale of how she navigates the delicate path from mistrust[...]

When compassion meets innovation, extraordinary things happen. That's the story we're telling today, with Dr. Kimberly Mann and Steven Martinez, who are changing the lives of thousands of community cats through the York County SPCA spay/neuter clinic. Kimberly, a veterinarian with surgical prowess and a big heart, alongside Steven's business acumen, has led their clinic[...]

Get a glimpse of what it's like on the front lines of feline welfare. Cameron Greig joins us from the Humane Society of Huron Valley to discuss the trials and triumphs of their TNR (trap-neuter-return) program. It's a revealing chat about the ingenuity required to navigate staffing shortages, the shift towards online systems to streamline[...]

Have you ever watched your cat move with less of its usual grace or hesitate before leaping onto its favorite perch? In this episode, understand the complex world of feline pain with Dr. Stacy McVicker. These whiskered companions are masters at masking discomfort, but Dr. McVicker's expertise, inspired by the stories of James Herriot, equips[...]

Brace your whiskers for a deep dive into the heartwarming world of community cat care as we reveal secrets to crafting the perfect winter shelters and share non-invasive tricks for keeping our feline friends safe and neighbors happy. Our guide through this chilly chapter is Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director at Neighborhood Cats. His expertise[...]

Unlock the secrets to managing a thriving community cat colony as we team up with experts Bryan Kortis from Neighborhood Cats shares essential tips on maintaining a consistent feeding schedule and crafting secure feeding locations that benefit our feline companions.  Prepare to enhance your caretaking skills. Learn how to keep mealtime peaceful and food safe[...]

Today we wanted to share an episode of The United We Spay Podcast. It's a new monthly show from the United Spay Alliance and it's hosted by the one and only Stacy LeBaron. In each episode, they delve into the heart of a movement that's changing the lives of animals and communities for the better[...]

It's the passion of people like Bonney Brown that fuels today's conversation on the vital role spay and neuter programs play in controlling cat overpopulation. We reminisce about the early days of trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs and explore how her journey, from being inspired by her parents' rescue endeavors to leading impactful animal welfare initiatives, underscores[...]

Ever wondered how a stray feline's journey through a Return to Field (RTF) program can lead it back home? This week, we continue our deep dive into the world of community cats, focusing on the pivotal steps from shelter intake to safe return, and the intricate assessments that ensure these whiskered wanderers thrive. Join in[...]

"I think it's important to acknowledge that there's a reason we're trying to solve community cat over population because this is, ya know, not always a great situation for the cats. When it comes to return to field, we're looking at animals coming into the shelter…they have good body condition scores, they appear quite healthy,[...]

Sometimes life surprises you with a mission when you least expect it, like during a routine pizza run that suddenly catapults you into the world of community cat care. That's exactly what happened to Nadia Oseguera and Chris Ramon, who found themselves drawn into the compassionate web of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and fostering initiatives.  Filled with[...]

Unlock the heart and soul of feline welfare with EC Michaels from the Cat Care Society, as we share an intimate conversation about a lifetime spent in the company of cats. This episode isn't just another talk – it's a journey through the passion-fueled world of cat care, punctuated by the society's groundbreaking work with[...]

Take a peek into a future where technology and animal welfare walk paw-in-paw. Chris Roy is here to unpack the leaps Doobert has made in feline welfare technology. He's bringing along their case management module that's reshaping how animal organizations handle the gamut of operations from colony management to those heartwarming adoption stories.  Imagine a[...]

Unravel the mysteries of feline behavior with the extraordinary Sarah Brown, a cat behavior expert with three decades of experience. Sarah shares her captivating journey from zoology student to PhD researcher, exploring the complex social dynamics within feral cat colonies. Listen in as she recounts her in-depth study of two cat colonies, one nestled in[...]

Have you ever wondered about the heroes behind the scenes, tirelessly working to ensure a better future for our feline companions? In a heartening discussion with Tiffany Ditto from the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection, we journey into the frontlines of animal advocacy.  We reveal the transformative impact TCAP's low-cost veterinary services, including an astounding[...]

When Margaret Tompkins opened her home to a sickly kitten, little did she know that this act of kindness would catapult her into a lifelong mission to advocate for feline leukemia positive cats. Her story is at the heart of our latest episode, where she recounts her transformative journey and how it's led to her[...]

Join the transformational journey with Rick DuCharme, a former heavy equipment industry professional turned no-kill movement leader, as we unpack the meaningful strides made in animal welfare. Our enlightening conversation delves into Rick's leap into the world of cats and dogs, where he has championed spay-neuter initiatives and pioneered the first return-to-field program for feral[...]

"I feel like so much of why cat's get a bad rap is because they seem to be juxtaposed to dogs and dog behavior." Today we wanted to share an episode of Kindred, a podcast hosted by sisters Kate Coffin and Jenn Asplundh. It explores the intricate and interdependent relationship that humans have with animals and[...]

Every cat has its tale, and this week's chat with Halle Hamilton of Austin Pets Alive brings a new narrative to the forefront of feline rescue. As we weave through Halle's own transformation from a dancer to a pioneer in cat adoptions, we uncover the heartwarming stories of special needs kitties who have found their[...]

When Donna Brown first noticed the shadowy figures of cats darting through the alleys of Garden City, little did she know she'd become the champion of a thousand feline lives. This heartfelt conversation peels back the layers of Donna's transformation from an everyday citizen to the founder of the Garden City Community Cats Project, a[...]

Have you ever been stopped dead in your tracks by a story that not only breaks your heart but also fuels a fire within you to create change? That's exactly the experience Steven Mornelli from Waggle.org had, and it led him to tackle the gut-wrenching issue of economic euthanasia head-on. Steven unveils the narrative of[...]

Ever wondered about the hurdles faced by animal rescuers in bustling metropolitan areas? Packed with first-hand accounts from these inspiring guests, Jonlyn Freeman and Meagan Licari, this episode takes a deep look into the complex realm of feline welfare in New York City. Amid the chaos of the pandemic, these dedicated cat-lovers remained undeterred, courageously[...]

"Another specialized use of the drop trap is when you're trying to catch a mom and her kittens..." This episode is sponsored in part by Maddie's Fund. This is part two of a special audio presentation of a free webinar offered to trappers earlier in 2023. If you'd like to watch this presentation, you can[...]

"It's great to have the cat you're after, see another cat come in, have a bite to eat, and then leave. Nothing happens. Nothing dramatic. That can help persuade them that it's just fine to go in; nothing to worry about here." This episode is sponsored in part by Meow Cat Lounge, Doobert.com, and Maddie's[...]

"The cats are a vehicle for us to all get our act together and take responsibility for every part of the community." This episode is sponsored in part by Meow Cat Lounge, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this special episode, Mike Phillips of UrbanCatLeague.org sits down to interview Stacy and take a closer look at[...]

"Anybody could sit down and get quiet for a moment…then just get a sense. Like, is my household stressful? Is my cat living her best life? What have we got going on here that I could do that could make it easier for the cat?" This episode is sponsored in part by Meow Cat Lounge,[...]

"Little things like that…If everybody does some little thing, it will work to our benefit with the cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Meow Cat Lounge, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Allia Zobel Nolan, an international best-selling author of over 150 titles, whose body of work reflects her[...]

"We've got to use veterinary technicians. And here's what happens – I feel so good getting to help a pet owner and increase that pet owner-animal bond, and my veterinarian can go do doctor things! If you utilize your technicians more, you get to be a doctor more." This episode is sponsored in part by[...]

"Everybody has what it takes to go raise the money they need, to fully fund their organization, to grow, to help more cats, to save more lives, to do what their mission is all about. It's all doable." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode,[...]

"It's a matter of starting from the ground up; not having the resources, but still getting it done." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Dr. Becky Morrow, a shelter veterinarian and professor who is very active in the small animal community. As a[...]

"If we can make a small dent in helping save kitties' lives and making people happy, . . . to us, that's so meaningful." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Nicole Smith, the co-owner of Whiskers and Wine Bar. Based in San[...]

"We help protect people from animals, and animals from people." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy sits down with Daniel Etitnger, host of The Animal Control Report podcast for an interesting conversation about the animal control profession. Stacy and Daniel talk about the[...]

"It's really important to show that the Board is invested in the organization." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Sonia Saleh, the founder of Uplifting Nonprofits and creator of the program Unleash Your Inner Fundraiser. The primary focus of Uplifting Nonprofits[...]

"It's just the willingness to go where it takes you. And it will always take you somewhere." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this special episode, the Cat Daddy himself, Jackson Galaxy, returns to the show (CCP Episode 175). Jackson, a New York Times bestselling author,[...]

"[There is] nothing that love, patience, time, and effort cannot fix." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy is joined by Melody Kwan, aka MeloCat, a cat rescuer, foster, and volunteer-based in Hong Kong. Melody, a former guest of the show (CCP Episode 476)[...]

"Pets make us human." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy is joined by Janice Cobb, creator of the Save My Pet ID Tag and former guest of the show (CCP Episode 478). In her conversation with Stacy, Janice discusses our special bond with[...]

"We need more people that are eager and willing to help see a problem and want to be a part of the solution." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy talks to Audrey Stratton, Clinic Supervisor at the Feral Cat Coalition, an organization based[...]

"First and foremost, before me telling them [why they should neuter their indoor/outdoor cat], I want to find out what will move the needle for them." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's special podcast, we are proud to bring you the audio version of "Strategies[...]

"One cat at a time, we can make a difference." This episode is sponsored in part by The Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Niki Cudsworth, a board member of the Visalia Feral Cat Coalition (VFCC), an organization that seeks to reduce cat overpopulation by practicing, teaching, and[...]

"We really need to explore the unique needs and challenges that exist in the different parts of the state . . . so that when potential remedies are offered or additional resources are created, they can be targeted." This episode is sponsored in part by The Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this[...]

"Have integrity, do the right thing, and the rest of it falls into place." This episode is sponsored in part by The Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. This week, Stacy sits down with Heidi Williams, director of the Ingham County Animal Control & Shelter in Mason, Michigan. Ingham County is a municipal shelter[...]

"You also want to know your community so your outreach is effective." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's podcast, we are proud to bring you part two of the audio version of "Targeted TNR & Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck Presented by Neighborhood[...]

"...if you do it in this concentrated way, where you're focused on one part of the community...by in larger you'll have defeated the vacuum effect." This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's podcast, we are proud to bring you part one of the audio version of[...]

"As veterinarians, we have to educate people." This episode is sponsored in part by The Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Dr. G, owner of the Rascal Unit, which consists of two mobile veterinary hospitals that provide high-volume pet sterilization and routine veterinary care throughout Ohio. In her[...]

"There's a lot of tools that we offer to make really understanding the data easier and start to identify where the need still exists." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Stephanie Flier, Executive Director of Shelter Animals Count, an[...]

"We're not going to the with a sense of entitlement...that's not going to get you very far...you have to let organizations move at a pace they're comfortable with and realize things can accelerate once they get involved." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's[...]

"How do you manage TNR on a much larger scale...as more of a program manager?" This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's podcast, we are proud to bring you part one of the audio version of "Mobilizing the Community to Make TNR Happen Presented[...]

"There's a lot of people that really need a cat and they don't realize they do. So if I can marry up those two, I think that'd be a really great thing." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Justin[...]

"You don't have to be a cat person to support TNR." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Dawn Benefiel, the executive director of Indy Neighborhood Cats ("INC"), a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, whose mission is to improve the[...]

"This brings us to one of the hot-button issues happening right now in return-to-field...what about friendly cats?" This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In today's podcast, we are proud to bring you the audio version of "Return-to-Field & Targeting: The Community Cat Program Presented by[...]

"How do you organize a TNR program on a very large scale and get the best results..." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, we are proud to bring you the audio version of "Return-to-Field & Targeting: The Community Cat Program Presented by[...]

"The National Kitten Coalition believes that every kitten deserves a chance to survive and thrive." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Nancy Peterson, Board Member of the National Kitten Coalition and Neighborhood Cats and former Community Cats Program Manager[...]

"I firmly believe that spay-neuter is an essential element of access to care." – Dr. Weedon This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with veterinarians Dr. Robert Murtaugh and Dr. Robert Weedon. Dr. Murtaugh is a veterinary specialist based in Austin,[...]

"Willow's mission is to show that black cats are adorable, fun, and magical and they need to be loved just as much as any other cat." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy speaks with Linda Malik, author of Willow's Tale, a[...]

"It's empowering to realize that you can actually make a difference just by making different choices in the things that you do every day." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Ashley Byrne, Associate Director of Campaigns for PETA. PETA,[...]

"Don't say, I wish somebody would help them. Go out and do it." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with individual animal rescuer and advocate, Nancy Robison. After receiving help to TNR the cats outside her home in Long Island,[...]

"We are passionate about cats. That's what we live for. If we can help other companies, other nonprofits that are helping pet parents do things that we don't do directly, I think that's a great way to support pet parenting overall, especially for cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild[...]

"That's the cool thing. Some of these older groups are closing, but we have a whole new crop of young women who are starting rescues and taking over." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy sits down with Janet Vormittag, founder and publisher of Cats and Dogs, a[...]

"We have to honor the cat's wishes…we have to honor the community cat who wants to be outside and have a safe, happy life there." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with KJ McGill, Kitty Correspondent for the nationally syndicated show, Pet Pals TV, and author[...]

"Our whole lives are really to get the word out that this is the solution." – Louise on TNR This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Louise Holton, Founder of Alley Cat Rescue, and Deborah Holzer, Development Assistant at Alley Cat Rescue. Louise founded National Cat Protection[...]

"I'm glad that there are organizations that . . . dispel the myth [about black cats]." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Marlene Sharp, a TV and film writer and executive and proprietor of Pink Poodle Productions. In her discussion with Stacy, Marlene talks all[...]

"I've always tried to make a difference. . .  I want to make a difference in the long run." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this special 500th episode of Community Cats Podcast, Stacy is joined by Dr. Jeff Young, star of Animal Planet's Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet. Dr.[...]

"There's definitely a lot of good . . . that I've seen from the cat community on social media." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Harris Baker, founder of Catfluence, a social media platform that promotes everything feline related. In their discussion, Stacy and Harris[...]

"If anything, we should be doing more to address the anxiety, fear, and stress [of community cats]" This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy follows up with Tabitha Kucera, a registered veterinary technician, certified cat behavior training consultant, and former guest of the show (CCP Episode 319). Stacy and[...]

"Often times, providing people with the necessary items, the support, the kindness, [and] the caring – that can be the very important difference between a person keeping the cat and surrendering the cat." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Dr. Rachel Geller, a cat behaviorist[...]

"You save yourself a lot of administrative time by being organized up front by setting up a system and a space to be organized." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Dara Sklar, the founder of Synced with Dara and producer of the Get Productive with[...]

"I thought about it from a small business . . . [or] nonprofit standpoint of here are some of the basics to help you at least upstart and continue marketing, especially if you're on a shoestring budget." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with Laurren Darr,[...]

"The presence of cats is really beneficial to humans and that especially holds true in an urban setting where you have a lot of rats." This episode is sponsored in part by TervaPet, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with Sheila Massey, president and founder of Hard Hat Cats and former guest of[...]

"I think we need to teach young people more that animals need to be treated with the same respect you treat a person." This episode is sponsored in part by TervaPet, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. Meet Anne Montgomery, former sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, author, and amateur sports official. Anne currently works as an author[...]

"There are so many possibilities for organizations where this money could go." This episode is sponsored in part by TervaPet, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Sally Williams, the founder, and president of Mission Meow and former guest of the show (CCP Episodes 104 and 324). Sally was also the founder and executive director[...]

"Because they're so territorial, it's hard to introduce a new cat regardless of where they came from into a new cat household." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. In this special episode, Stacy chats and co-hosts with Molly DeVoss, a Certified Feline Training and Behavior specialist, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant,[...]

"I'm hoping by changing people's perspective on what play looks like and giving them really concrete suggestions on how they can improve their play technique that more cats will get the play they deserve." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. On today's episode, Stacy talks with Dr. Mikel Delgado, an[...]

"Shar[ing] our skills and work[ing] in the best way that we individually can with our skills has been really helpful in allowing us to help more animals." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy connects with Anne Levin, Executive Director of Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition and[...]

"There were so many ways that this little being helped to bring us closer together, to teach us about love, to teach us about unconditional love." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Cheryl Richardson, the author of several books and audio programs, including her[...]

"There's still a disconnect between the grassroots groups (that are primarily doing trap-neuter-return) and the larger shelters (that are involved in return-to-field) and we need to get to a point where those two parts of the system are working together." This episode is sponsored in part by TevraPet and Maddie's Fund. On this episode, Stacy[...]

"I would tell people: stay open, learn, [and] keep learning." This episode is sponsored in part by TevraPet and Maddie's Fund. On today's episode, Stacy chats with Dr. Kelly Deihl, the Senior Director of Science and Communication at Morris Animal Foundation and a prior guest of the show (CCP Episode 425). In her conversation with Stacy,[...]

"I think the best way to rescue the most cats is through TNR." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert and Maddie's Fund. Meet Esmeralda Alvarez, a TNR advocate and cat foster who performs TNR on a weekly basis. Her efforts began back in 2015, and she strongly believes that TNR is a social justice issue.[...]

"Nothing feels better than helping a pet get back to their family that loves them." his episode is sponsored in part by Doobert and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Corinne Bourgoin, who serves as the Operations Coordinator at the MSPCA Boston Adoption Center. Her efforts have resulted in a program that has a feline[...]

"Once you get one cat, you can't stop getting cats. It's an addiction like none other." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert and Maddie's Fund. Meet Brian Vermeire and Kristina Hughes, stand-up comedians and entrepreneurs based in Los Angeles. The pair grew weary of the sight of cat trees and decided to take action to[...]

"We really believe in collaboration, not just in animal welfare but in human welfare." This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert and Maddie's Fund. On today's episode, Stacy chats with Marisa Hernandez, one of the co-founders of Ruff Haven, an organization that helps people encountering crisis situations remain united with their beloved pets. Marisa recognized the[...]

"I'd prefer to have cats in my yard instead of vegetables but other people might, justifiably, feel differently and that's perfectly fine..." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. This is a special audio presentation of our free webinar Colony Caretaking Tips and Tricks presented by Neighborhood Cats. Join Bryan[...]

"It starts off as you're their feeder but overtime they form a special relationship with you..." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. This is a special audio presentation of our free webinar Colony Caretaking Tips and Tricks presented by Neighborhood Cats. Join Bryan Kortis for part one of this[...]

"And, so I wrote a book that is for all of those people out there who just want to be who they are." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy talks with Winter Miller, an award-winning playwright living in Brooklyn. She recently published Not a Cat,[...]

"They are love engendering machines. They are love giving machines of an unconditional nature. That's all they want to do, is love you." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Janice Cobb, the creator of Zinzie Pie's Save My Pet ID Tag, which is[...]

"How do we give tools to organizations so that they have revenue coming in on a regular basis?" This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Doobert.com's Chris Roy returns to the show to share some of the projects he has been working on since the pandemic. Chris[...]

"We do, in those two worlds, share some goals. We can recognize that there might be suspicion or assumptions or disagreements about how well TNR works to manage populations but by working together, those two worlds can certainly make it better." – John Boone This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's[...]

"I always tell everyone, 'Even if you don't like animals, you can still help. If you don't have what it takes, you can still help.'" This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Melody Kwan, aka Melocat, a cat rescuer and re-homing volunteer based in[...]

"Fear free is all about educating people to understand their cat's emotional needs, which are deep and complex." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with Mikkel Becker, a certified trainer and behavior consultant, that serves as the lead trainer for Fear Free Pets and[...]

"Keep following your dreams. Keep following your heart. Keep going to where you're led to go because it's a life worth living when you're following your heart." This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Pussum's Cat Nip, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. After dropping out of film school and being kicked out of his aunt's house,[...]

"It's very important to try to be diplomatic and to try to understand their point of view. . . . You have to be understanding." This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Pussum's Cat Nip, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Angela Campbell, a USA Today best-selling author in the romantic[...]

"Let's ensure that we're starting the conversation from that place of all of the things we have in common and real compassion and understanding for why community members might be confused around these issues." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy converses with Caitlin Quinn, who has[...]

"[Pets] are empathy machines, and they can sense how we're doing without us having to say anything. Often our pets will know how we're doing before we do, and they'll connect in that way." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy chats with Daniel Maigler, a licensed[...]

"I think it's great to bring that lens of diversity and inclusion to anything you're working on." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy speaks with Emily Miethner, who is the co-founder of Travel Cat, which produces products used to travel safely with your cat, including backpacks and harnesses. The[...]

So if you're doing something where they're feeling engaged with that fun, I think it's a better experience for people to bond with a cat." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Mario Abore returns to the show (he previously appeared on CCP Episode 338). Since 2014, Mario,[...]

On trapping in tight locations..."We put a spotter up on the slope who could watch the whole thing and give us a signal when to drop the traps." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. This week, The Community Cats Podcast is excited to bring you part two of a special[...]

"Because they (cats) are less afraid of drop traps, you don't need them to be as hungry to trap them... " This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. This week, The Community Cats Podcast is excited to bring you a special audio version of Drop Trap: A Trapper's Best Friend Presented by[...]

"It's important that we learn to work together or learn not to work against one another." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, "Trap King" Sterling Davis returns to the show to share some of the projects he has been working on since the pandemic. Sterling, a former[...]

"I think it all comes from being compassionate and coming to them from a place of empathy [and] understanding." [on dealing with community members] This episode is sponsored in part by CARE, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy speaks with Angéline Fahey, who is the Community Cat Program ("CCP") Manager at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.[...]

"We're trying . . . [to] demonstrate that this can be done, done effectively with great results, and . . . exemplify this to every town, because my ultimate belief is that there should be TNR in every town." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy[...]

"These techniques are successful because they focus on what's essential in the procedure . . . and [this] allows the surgeon to work more effortlessly and therefore more efficiently." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy chats with Dr. June Long, who has been a high-volume spay/neuter surgeon for[...]

"Really my big thing in TNR is education and awareness; I want as many people to know about TNR as possible so that they can help save the cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy chats with Cameron Greig, the Community Cat Coordinator for the Humane Society of[...]

"Just to make people aware: pet insurance is a very helpful tool; veterinary financing is a very helpful tool. When they're combined, it creates a unique situation where they really piggyback and help each other." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Edwin Plotts is the Director of Marketing at[...]

"I think we probably overthink it sometimes. And sometimes it's just a matter of trying different things to see what the cat seems to prefer or what eliminates the behavior that we're trying to eliminate." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Kristen Levine is a nationally acclaimed pet expert[...]

"This is for when you're really desperate to get the tomcat." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Drawing from over 20 years of experience working with feral cats, the folks at Neighborhood Cats have gathered together their favorite ways of catching the wiliest of felines. Join Neighborhood Cats' director[...]

"What about the ones where you do all the basics - you do the feeding pattern, you withhold the food, you use the good traps, and all that - but they just won't go in?" This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Drawing from over 20 years of experience working[...]

"The good thing about spay/neuter is one cat fixed: thousands saved. So you get one done, you can feel really good that night about what you've done. You don't have to have these big huge numbers to make a difference in your community, in your neighborhood." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert,[...]

"There's so much noise in the world that really holds us back from doing our best work. We should just be kind to each other and work together." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Dr. Sara Pizano returns to the show (a previous CCP guest on episodes 56, 171, 246, 247, 306, and 335) to[...]

"There's a person behind every animal and we're trying to translate that person's care and concern for the animal into action." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert, and Maddie's Fund. Joe Elmore has served as the President and CEO of Charleston Animal Society since 2012. When he joined, he brought 25 years[...]

"They have cats for companionship to give them company because they're so isolated. There are so many stigmas attached to people who are homeless." This episode is sponsored in part by Telecom Consultants, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy chats with Dr. Jon Geller, DVM, who worked as an emergency veterinarian for nearly 25[...]

"If people know what you're doing, they will come out of the woodwork. If the commitment's there and you really want to do it, it's definitely possible." This episode is sponsored in part by Telecom Consultants, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy speaks with Carla Betlem, a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology where[...]

"By being able to document [TNR] with photo and video . . . you can get those conversations started and start educating people why TNR is great, why it's so helpful for everybody." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy chats with Erica Danger, a pet[...]

"It's important for TNR groups who trap cats to realize the same "feral" behavior you see in [true] ferals, may be a sign of a scared cat and not necessarily a feral cat." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy talks to Kat Albrecht-Thiessen, a police[...]

"We've advanced so much in terms of understanding cat behavior but yet, we still have so far to go. We need more days like this." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy interviews her "Dream Team" of cat behavior experts, who are presenting[...]

"Seeing the way that people make this [TNR] their priority, make doing something good for their community a priority, was really inspiring." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy speaks to Jonathan Howe, who is a public defender in Bronx County Family Court and has declared[...]

"When people use negative words, we need to help correct them. People might speak ill of cats because they don't understand them." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy talks to Tracie Hotchner, author, podcaster, animal wellness advocate and founder of The Radio Pet Lady Network,[...]

"It's really about expanding the amount of resources that we can give to these caretakers, to these volunteers that day in and day out go out to the field to help these cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with Amy Davila[...]

"It's really important for us to be aware of our energy. Because the imbalance that we're currently experiencing as a collective is now translating into our cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Buzz to the Rescues, and Maddie's Fund. Jessica Evans is a certified cat communicator and founder of Feline Ascension, which[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. In this episode, Stacy speaks with Jane Kennedy and Adrienne Lefebvre of Two Crazy Cat Ladies, an all-natural feline product line designed to help kitties live longer and healthier lives. In addition to their products, they also host a blog and podcast called "Back[...]

"I wanted to focus on keeping not just cats happy but owners happy with their cats and reducing owner surrender and things like euthanasia due to problem behaviors." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. Meet Molly Kelsey, a former vet nurse who worked with in-patient care and clinic administration, and[...]

"The door is always open to work together." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. In part two of the Return-to-Field & Targeting: The Community Cat Program webinar Bryan Kortis explores what fears people have prior to starting a return-to-field and targeting program and some of the studies and statistics that[...]

"For anything—as far as animals are related—to be completely sustainable, it has to happen in the community, it has to happen by the community." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. Mike Bricker has spent years in animal welfare improving live outcome percentages, innovating new programming, rewriting policies, and modernizing medical[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. Turning her perspective around on being a single pet caretaker inspired Beverly Means to think about what kinds of help she would want if she could no longer care for her pets due to terminal illness or an end-of-life event. After looking for options[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com and Maddie's Fund. This week, Stacy checks in with the very accomplished Dr. Gray Richter. Dr. Richter is a certified veterinary acupuncturist and certified veterinary chiropractor. In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Richter and his Montclair Veterinary Hospital team received awards from the community, including Best Veterinarian in[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network, Doobert.com, and Maddie's Fund. Stacy connects with documentary Filmmaker Aaron Hancox to discuss how he came to find inspiration from his early documentary Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit that lead him to his latest documentary, Running Wild: The Cats of Cornwall. Aaron confides that he[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. In Part 2 of 2021 Colony Caretaking Tips & Tricks, Presented by Neighborhood Cats, Bryan Kortis offers insight into constructing and maintaining winter shelters for community cats. From purchasing a kit to building your own, to making excellent use of a styrofoam cooler, Bryan covers[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. In part one of the Colony Caretaking webinar Bryan Kortis explores the bond between the cat and caretaker. He covers best practices such as feeding patterns, types of food, and nutritional content for the value of the food offered. He talks about what caretakers can[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. As Kristen Bell is to sloths, so Jon Dunn is to cats. Senior Specialist of Communications and Host of the Best Friends Podcast by Best Friends Animal Society, Jon just really loves cats. He joins Stacy for his first-ever podcast sitting in the guest chair[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. What started out as one man's system to record and coordinate his own animal transport work has since transformed into an online software platform, custom-built for animal rescuers. Chris Roy and Stacy talk about the creation of Doobert.com and the recent re-build which added new[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. Dr. Jaquie Rand is currently using research to tackle issues around community cats and the criminalization of Trap, Neuter, Release practices in Australia. After navigating significant resistance for over a year and a half, she was able to launch a research project to negate arguments[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. A few notes played on a toy piano by his showstopping cat Ricky, changed Steve Dale's understanding of cat behaviour, forever. Steve Dale began to "clicker train" Ricky the Devon Rex and the two became an inseparable duo. They continued to work together and began[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. Emily discovered the joy that adventuring brought to cats—and their people—when she and her husband took their own cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia outside for enrichment. From catio to stroller, to harness training, Emily and Stacy chat about the best steps to take when preparing your[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. Seven years into her work in veterinary clinics and with animal welfare organizations, Sarah Swanty learned a fact that devastated her. Of any 10 cats that were admitted to the local shelter, only four would make it out. A 60% euthanasia rate for cats drove[...]

In this special episode, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author, joins Stacy to discuss how Covid has changed cat behavioral concerns and her participation in the ARM & HAMMER™ Feline Generous program. This year, the program will host the 'Unsung Heroes' Awards which will recognize the most inspiring staff and volunteers at cat[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network and Doobert.com. Home Heart Vets was founded in 2017 by two cat-loving Veterinarians passionate about improving end-of-life care for cats in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. Stacy and Dr. Birse discuss the emotional toll of practicing Veterinary medicine as well as the rewarding aspects of[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Beginning her life as a dog person, Allison talks about the value of using dog training methods to benefit cat behavior modification, and vice-versa. After losing her first companion cat in 2014, Allison focused on making cats lives better through behavior as a[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. If dogs and cats could choose a psychiatrist it would be Dr. Nicholas Dodman. With a drive for advocacy, a gift for research, and a never-say-quit treatment philosophy, it is no surprise that he is one of the world's most noted veterinary behaviorists.[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Dr. Kelly Diehl left private practice as a Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialist to join the Morris Animal Foundation which funds research that benefits animals directly. Dr. Diehl and Stacy discuss the Happy, Healthy Cat campaign which continues to shape protocol around low-stress[...]

Kristen Hassen is the Maddie's American Pets Alive! Director overseeing Human Animal Support Services (HASS) and serves as a board member of the National Animal Care & Control Association. Kristen describes HASS as the result of almost 1,000 animal welfare professionals coming together to recognize that the current animal services system is broken. Focusing on[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Suzi Langer is a vet tech with a soft spot for specially-abled cats. Just a few hours into fostering her first cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), a neurological condition that affects balance and coordination, she was hooked. Now Suzi and her kitty, Bifford,[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Mandy Evans has spent over a decade as the executive director of Better Together Animal Alliance—formerly Panhandle Animal Shelter—in Ponderay, Idaho, and hosts the podcast People are animals too, Darnit! When Better Together experienced an increase in owner surrenders, the Home to Home[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Hannah Senser is the cat foster manager for Ruff Start Rescue. RSR is a foster-based rescue with a network of 1,000 active foster homes instead of a brick-and-mortar shelter. Overseeing up to 300 cats/kittens and their foster families across the state of Minnesota,[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. In 2017, Caron Tuttle answered a call for fostering help from a local rescue group in Pleasanton, Texas. Intending to foster one kitten, Caron left the shelter that day with five very sick kittens and one mama cat. Shortly thereafter, she and four[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Michelle Major is a USA Today best-selling author of romance novels. She is passionate about animals and fosters kittens and promotes her local shelter in her free time. Her newest book, The Last Carolina Sister, the third book in the Magnolia Sisters trilogy,[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. We all know cats are great at hiding pain, but what if there was a way to monitor your cat's pain just by taking a photo of her face? That is the goal of Sylvester AI's new app Tably. Today Stacy is talking[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Basel Nassar is an entrepreneur with many years of experience creating products designed to boost human digestive health. He has recently made the switch to pet digestive health with his company Boss Nation Brands. Boss Nation creates raw pet foods that act as[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Rick DuCharme has worked for many years as a no-kill advocate, working on the Mayor's Task Force for Animal Control, founding First Coast No More Homeless Pets, and now founding RLD Consulting LLC, which works to help organizations working to save animals. Rick[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Lisa got involved in animal welfare through volunteering at shelters. She first began transporting animals from high-kill areas in the south, but then shifted her focus to the root of the problem: access to spay and neuter services. From that was born Fido[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Christi Metropole, founder of the Stray Cat Alliance shares with Stacy how she got started with TNR in the 90s and how trapping her first cat at her apartment complex gradually blossomed into a movement. They chat about how cats have historically been[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Becky Mossor is a registered veterinary technician and the executive director of the Human Animal Bond Association. She and Stacy talk about the differences between certified vet techs, on the job trained veterinary assistants, the challenges veterinarians have been facing during COVID, and[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. This week the script is flipped and Stacy is the one being interviewed by Michelle Fern, who hosts the podcast Cattitude on Pet Life Radio. They chat about how Stacy got her start in animal welfare and the origins of the Community Cats[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. This week Stacy interviews Chloe DiVita and Jessica Shipman, co-founders of All Pet Voices, a pet-focused media company that creates content for pet lovers in partnership with pet experts and brands. Their mission is to collaborate with other pet industry experts and bring[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Juli Cialone and Marla Valentine of Rock N' Rescue chat with Stacy this week about their unique approach to cat rescue. Juli is the co-founder and executive director of Rock N' Rescue with a background in professional photography. Marla is a social worker[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. This week's guest is Andee Bingham, founder of Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance in North Carolina. Andee noticed a need for a more specialized organization that could focus on neonates and support shelters that weren't equipped to care for them. Then she realized she[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. In this episode, Stacy talks to Rita Reimers, a cat behavior consultant, writer, and podcast host. Rita writes a column for Catster Magazine and the Litter Genie website, and hosts the Pet Life Radio show 19 Cats and Counting with Linda Hall. She[...]

Originally broadcast as a special episode for National Cat Day, in this episode, we celebrate by talking with Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author. Pam and Stacy discuss how Pam started her career and why we need to "think like a cat," as well as her latest project with ARM & HAMMER Cat Litter's[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Daralyn Kelleher is an LA-based YouTuber who turned to furniture making during quarantine, documenting the process on her YouTube Channel. Stacy and Daralyn chat about Daralyn's cat-themed, mid-century modern furniture, the possibility of venturing into making tiny furniture for cats, and making shelters[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. Anita Kelsey is London's only accredited cat behaviourist (BA Hons, MCFBA, CIDBT) after studying feline psychology and behaviour with renowned cat expert and biologist Roger Tabor and achieving a first class honours degree at Middlesex University based on her work practice. Anita is[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Smalls Fresh Cat Food and Doobert.com. This week's guest is Canadian actress, singer, and writer Reagan Pasternak. Reagan is the author of Griffin's Heart: Mourning Your Pet with No Apologies. An avid animal lover, Reagan works with several rescue groups based in L. A. The book Griffin's Heart came[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by CDE Cages and Doobert.com. This week Stacy talks to Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue, a national initiative that highlights the power of human-animal relationships. She is also the author of Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too. Carol worked in corporate America before[...]

Find out all the details about Care Dare, taking place this May, in this special episode! CARE will be sponsoring the first ever CARE DARE Community Cat Challenge. Sterling the TrapKing will set a record for the most cats trapped in 24 hours by a single person! Our Goal is to set a record, help[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Kitty Sift and Doobert.com. Deborah Cribbs, a banker by trade, is the chair of the board of trustees for Joanie Bernard Foundation and the Ten movement, which works in the greater Cincinnati area to help achieve a no-kill community for cats. The foundation's ad campaigns featuring Scooter the[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by CDE Cages and Doobert.com. This week Stacy talks to Rachel Herman, founder and executive director of PAWS (NY). Rachel has worked in development with the ASPCA before she transitioned to working with PAWS (NY) full time. PAWS (NY), or Pets Are Wonderful Support New York was founded in[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by CDE Cages and Doobert.com. Can you believe it's our 400th episode? This week we have a very special episode with Danielle Bays. You might remember Danielle from previous episodes or from her presentation at the 2021 Online Cat Conference. Danielle is a senior analyst for cat protection and[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com. Dawn White works as a behavioral psychologist and a massage therapist, but you might be more familiar with her work with Lola the Rescued Cat. Dawn runs the Lola the Rescued Cat Blog and is the author of Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat. Dawn[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com. Today's guest comes to us all the way from the United Kingdom. Stacy chats with Michelle Adams, founder of Chatty Cats Care, a cat sitting company based in London. Michelle specialises in caring for disabled pets, is passionate about rescuing cats, and shares her home[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by CDE Cages and Doobert.com. Stacy's guest this week, Gary Evans, works as the Clinic Director for the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV), where he previously worked as a "cat wrangler" or Community Cat Coordinator. Before coming to the world of animal welfare, Gary worked in the entrepreneurial[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com. This week, an inspiring chat with Peter Elueze, founder of Paw Salvation, a Chicago-based nonprofit that helps homeless people, veterans, and seniors care for their pets. Paw Salvation was founded 3 years ago and has been growing steadily, supporting those who need it by providing pet[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com.  Stacy chats with Mariah McCulley, Director of Operations at Animal Friends Alliance, a limited admission, adoption guarantee shelter for cats and dogs in Fort Collins, CO. Mariah has experience with TNR, high volume spay and neuter clinics, adoption, and, her passion, fostering feral kittens. Animal Friends[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com.  This week's guest is Bridget Bowhay, Director of Content and Social Media for Cuddly, a fundraising platform that supports animal rescues. Bridget is also an avid cat lover and kitten foster. Founded in 2014, Cuddly is a crowdfunding platform dedicated to helping nonprofit shelters and rescues[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by KittySift and Doobert.com. Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H., is a double-board certified neurologist and preventive medicine specialist, with a background in public health, and is a U.S veteran. For a decade, Dr. Akhtar was a Medical Officer at the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Akhtar is a Fellow of the[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Tamadori and Doobert.com. Steve Appelbaum has more than 40 years of dog training and pet industry experience. He is the creator of Animal Behavior College (ABC) which provides many different pet industry certifications. ABC started off with only programs for dog training but Steve noticed a big problem with[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Tamadori and Doobert.com. Maura Nevel Thomas is an award-winning international speaker, trainer, and author on individual and corporate productivity and work-life balance, and the most widely-cited authority on attention management. Maura has trained thousands of individuals at hundreds of organizations on her proprietary Empowered Productivity™ System, a process for[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com. You might remember Sam Wilson, who spoke at our Online Cat Conference in January. Sam is the Program Director at Iowa Humane Alliance, a high volume spay/neuter clinic, where she manages and develops outreach programs like the Iowa Trap-Neuter-Return Resource and Assistance Program (I-TRAP). Stacy[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by KittySift and Doobert.com. This week Stacy talks to James Evans, president of CARE and multi-award winning creative strategist and leader with 25+ years of experience connecting organizations with their constituents. He has worked on numerous animal welfare projects including Gulf Spay/Neuter Campaign and HSUS' Pets for Life,  Outdoor[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. You might already know Nathan Khen from Instagram or Tik Tok, where he is known as @nathanthecatlady. Today Stacy talks to Nathan about cats (of course), building a following on social media platforms, reaching younger audience, balancing social media and mental health, the effects of COVID-19 on[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Our guest this week, Allen Kamrava, has an impressive and widely varied resume focused on both business and medicine. Dr. Kamrava is a colorectal and general surgeon and the founder and CEO of Eusoh, a powerful platform working to change the insurance industry by helping pet owners[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Mikaela Fleisher is the secretary for a nonprofit spay and neuter organization called PennyFix. She has been involved in animal rescue since 2009, volunteering with various organizations as well as working as a receptionist at a busy animal hospital. Stacy and Mikaela discuss PennyFix, an organization founded[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and KittySift. Our guest this week has a very impressive bio. Dr. Michael Blackwell had a doctorate of veterinary science as well as a masters in public health. He directs the Program for Pet Health Equity at the University of Tennessee, chairs the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition,[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com's FosterSpace. In this episode, Stacy chats with Holly Ganz, Ph.D., a micro-ecologist who studies how microbes and mammals interact, with a specific interest in the role that the gut microbiome plays in gastrointestinal (GI) conditions in cats and dogs. In 2015, Holly founded Animal Biome to create[...]

In this information-packed episode, Stacy sits down with Dr. Bob Weedon, a retired veterinarian who is still going strong as a volunteer at the TLC PetSnip low-cost clinic in Lakeland, FL, a board member of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs (ACC&D), and in other volunteer posts. Bob worked in private practice and[...]

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Julie Posluns, the founder and owner of Cat School, an online training school for cats that uses clicker training to teach fun and practical behaviors and strengthen the bond between cats and their human in the process. Julie, who is a trained animal behaviorist, worked entirely with dogs[...]

In this episode, Stacy is joined by Camille Labchuk, an animal rights lawyer and the executive director of Animal Justice, Canada's only animal law advocacy organization. Camille also hosts the Animal Justice's Paw & Order podcast, which was reviewed in the CCP blog back in February. Stacy and Camille discuss what's going on in Canada[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and KittySift. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Conrad, who founded The Paw Project in 1999, joins Stacy to discuss the organization's mission to end declawing in the U.S. & Canada, using education, research, and legislation. The Paw Project is made up completely of veterinarians and the group compiled[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. This week's guest is Brad Kriser, founder of Kriser's Natural Pet and Chief Education Officer of Independent Pet Partners. Brad lives in LA with his family and a menagerie of rescued animals. Stacy and Brad chat about Brad's role with Independent Pet Partners and how he promotes[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Founding member of Archimedes' Printing Shoppe and Sundry Goodes, Susan Russell has had diverse experience as a writer, attorney, and animal advocate. She has led municipal animal shelters in Chicago and Philadelphia, worked as a litigator, and published an array of books including A Ruff Road Home:[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Writer, curator, and design and material culture historian Sarah Archer speaks with Stacy about how her love of her rescue cats led her to her newest project. Sarah is a senior curator at Philadelphia Art Alliance, a contributor to Hyperallergic and many other publications, and has worked[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and KittySift. Author of Hobo Finds a Home and Huck and Finn, Bookstore Cats and independent bookstore owner Kevin Coolidge is featured in this episode. The tradition of library and bookstore cats goes back to the Library of Alexandria and Kevin is keeping up the tradition with his two[...]

In this special episode, we celebrate National Cat Day by talking with Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and best-selling author. Pam and Stacy discuss how Pam started her career and why we need to "think like a cat," as well as her latest project with ARM & HAMMER Cat Litter's "Purrfectly Impurrfect" campaign. The campaign is[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and Heaven Can Wait. Kathleen O'Malley is a longtime practitioner and educator of TNR. She has worked for the Hudson County Animal League, the ASPCA, the Mayor's Alliance for New York City Animals, and Bideawee Feral Cat Initiative (FCI). In this episode Stacy and Kathleen discuss what to[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, Heaven Can Wait, and C5. This week Stacy talks to Meagan King, who has worked in pit bull rescues, animal shelters, and the pet service industry for more than eight years. She is interested in animal fear, aggression, and behavior and has worked with the SPCA of[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, Boulder Holistic Vet, and C5. Kathy Black, an all-breed judge from the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) for the past 19 years, joins Stacy in this episode. Kathy has bred and shown cats for 30 years, and she also chairs the CFA's Companion Cat World (CCW), a program[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, Boulder Holistic Vet, and Kitty Sift. In this episode, Stacy chats with Sarah Moore, the clinic manager for the Animal Protective League (APL) of Springfield Illinois's spay/neuter clinic, and with Dr. Teri Kidd, the clinic's veterinarian.  They discuss how Dr. Kidd got into high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter and[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com's FosterSpace, Boulder Holistic Vet, and Community Cat Coalition of Clark County. In this episode, Stacy chats with Jennifer Barnes, a US Marine Corps veteran who has been colony feeding and trapping cats for TNR for over five years in New Jersey. Known online as "The Trap Queen,"[...]

In this episode, Stacy is joined by Sarah Dunsmore, who co-owns CDE Animal Cages with her husband. Lifelong animal lovers, Sarah and her husband purchased the thirty-year old company several years ago and decided to shift its focus to helping shelter and rescue groups. As a small, family-owned company, CDE wants to help connect shelters[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com's FosterSpace, C5, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. In this episode, Stacy chats with Holly Ganz, Ph.D., a micro-ecologist who studies how microbes and mammals interact, with a specific interest in the role that the gut microbiome plays in gastrointestinal (GI) conditions in cats and dogs.[...]

This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com's FosterSpace, Heaven Can Wait, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. In this episode, Stacy catches up with Keith Williams of the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County (C5), based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Keith was featured previously on CCP Episode 297, ad in a CCP Trapper[...]

Anna Raines, currently a community cat program manager at Best Friends Animal Society, has been involved in animal welfare for about 10 years. She started her career as a wildlife rehabilitator, where she learned about complaint mitigation and the importance of spreading the message of coexistence. From there, she became an ACO, a role in[...]

Anne Beall, CEO and founder of Beall Research, a strategic market research firm in Chicago, IL, is also an animal advocate who has written extensively about the human-animal bond. In this episode, she chats with Stacy about her most recent book, Heroic, Helpful and Caring Cats: Felines Who Make a Difference, and about how she[...]

Stacy chats with Julie Jacobson of Spay Tennessee, who is also the grants coordinator for CCP's Community Cats Grants program. Julie, a frequent CCP guest (check out Episodes 2, 92, and 268, talks about how great this year's grant program had been going—until the coronavirus hit. Julie and Stacy explain how the Community Cats Grants[...]

Bonney Brown (CCP Episode 30 and Episode 181) and Diane Blankenburg, the president, and the CEO, respectively, of Humane Network, join Stacy to talk about the process of leadership recruitment in animal welfare. Humane Network assists organizations with this process and Bonney and Diane talk a bit about their process for going about a search[...]

In this episode, Stacy chats with Carrie Gillaspie, a television and podcast host from rural central Wisconsin with a huge passion for helping animals. Last year, Carrie began noticing larger than normal numbers of barn and community cats in her area, and hearing complaints from the farms around her, that the cat numbers were out[...]

In this information-packed episode, Stacy sits down with Dr. Bob Weedon, a retired veterinarian who is still going strong as a volunteer at the TLC PetSnip low-cost clinic in Lakeland, FL, a board member of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs (ACC&D), and in other volunteer posts. Bob worked in private practice and[...]

Sterling Davis left behind a promising rap music career to begin working with cats professionally several years ago when he took a temporary job at an animal shelter in between tours. A lifelong animal lover, Sterling soon got hooked on TNR and cats. During his training, Sterling noticed that not many men, and not many[...]

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Ashley Shoults, a principal w/ Animal Arts, an architecture firm in Boulder, Colorado that specializes exclusively in the design of animal care facilities, including animal shelters, veterinary facilities, and pet boarding facilities. Ashley is currently working on the design of a new facility for PAWS Seattle and she[...]

In this episode, Stacy chats with Steven Morelli, CEO and founder of Waggle, a new—and very different—crowdfunding platform to help pet owners and shelters/rescues raise money for animals in need of urgent veterinary care. Steven, who has a background in finance and data analytics, found himself increasingly angry over the way various crowdfunding platforms operate.[...]

Stacy talks with Elizabeth Finch, a member of the board of directors and full-time marketing and communications volunteer at Good Mews Animal Foundation in Marietta, Georgia. Elizabeth comes from a varied professional background and began donating her time to Good Mews after early retirement. "It's my full-time gig," she tells Stacy, "and I love it[...]

In this episode, Stacy talks with Mary Howard, the community cat coordinator at McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, TN. The program started in 2018 with a grant from Best Friends Animal Society and since inception, the organization's return to habitat releases has gone up by 145%. Stacy and Mary discuss the many programs McKamey offers,[...]

Stacy sits down with Mary Tan, owner and chief storyteller at Whisker Media, a boutique strategic communications agency that focuses on marketing and public relations for pet-related businesses and animal welfare nonprofits. Mary, who previously worked as a news reporter and in government communications, is also the public relations manager for Animal Humane Society in[...]

Karen Little, featured previously on CCP Episode 17 and Episode 112, joins Stacy to discuss the new things going on with the organization she and her husband founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1999, Alley Cat Advocates. In the 21 years since its inception, ACA has altered over 50,000 community cats and has worked to transform[...]

In this episode, Marian Pekar, a software developer based in the Czech Republic, joins Stacy to talk about My Nine Lives, a game he is developing to raise money for cat-related charities. Marian became involved in cat charities after adopting Max, a stray kitten, and earlier this year, he decided to use his skills and[...]

Stacy sits down with Lora O'Connor, Executive Director of The National Kitten Coalition (NKC), in this episode to talk about the organization, and about its partnership with Community Cats Podcast on the Online Kitten Conference. Lora has been working in animal welfare for 20 years and is an animal behaviorist. She talks about how things[...]

In this episode, Dean Killingbeck of Pets Strong CBD joins Stacy to discuss CBD and Pet Strong's products. Born and raised on a farm, Dean developed a deep appreciation of nature and herbal medicine, and when his senior dog began to develop mobility issues, Dean decided to try CBD. The results were positive, but Dean[...]

The multi-talented Arden Moore joins Stacy in this episode to discuss all things C-A-T. Arden is a radio show host, author, professional speaker, editor, media consultant, dog/cat behavior consultant, and a master pet first aid instructor. She and Stacy discuss the details of her podcast, Oh Behave, hosted by PetLifeRadio and selected by Oprah as[...]

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Julie Posluns, the founder and owner of Cat School, an online training school for cats that uses clicker training to teach fun and practical behaviors and strengthen the bond between cats and their human in the process. Julie, who is a trained animal behaviorist, worked entirely with dogs[...]

Award-winning journalist, author, and filmmaker Tina Traster, previously featured on CCP Episode 186, joins Stacy again to update us on her documentary, Catnip Nation. The film advocates for TNR through the stories of four Good Samaritans caring for community cats around the country. Since being on CCP a couple of years ago, Tina has taken[...]

In this episode, HSUS Senior Analyst for Cat Protection & Policy Danielle Bays joins Stacy to talk about what's going on in the world of cat policy issues. Danielle, who has chatted with Stacy in CCP Episode 55, Episode 261, and Episode 293, also shares details about the upcoming HSUS Expo conference. The conference will[...]

In this episode, Stacy is joined by Camille Labchuk, an animal rights lawyer and the executive director of Animal Justice, Canada's only animal law advocacy organization. Camille also hosts the Animal Justice's Paw & Order podcast, which was reviewed in the CCP blog back in February. Stacy and Camille discuss what's going on in Canada[...]

In this episode, Stacy chats with Elaine Spencer and Melanie Gardner from T-Town TNR, an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to resolving the feline overpopulation crisis in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since 2015, the organization has spay/neutered over 3,700 cats. Elaine is the group's lead support for grant writing, and together, she and Melanie serves as the group's IT[...]

In this episode, Stacy speaks with Alisse Russell, founder and executive director of Puff (Paws Up for Felines) Cat Rescue, Inc., a recently launched grassroots group with an ambition to grow into a nationwide rescue network. Puff Cat is dedicated to helping solve community cat overpopulation, and Alisse, who currently works in the human mental[...]

In this episode, Stacy talks with Lori Behrman, who runs the day-to-day operations of the Toby Project, including the mobile spay/neuter clinic. Lori has been with the Toby Project since Day One, and she considers her work not just a job, but a mission. She tells Stacy about how Dr. Andy Kaplan, founder of the[...]

In this episode, Stacy chats with community cat caretaker Debbie Chatenever, who walks several miles each day to feed the community cats in her area. Debbie gets the cats the medical care they need at her own expense, and she shares with Stacy the story of how she got involved with caring for her local[...]

Jill Tucker, CAWA and CEO of the California Animal Welfare Association (CalAnimals), joins Stacy in this episode to talk about her career in animal welfare, which stretches back to 2002. They talk about how Jill ended up in animal welfare after being in the software industry for many years. Jill & Stacy also discuss CalAnimals—how[...]

Britney Fox Hover, the shelter director at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS) in Salisbury, Massachusetts, began at MRFRS as a volunteer in 2009. In addition to now running the group's shelter and medical programs, Brit also oversees the adoption program, including a very successful Feline Leukemia (FeLV+) adoption program. Brit and Stacy talk[...]

In this episode, Stacy speaks with Dr. Andrew Kaplan, the veterinarian behind New York City's The Toby Project. Andrew has been an animal advocate since he was a child. Stacy & Andrew discuss Andrew's journey to becoming a vet and how he came to learn about and become involved in pet overpopulation—including the touching story[...]

Mario Abore, the founder and owner of Square Paws, a cat furniture design company, sits down with Stacy to talk about how Square Paws came to be. Mario, an architect by trade, designs all the furniture as art that your cat can inhabit, and it is all hand-crafted in the United States. Square Paws donates[...]

Jeff Parks, a comedy writer by trade, wasn't introduced to the world of cats until he was in his 30s, but once he was, there was no going back. He quickly turned into a "cat person," and became intrigued by the ways in which cats show their affection. Finding mostly scientific answers, he began using[...]

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Will Zweigart, founder of Flatbush Cats, a nonprofit focused on reducing the outdoor cat population in central Brooklyn, New York through TNR and rescue work. Flatbush Cats teaches TNR classes and offers support and resources for trappers. They are also launching a mobile spay/neuter clinic pilot program to[...]

Stacy sits down with Dr. Sara Pizano (a previous CCP guest on Episode 56, Episode 171, and Episodes 246 and 247) to discuss Dr. Pizano's new book, The Best Practice Playbook for Animal Shelters. The book is a result of the more than 100 assessments Dr. Pizano has done at shelters around the country as[...]

In this episode, Stacy speaks with Hasara Lay, founder of Catexplorer, a community, movement, and lifestyle brand for people who explore the world with their cats. Hasara, who is located in Australia, began exploring with her cat as a child and never stopped. When she and her husband adopted two rescue cats, she started Catexplorer[...]

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Conrad, who founded The Paw Project in 1999, joins Stacy to discuss the organization's mission to end declawing in the U.S. & Canada, using education, research, and legislation. The Paw Project is made up completely of veterinarians and the group compiled the evidence, drafted the legislation, composed the language of[...]

Julia Grosz earned the nickname "Cat Hustler" due to her ability to match cats and adopters through strategic copywriting and social media use. So it was only natural that when she developed her skills into a teachable set of cat marketing practices, she would name her organization Cat Hustler. The nonprofit specializes in creative marketing[...]

John Boone, a wildlife biologist previously interviewed on CCP, joins Stacy to discuss new research on how we can use the tools we have to manage cat populations more efficiently and more effectively. This particular study was conducted by a group of people connected with the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D) and[...]

In this episode, Stacy is joined by Lizz Whitacre, founder and CEO of Pawlytics, a technology solution to help rescues manage their paperwork and gain insights from their data. Pawlytics is also expanding into the TNR/community cats space in an effort to use technology, data, and innovation to drive lifesaving efforts for community cats. Stacy[...]

Valerie Sheppard, Director of Professional Development & Credentialing at the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA), joins Stacy to discuss what the AAWA is all about these days, including details on their Learning Center. Valerie created the Learning Center when she joined the AAWA in 2018, and it offers a variety of webinars (live and[...]

Meagan Larrea is a cat mom and cat lover who works as a civil engineer by day. The rest of the time, she runs Joy 4 Cats, a growing project that puts together toy and treat baskets for shelters to give away to new adopters. The program began in the fall of 2018 when Meagan[...]

fostering, which she initially began doing through local shelters, she has discovered a deep passion for TNR and advocacy and now works independently to take in, care for, spay/neuter, vaccinate, and adopt out cats and kittens. Ashley got involved in fostering kittens after she lost her father to suicide, and she talks with Stacy about[...]

Isa Peraza Martinez began her career at the APSCA as an animal caregiver at the organization's adoption center. Today, she serves as Community Cats Outreach Manager. In this role, she delivers monthly TNRM (trap-neuter-return-monitor) workshops, held in conjunction with several other organizations in New York City, and she serves as the primary point person for[...]

Dr. Kimberley Khodakhah (better known as "Dr. K.") runs Vetopia, a mentoring, wellness, and coaching business serving veterinarians. With 23 years of experience as a veterinarian herself, Dr. K. knows the business inside and out—including the fact that the animal medical field can come with incredible stresses and challenges. She mentors new and recent veterinary[...]

Sally Williams, who previously chatted with Stacy on CCP Episode 104, is a cat behaviorist and the founder and director of the Brodie Fund. She joins Stacy to talk about her newest effort, the Feline Fine Project, which aims to educate cat guardians and offer solutions in order to get more cats in for annual[...]

Colleen Bray, Director of the Boone County Kentucky Animal Shelter, has seen a lot of change with regards to cats in her time in animal welfare. She has worked in many roles in the field, and she joins Stacy to share not only her own shelter's success stories but also the cumulative success of the[...]

Anna Skaya, the CEO of Basepaws, joined Stacy last year on CCP Episode 213, and now she's back to update Stacy on everything that has happened in the past year—including a successful appearance on Shark Tank! Basepaws is a simple, at-home DNA test for your cat that can give you an idea of the breeds[...]

Chelsea White is a host, writer, producer, comedian, and cat enthusiast. She currently hosts the Bravo digital series "Adulting by Bravo," a weekly Facebook live talk show called "What a Delight with Chelsea White," and the dating podcast "Ghosted Stories." She is also the creator and host of the "cat-pawsitive" web series "Show Me Your[...]

Shelly Simmons has worked for Greenville County Animal Care, the largest open-admission shelter in South Carolina, for twelve years now. She sits down with Stacy to talk about how, in the last four years, through the implementation of a variety of community cat programs, the shelter's cat intake has decreased from 9,000 cats annually to[...]

Tabitha Kucera, a presenter at this past January's CCP Online Cat Conference, joins Stacy to discuss low-stress cat handling, clicker training, and more. Tabitha is a registered veterinary technician and a certified cat behavior training consultant. She is also certified in feline-friendly handling by both Fear Free and the Low-Stress Handling University. Tabitha has her[...]

Jenny Hart, a Brooklyn-based travel writer and mom to cat Rajah, is quickly becoming a cat travel expert. Soon after adopting Rajah as a kitten, it became clear to Jenny that he needed more stimulation than life in a New York City apartment could provide. Jenny began training Rajah to walk on a harness and[...]

In this episode, Stacy sits down with Will Zweigart, founder of Flatbush Cats, a nonprofit focused on reducing the outdoor cat population in central Brooklyn, New York through TNR and rescue work. Flatbush Cats teaches TNR classes and offers support and resources for trappers. They are also launching a mobile spay/neuter clinic pilot program to[...]

Preston Tobery, an expert at "maker technologies" like 3D printing, is the founder of Adaptive Tech and Consulting, a small business that makes adaptive technologies for special needs animals. Preston came to this specific work through several remarkable interactions with the Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw) and two of her foster kittens, Chloe and Badger. The[...]

In this episode, Stacy talks with Siri Zwemke, author and founder/executive director of the Siamese Cat Rescue Center. The organization has been in operation for over twenty years, utilizing over 900 volunteers to save over 13,000 cats in that time. Siri has also just published a book, Rescue Meez, about her experiences running the nonprofit[...]

Jayne Sage began doing TNR when she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico around 2002. After TNRing over 70 cats in her own neighborhood, she began looking for ways to help in other areas of the city and before long, she was a major advocate for TNR citywide. In this episode, Jayne and Stacy discuss how[...]

In this special episode, Stacy talks with Moshow the Cat Rapper about teaming up with Arm and Hammer's "Double Duty" campaign. Moshow wrote and created a song and video for the campaign, and if it gets two million views on YouTube by October 31, 2019, Arm and Hammer will donate $10,000 to ACCT Philly and to the Cat Adoption[...]

In the second part of this two-part episode, Stacy talks more with Betsy Banks Saul, this time about her new business venture, a franchise of house-call veterinary practices called Heal House Call Veterinarian. Betsy began thinking about this idea around 2013, and her top priority was to increase the quality of life for animals and[...]

Betsy Banks Saul, a co-founder of Petfinder, and founder of a new business venture, Heal House Call Veterinarian, has been working with animals since she was a teen. She has a background as a park ranger, with an interest in forestry. In the first part of this two-part episode, she talks with Stacy about the[...]

Some of the content you enjoy will be releasing at on a different day of the week. Starting in August, the podcast will be released on Tuesdays instead of Saturdays. (However, being available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Sticher or wherever you listen to podcasts, means that you can listen whenever you'd like!) Meanwhile,[...]

Stacy is once again joined by Dr. Rachel Geller, who has previously appeared on CCP Episode 18 and Episode 146. A certified Humane Education Specialist and Cat Behavior & Retention Specialist, Rachel is celebrating the launch of her new book, Saving the World One Cat at a Time. Rachel tells Stacy that she hadn't really[...]

Amanda Jones, a lifelong cat lover and self-described "totally sane cat lady," talks with Stacy about opening the Sunshine Kitty Catfe in St. Petersburg, Florida this fall. They get into the details of how the café will operate, as well as how Amanda came to be interested in cat cafes. At the age of 8,[...]

Stacy chats with Mary Chromek, who has been fostering neonatal (bottle baby) kittens for over 10 years now. A cat person since she was a child, Mary found that cats really helped with her depression and anxiety, and as she got older, she decided to give back by fostering for local organizations. She soon realized[...]

Steve Lawrence, an award-winning filmmaker previously interviewed by Stacy on CCP Episode 178, returns to CCP to discuss the documentary film he co-directed, The Cat Rescuers. The film premiered in October 2018 at the Hamptons International Film Festival, where it won an award for "giving voice to the voiceless." Since then, Steve and his production[...]

Stacy sits down with Dr. Sara Pizano (a previous CCP guest on Episode 56, Episode 171, and Episodes 246and 247) to discuss Dr. Pizano's new book, The Best Practice Playbook for Animal Shelters. The book is a result of the more than 100 assessments Dr. Pizano has done at shelters around the country as a[...]

Peter Wolf, previously featured on CCP Episode 74, joins Stacy again, this time to discuss a newly released research paper that he and Dan Spehar (CCP Episode 240) have co-authored. The paper, titled "Integrated Return-To-Field and Targeted Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return Programs Result in Reductions of Feline Intake and Euthanasia at Six Municipal Animal Shelters," has been published[...]

Scott Giacoppo (previously interviewed by Stacy on CCP Episode 25) has been involved in animal welfare since 1989. Among other roles, he has worked as an animal control officer and a special state police officer for cruelty investigations. He currently serves as the Director of National Shelter Outreach for Best Friends Animal Society. In this[...]

In this episode, Stacy talks with Jackson Cunningham, founder of Tuft + Paw, a modern cat furniture company. Jackson and his girlfriend and business partner both have had cats all their lives, and describe themselves as obsessed with cats. After a trip to South America in which they observed stray cats being treated like pests,[...]

Christina Ha joins Stacy again (having been interviewed by Stacy in CCP episode 144 and episode 245), this time to discuss the third annual Cat Camp event, to be held this June 1 and 2 in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Christina, who is one of the co-founders of Meow Parlour cat café, founded[...]

For the 300thepisode of Community Cats Podcast, Stacy is joined by Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs for Neighborhood Cats. Previously featured on CCP Episode 13, Episode 127, and Episode 218, Bryan is back to talk about how things are going for community cats in Hawaii, and about the new book he has co-authored. And[...]

Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals at the Humane Society of the United States, works to support local, state and federal policies protecting pets. She holds an M.S. in Animals & Public Policy from Tufts University and was the New Hampshire state director for HSUS prior to her current role. She spent ten years[...]

Dave Hanley, developer of the Tomorrow app, is an entrepreneur who is also a pet (and human) parent. Tomorrow is designed to help anyone set up a legal will quickly and easily—and even appoint guardians for their pets and/or children. The app is free, with no strings attached. (It is funded by the optional sale[...]

You may remember Dr. Kate Hurley, Director of U.C. Davis Koret School of Veterinary Medicine and co-founder of Million Cat Challenge, from CCP Episode 47. If not, be sure to check it to hear all about how Dr. Hurley got started in the world of animal welfare. In this episode, Dr. Hurley is back to[...]

Nikki Martinez was always a dog person. That all changed one day when a kitten ran in front of her car on her way to a post-surgical doctor appointment. Feeling down and overly focused on herself after her surgery, Nikki poured her heart and soul into nursing that sickly kitten back to health, and eventually[...]

Danielle Bays, Director of Cat Protection and Policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), is a frequent flyer here on CCP, having appeared before on Episode 55and Episode 261. She joins Stacy again here to talk about what's going on across the country for cats, and about various events happening in the[...]

Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with a Ph.D. in psychology, has quite a list of accomplishments under her belt. She has co-authored the book Total Cat Mojowith Jackson Galaxy, and she currently co-owns a cat behavior consulting business called Feline Minds, which assists both pet owners and shelters. Mikel is also[...]

In this interview, Stacy speaks with Karen Anderson, an animal communicator and afterlife expert who has been practicing for over 20 years. She has received several awards and is a best-selling author of several books as well, including her most recent, The Amazing Afterlife of Animals. As far back as Karen can remember, she has[...]

Kim Saunders was a practicing attorney when she decided to move into the animal welfare world full-time (after years of volunteering). She spent 15 years at Petfinder before moving into a more hands-on role at St. Hubert's. She is now the Operations Director at Liberty Humane Society (LHS), the only licensed animal shelter in Hudson[...]

Elena Battles of Shelterluv software has been working for animals in one capacity or another since 1999. It was then that she found Trini, a stray beagle who truly changed her life. Elena had been working as a physical therapist, but after rescuing Trini, she was re-awakened to the issues facing animals, and decided to[...]

Kay Stout is the Executive Director of PAAS Vinita in Oklahoma, a multi-faceted group that grew out of the initial shelter that gives the group its name (PAAS stands for "Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter"). Back in 2015, the shelter opened, but no one was coming in to adopt the animals. That's when Kay realized they[...]

Sandy Rees, the CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) at Get Fully Funded and Founder of Arf Club, joins us for her second visit to Community Cats Podcast. If you missed her first chat with Stacy, check it out here. Sandy's company shows passionate nonprofit leaders how to fully fund their big visions so they can spend[...]

Dr. Angie Kraus, a holistic house-call veterinarian in Boulder, CO, has known since the age of 3 that she wanted to be a vet. She was trained conventionally, but after graduation, she began to explore other, less traditional modalities of treatment, leading her to holistic veterinary medicine. For Dr. Kraus, being a holistic vet means[...]

Veronica Coit, a full-time hairdresser who is married with two children, calls herself a "cat lady for life." She spearheads the Asheville Cat Weirdos, a Facebook group that she started in 2016. That group has now grown to almost 9,000 members, all from the greater Asheville, North Carolina area. The group has also grown from[...]

Dana Andresen started as the first executive director of Feline Rescue, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based, no-kill companion cat rescue organization, in April 2016. Dana came to her current role after working with a pet food company and then as the first executive director of the Minnesota spay/neuter assistance program (MN SNAP). She got interested in[...]

Dr. Graham Brayshaw, a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M's veterinary school, is both the chief veterinarian and the director of animal services for the Animal Humane Society (AHS), an organization based in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Brayshaw's interest in animal welfare and community cats began when he did a rotation through[...]

Sara Kent, the first CEO and paid staff member of Shelter Animals Count (SAC), sits down with Stacy to discuss how SAC came to be, what its mission is, and some of its latest statistics. Sara began her career in animal welfare close to 20 years ago as one of the first people hired at[...]

In this episode, Stacy talks with Larry Shively, owner of ProVetLogic, one of the sponsors of 2019 Online Cat Conference, about controlling the spread of disease among cats, particularly in shelter-type environments. Nine years ago, Larry & his wife Colleen started ProVetLogic after being called in to assist with a "big cat" situation – and[...]

Durning the month of December, we're revisiting some of our favorite, most informative shows. This is a rebroadcast of episode 248 featuring Kim Freeman who, with the help of her trained tracking cat Henry, helps find cats when they've gone missing – enjoy! Kim Freeman turned her lifelong love for cats into a career as a[...]

Durning the month of December, we're revisiting some of our favorite, most informative shows. This is a rebroadcast of episode 143 featuring the man who has one of the most interesting jobs we've ever heard of, Shaun Sears of Canopy Cat Rescue  – enjoy! You don't need to call a fireman to rescue your cat from[...]

Durning the month of December, we're revisiting some of our favorite, most informative shows. This is a rebroadcast of episode 222featuring The Cat Man of West Oakland, Adam Myatt – enjoy! Cats have been taking over this amazing guy's life for the last eight years! What started as a small photography hobby has turned into[...]

Durning the month of December, we're revisiting some of our favorite, most informative shows. This is a rebroadcast of episode 175featuring cat behaviorist and host of Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell", Jackson Galaxy - enjoy! It's the Cat Daddy himself in this special episode of the podcast! Stacy has a fascinating conversation with Jackson[...]

Durning the month of December, we're revisiting some of our favorite, most informative shows. This is a rebroadcast of episodes 256 and 257 which we dubbed "The Mike & Carmine Show" - enjoy! Stacy speaks with Mike Keiley, the Director of Adoption Centers and Programs at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals[...]

After bringing you up to speed on how a "virtual conference" works, they chat about a special returning guest, The Kitten Lady, and the line up of brand new guest speakers and the topics they'll be presenting for attendees at this event that takes place January 25, 26, and 27, 2019. You'll learn what fun[...]

Internet sensation Moshow was born and raised in inner city Baltimore, MD. He didn't grow up with pets, and it wasn't until he was in college that what he calls "cat fever" took over. Since then, Moshow has combined his passion for cats and rap to defy the odds and build a name for himself[...]

Aaron Hancox and Michael McNamara of Markham Street Films join Stacy in this episode to talk about their documentary,Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit, which follows the Canadian competitive cat show world. Aaron is a long-time cat guy whose cat Beau was adopted from a Toronto rescue, but Michael is actually allergic to cats![...]

This week our show is a little different. In addition to hosting The Community Cats Podcast, Stacy LeBaron also appears on HubCats TV, a show on Chelsea Cable Access where she and her co-host discuss animal welfare topics with an aim to educate and raise awareness. Pet health, community cats and services available to pet[...]

Liz Illig, owner of Puff & Fluff Grooming & Pet Sitting, located in Phoenix, Arizona, joins Stacy to talk about cat grooming, and about how Puff & Fluff helps area rescue groups. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Liz has always had a strong connection to animals. During her college years in Arizona, she[...]

Gary Willoughby, the President and CEO of the SPCA Serving Erie County in West Seneca, New York, joins Stacy to talk about what's going on at the nation's second oldest humane society. A passionate life-long learner, Gary joined the SPCA in 2016, after several animal welfare roles, as well as several roles in other fields.[...]

Kelly Duer, Foster Program Consultant for Maddie's Fund, has worked with many organizations over the years, including such big names as FEMA and Best Friends Animal Society. The goal of her work is to help groups increase live outcomes for animals through the implementation of robust foster programs. Kelly came to this role after working[...]

Those of you who have been CCP fans for a long time may remember hearing Stacy chat with Julie Jacobson before in Episodes 2and 92. Julie runs Spay Tennessee, but is also the CCP grants coordinator. If you don't know about the CCP grant program, here's how it works, in a nutshell: small organizations apply[...]

In Part II of this two-part episode, Stacy continues her conversation with Anne Lindsay, the founder & president of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC). Anne talks about what she feels MAC's greatest achievements – and greatest challenges – have been over the organization's history. (It turns out they are one and the same: getting so[...]

Anne Lindsay, the founder & president of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC), has been an animal advocate for over 30 years. Founded in 2000, MAC was one of the country's first state-wide coalitions for animal welfare professionals and volunteers. In her role at MAC, Anne works with other groups, states, and communities on setting up[...]

Darlene Duggan, the Director of Operations at Tree House Humane Society in Chicago, holds a master's degree in public health and epidemiology. Darlene originally planned to be a doctor, but just as she getting ready to go to medical school, she realized that the thing she enjoyed the most in her life was volunteering at[...]

Olivia Westley, a former teacher who discovered her true passion for helping cats when she started volunteering in a Forgotten Cats pet store adoption center, now serves as the group's Development Director. Forgotten Cats is a nonprofit organization with the mission of preventing the birth and suffering of unwanted kittens by controlling the free-roaming cat[...]

Jim Tedford, President & CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (formerly SAWA), who previously appeared on Community Cats Podcast episode #199, joins Stacy again to discuss his organization's new name, their rebranding, and their new commitment to making educational opportunities available to even more folks in the animal welfare world. Formerly SAWA (Society[...]

Karen Kraus and Bob Sallinger's organizations, the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and the Audubon Society of Portland, have formed what may seem to some to be a most unlikely partnership between "cat people" and "bird people." But the truth, Karen and Bob have found, is that animal welfare and wildlife conservation have a lot[...]

Danielle Bays, the new Director of Cat Protection and Policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), plays "Cat Protection and Policy Jeopardy!" with Stacy in this episode. Danielle is responsible for staying on top of cat policy issues all over the country, and she fills us in on current cat legislation and[...]

Erin Robinson admits that once upon a time, she simply didn't know that community cats existed, let alone what you were supposed to do about them. That all began to change when she started volunteering in a county animal services facility during college in North Carolina, and when she went on to work for a[...]

Pamela Merritt — better known as "Dear Pammy" through her cat advice blog — didn't become a cat fan until she married one. At the time, she says, cats were really still second-class citizens in this country. There weren't any no-kill shelters, and she and her first husband rescued many cats themselves. Pam learned how to[...]

John Boone's professional track has been that of a wildlife biologist, but he also serves as a consultant with Humane Society International, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and several other national and international organizations. He specializes in program metrics, statistical analysis, and population biology, and he has worked on many programs around the[...]

Tune in to the second part of "The Mike and Carmine Show," with Mike Keiley of the MSPCA and Carmine DiCenso of Dakin Humane, as they continue their conversation with Stacy. In this episode, Mike & Carmine offer their tips for people who feel like they are hitting a brick wall around their efforts at[...]

Stacy speaks with Mike Keiley, the Director of Adoption Centers and Programs at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), and Carmine DiCenso, Executive Director of the Dakin Humane Society in Leverett & Springfield MA in this first part of "The Mike & Carmine Show." You can check out Mike's first[...]

Ellen Quinlan, Executive Director of Darbster Foundation, was one of those kids who always brought home every stray animal she found, and that passion for helping animals has stayed with her as an adult. The mission of Ellen's group is to reduce the number of adoptable cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies that are being euthanized[...]

Interview! Chad Nelson, Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island "Tons and tons of cat lovers have no idea … that there's this whole population of cats that really need our help." Chad Nelson, a lawyer by trade, is the Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island, an all-volunteer network for community cats. Chad came to his[...]

Interview! Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs "I am determined it's going to be my legacy in this field that we get the tools that we need to really reach the cats we want to be able to help." Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats[...]

Interview! Richard Angelo, Legislative Attorney for Best Friends Animal Society "Getting those community cat programs started, where cats are not even entering the shelter… it's so key in saving lives." Richard Angelo, a legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society, is a long-time animal welfare advocate who fell into animal law when he ran across[...]

Interview! Niki Cochran, Program Manager at Alley Cat Rescue "Just because you're getting the [positive] combo test … that doesn't mean 'death sentence'. That means 'OK, now I have to go and educate myself about what that combo test result is.' " Niki Cochran, Program Manager at Alley Cat Rescue in Washington, DC, has been[...]

Interview! Dr. Philip Bushby, Professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine "I long for the day when I can walk into a shelter and not find any cats in the shelter — and it's achievable." Dr. Philip Bushby, a veterinarian and well-known advocate for early age spay/neuter,[...]

Interview! Michele Tilford, Cat-Assisted Therapy Advocate Michele Tilford has over five years of experience as a cat-assisted therapy handler—but when she first became interested in cat-assisted therapy, the only programs she could find were for dogs. Eventually she connected up with a service dog trainer who also happened to be a Ragdoll breeder. The woman[...]

"I would really like anyone who has anything to do with lost cats to realize how important it is not to give up, and not to assume anything." Kim Freeman turned her lifelong love for cats into a career as a professional missing cat finder. When her own cat Mr. Purr went missing in 2008,[...]

Interview! Part 2 - Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant "You don't need millions of dollars—you need to allocate your pie of resources intelligently … that's really the key." In part 2 of our two-part episode with Dr. Sara Pizano, she talks about the big picture in animal welfare these days, and about[...]

Interview! Part 1 - Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant "Northern Kentucky will be no-kill for cats this year, absolutely, hands-down!" Dr. Sara Pizano, who joined us previously on Episode 171, is a veterinarian who has been involved in animal welfare for over thirty years. She has extensive experience helping shelters move away[...]

Interview! Christina Ha, Creator of Cat Camp "I'm so incredibly excited for Cat Camp this year!" Christina Ha, who originally joined us on Episode 144, is back to talk about this year's Cat Camp—now known as Jackson Galaxy's Cat Camp. Galaxy, who attended last year's event, loved it so much that he wanted to expand[...]

Interview! Jennifer Blough, Compassion Fatigue Expert and Author "Self care—it's not selfish; it's really charging your batteries so you can go out and have the energy to do what you love to do, which is saving animals." Jennifer Blough, a licensed therapist, compassion fatigue expert and author of the bookTo Save a Starfish: A Compassion[...]

Interview! Vickie Fisher - President of The International Cat Association (TICA) "We cherish both pedigree and non-pedigree cats. We just want the world to value cats as companion animals." Vicki Fisher had a successful career in finance & management, but in retirement, she has really been able to devote more time to her passion: CATS![...]

Interview! Ask Stacy! Online Cat Conference Review "I'm passionate about the idea of having a dedicated annual cat conference nationally and this was a great way to work towards providing access to everyone." Stacy is back to discuss all of the in's and out's of how the first Online Cat Conference went this past January![...]

Interview! Daniel Spehar, Co-Founder of the Together Initiative for Ohio's Community Cats "I hope all of us can focus on a shared goal of fewer community cats instead of focusing on the differences. Let's focus on the most effective and humane ways to reach our common goal." Daniel works to enact animal-friendly legislation as a[...]

Interview! Dr. Lynn Bahr, Feline Veterinarian and Owner of Dezi and Roo "I like to look at life through a cat's point of view, not my point of view, and I think that that helps me to understand them better, to communicate with them better, and to know what they need." How did a dog-loving[...]

Interview! Kaleel Sakakeeny, Founder, The Other Me Coaching "You can't apply a one-size-fits-all for losing a pet or animal in your life. People shouldn't be ashamed of their feelings of grief when losing an animal." Kaleel Sakakeeny is back with another great episode about dealing with the grief that can come from losing a pet.[...]

Interview! Kate Cote, Founder of Fur Love Comfort Cats "It's always such a wonderful time to visit a place for 5 to 6 hours, letting people pet and interact with the cats, and brightening up someone's day."   Kate Cote has worked with cats most of her life and Fur Love Comfort Cats involves outreach[...]

Interview! Dr. Linda Harper, Clinical Psychologist, Compassionate Heart Specialist and Author "Feeling compassion fatigue isn't really a matter of if, it's a matter of when. We naturally put ourselves on the back burner over the animals we help." Dr. Linda Harper is a lifelong animal lover advocate, Author and Clinical Psychologist in the Chicago area.[...]

Interview! Kimberley Heeney, Vice President of Operations Active for Pets "My goal is that anyone, anytime, anywhere, irregardless of economics or world areas, would be able to utilize Active for Pets for their pet's well-being and health." With over 25 years of experience in the human healthcare industry, Kimberley Heeney brings a wealth of expertise[...]

Interview! Brianna Grant, Communications Associate at Alley Cat Rescue "We believe in protecting all cats, no matter what area they are in." Brianna was always involved with cats and found a particular sweet stray when she was younger that broke her heart with how bad of shape it was in. She spent the next few[...]

Interview! Ann Dunn, Founder of Cat Town, Oakland, CA "Nobody wanted to be standing in a cafe making coffee, they wanted to be helping the cats. But now, we're seeing how helpful it has been to forgotten kittens and see how successful it has been." Ann Dunn founded Cat Town, which is a cat rescue[...]

Interview! Gavin Ehringer, Author of Leaving the Wild: The Unnatural History of Dogs, Cats, Cows and Horses "It's not enough to take care of animals after they're born, we have to think about their circumstances before the act of breeding even takes place." Gavin takes a critical look at breeding and how our values shape[...]

Interview! Nell Thompson - Coordinator of National Getting To Zero Program "I'm passionate for improving outcomes for community cats. I believe TNR would work great with cooperation and collaboration to achieve community change." Nell has worked for over 25 years in the industry and her background is exceptional, due to her veterinary technician experience and[...]

Interview! Keoni Vaughn, Executive Director of Lanai Cat Sanctuary "My job has helped me instantly get to the heart of what I want to do, which is rescue and protect animals that can't speak for themselves." Keoni is the Executive Director of the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, and oversees a staff of only 6, who provide[...]

Interview! Natalise Kalea, CEO of poundWISHES "We want to save animals, help animals, and better the lives of animals around the world. We aim to execute on our mission through creative innovation and community." Natalise has always been an animal lover, who always dreamed of using her business skills and put them to good use.[...]

Interview! Haydn Hilton, Owner of Java Cats Cafe in Atlanta, GA "If I would have known how much work a cat cafe was, I might have turned around, but the cats are where the magic is. They market the coffee shop all by themselves when people walk by!" Meet 26-year-old Haydn Hilton, owner of Java[...]

Interview! Frances Carlisle, Attorney "An important and usually neglected part of estate planning is what will happen to a client's pets and animals. Charities which are already overburdened than have to step in, taking resources away from their other needs." Frances Carlisle is an attorney in New York that prepares wills and trusts, along with[...]

Interview! Sandy Rees, Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer - Get Fully Funde "I've always felt deep in my soul that I'm here to help lots of people. I have a sensitive heart and can't stand to see anyone suffer." Sandy helps non-profits and charities who have been used to nickel and dime fundraising work on[...]

Interview! Cameron Moore, Program Manager, Million Cat Challenge "Hurricane Irma's reach was intense for shelters across Florida, but it will only help us to plan for future incidents." Cameron is a return guest (head to Episode 61 for information on how she got started in the business) that is here today to discuss the hurricane[...]

Interview! Jim Tedford, President and CEO for the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, SAWA "Our role is to make connections between people who need relief versus the members we know who can provide relief." Jim is a returning guest who has been actively engaged in the animal welfare movement for over 30 years. He was[...]

Interview! Matt Michaelson and Calvin Bohn, Co-Founders of Smalls "58% of cats are overweight, and 28% of those are considered obese. This is up 7% since just 2011 and something clearly needs to change." Matt, the Master Business Person, and Calvin, Head Chef, are taking a fresh look at feeding felines after seeing just how[...]

Interview! Adam Myatt, The Cat Man of West Oakland "These cats are street smart, tough as nails, and have definitely scene some stuff, but they are our neighborhood cats and are softies at heart." Cats have been taking over this amazing guy's life for the last 8 years! What started as a small photography hobby[...]

Interview! Dr. Mike Greenberg, Program Director for Target Zero "We want to teach people to set goals, and then to use metrics to measure their progress towards them." Dr. Mike Greenberg is the program director for Target Zero, a project that helps municipal shelters achieve live release rates of 90% or above for community cats.[...]

Interview! Sarah-Jane Farrell, Multi Sensory and Forensic Medical Intuitive "The trust process is the first step in our ability to trust that we are enough. It is as ancient as humankind." Sarah-Jane Farrell is a pragmatic psychologist who specializes in healing trauma through utilizing the animal relationships in our lives. Sarah-Jane grew up in Zimbabwe,[...]

Interview! Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Policy and Protection, Humane Society of the United States Ready for Round 5 of Policy Jeopardy? Katie Lisnik once again updates us on the various changes and new initiatives in community cat policy across the US. The challenges facing animal welfare advocates differ greatly across the fifty states: while[...]

Interview! Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs for Neighborhood Cats "It feels like we are starting over in Maui. We are having fascinating on-the-ground experiences!" Stacy catches up with Bryan Kortis today to cover a wide range of topics from what is happening in Hawaii with pending legislation that would help community cats, to an update on[...]

Interview! Cathy Unruh and Chad Thompson, Board President and Executive Director, Meow Now, Inc. "My ultimate vision is that there really are no more community cats, because the entire United States has bought into TNVR." Cathy Unruh and Chad Thompson are the founding board president and executive director of Meow Now, Inc., respectively. Meow Now[...]

Dr. Nels Rasmussen, Animal Chiropractor and Spiritual Animal Healer "Everyone else is saying 'There's just no hope anymore,' and I'm here to say there is."  Dr. Nels Rasmussen is a third-generation animal chiropractor who now works as a spiritual animal healer in neuroenergetic balancing. In the early days of his practice he worked with paralyzed[...]

Interview! Esther Mechler, Founder of Spay USA "What's the tipping point? What's the age that we could get the veterinarians to agree? The answer seemed to be, by five months." Esther is back for another episode of the Community Cats Podcast, in which she shares more information on the Feline Fix By Five campaign, an initiative[...]

Interview! Britt Collins, Author and Journalist, "Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America" "Being a writer can be a lonely, hard process at the best of times." Britt Collins is a writer, journalist, and animal activist, who has written investigative journalism on animal cruelty and has volunteered at animal rescues[...]

Interview! Anna Skaya, CEO and Founder of Base Paws "The bigger database, the more associations and discoveries we can make." Anna Skaya is the CEO and founder of Base Paws, a commercial company that conducts feline genetic testing and research. Using the results from genetic testing, we can analyze an individual cat and assess her[...]

Interview! Maribeth Decker, Intuitive Animal Communicator, sacredgrove.com "It's a connection between two souls on a non-physical level." Maribeth Decker is an intuitive animal communicator, whose dogs first began communicating with her after she became a Reiki Master. She herself only realized her gift when she adopted Tibor, a young fear-aggressive rescue dog, who sent her[...]

Interview! Lorrie Shaw, Owner, Professional Pet Sitting & Blogger, Animals Unfolded "Cats' needs for enrichment are only becoming more understood." Lorrie Shaw is the owner of Professional Pet Sitting and specializes in helping families care for hospice and special needs pets. Through her work, she has observed that medical issues and behavioral issues are very often linked—inappropriate[...]

Interview! Pat Brayer, Clinic Director at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona "The adopters that are drawn to the shy feral kittens are the ones that are going to make them blossom the most." Pat Brayer is the clinic director at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. In her shelter work, she has pioneered some[...]

Interview! Nathan Winograd, Executive Director, The No-Kill Advocacy Center, Part 2 "We had to come to the realization that just because you work at an animal shelter doesn't mean you are passionate about cats and saving their lives." In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Nathan describes the current animal welfare legislation he is working[...]

Interview! Nathan Winograd, Executive Director, The No-Kill Advocacy Center, Part 1 "It's actually the policies and procedures of the shelter that are responsible for whether animals die in shelters." It's hard to name a field of animal welfare that Nathan Winograd doesn't have experience in: his animal advocacy work started while attending Stanford Law School,[...]

Interview! Kate Benjamin, Designer, Blogger of Hauspanther, Part 2 "Not only does the design of the room at the shelter make it very functional and enjoyable, but it's a showcase for what people can do when they get home." In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Kate delves into how user-centered design theory can be[...]

Interview! Kate Benjamin, Designer, Blogger of Hauspanther, Part 1 "I'm not just writing about cool-looking stuff. I'm writing about stuff that's going to make a difference in these cats' lives." Kate Benjamin has combined her professional knowledge of design and product development with her love of cats to fill a unique niche—she blogs about cat[...]

Interview! Meredith Hippert, Director of Field Operations, Animal Balance "Through this work, I recognized my passion for serving the underserved, and working with communities to implement change for animals." Though largely self-educated in the field, Meredith Hippert holds an impressively broad resume in animal welfare, from admission guidelines and outreach to foster programming and TNR. Her journey[...]

Interview! Anthony Amos, Owner, HydroDog and Founder of the Bathe to Save Tour "If you want to become a part of HydroDog, you're not just part of a franchise; you're committing to a long-term partnership with the animal rescue world." Anthony Amos is the owner of HydroDog, a mobile grooming salon in Australia that travels[...]

Interview! Erika Kelly, founder of Operation Git-Meow "The Navy has always been tied to cats, and that's how the cats got to the base in the first place." Only a year after graduating college, Erika Kelly is already well on her way to making waves in the animal welfare community—she started Operation Git-Meow in December[...]

Interview! Karen Hollish, Director of Development and Marketing, Pima Animal Care Center "The community cats project has not only helped us save outdoor community cats; it's helped us provide a better experience for the cats inside our shelters." Karen Hollish is the director of development and marketing at Pima Animal Care Center. In March 2014,[...]

Interview! Erin Berry, Executive of Marketing and Communication, BoardSource "You have to think, "What is most important for this organization, not for myself?" Erin Berry is the executive of marketing and communication at BoardSource, an organization that helps strengthen the boards of non-profits. Erin has twelve years of experience in non-profit management, and she's no[...]

Interview! Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Policy and Protection, Humane Society of the United States "TNR is not a cruel act; it is a humane population management tool, and it should be defined as such." Katie Lisnik is back for another round of "Policy Jeopardy" on the Community Cats Podcast! This time, we get the[...]

Interview! Jim Tedford, President and CEO of SAWA "The strength of SAWA is in its network." Jim Tedford is the president and CEO of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA). In the early 1980s, fresh out of college with a degree in  animal science, he found his first job in animal welfare at a[...]

Community Cats Podcast Anniversary Show, The Podcast Team "I'm learning so much about the talents and passions it takes to make the world a better place for cats." Community Cats Podcast celebrates it's first year online! In the Anniversary Show, Stacy shines the spotlight on the 'behind the scenes' talent that has made this past[...]

Interview! Shawn Flynn, Author, The Kitty Who Rescued Me After I Rescued Him "He had a huge impact on my life, and that's why I decided to write a book about it." Shawn Flynn is the author of The Kitty Who Rescued Me After I Rescued Him, a current finalist in the 2017 International Book Awards. It[...]

Interview! Part Two, Monica Frenden, Cat Program Manager, Austin Pets Alive! "This is the safest large city in the country to be a cat." In part two of this two-part episode, Stacy interviews Monica Frenden about the various cat programs available at Austin Pets Alive! She describes the "Fel-V fever" that spreads once people in[...]

Interview! Part One, Monica Frenden, Cat Program Manager, Austin Pets Alive! "We let the public decide what they want rather than assuming what they want." When Monica Frenden lived in rural Illinois, she didn't expect to start a TNR program. What started as a commitment to getting her own cats spayed and neutered exploded into[...]

Interview! Elizabeth Feldhausen, Founder of Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary, Green Bay, WI "You would think that there would be nose prints all over the windows, but it's actually people face prints! Everybody that walks by presses their face up against the glass, and the cats love it." Elizabeth Feldhausen is the founder of Safe Haven[...]

Interview! Jennifer Smith, EasyPetFence.com "With an Easy Pet Fence, cats are able to walk around the backyard safely without worrying about attacks from birds and wildlife." Jennifer Smith is a representative for Easy Pet Fence, an e-commerce store dedicated to the outdoor safety and wellness of animals. Easy Pet Fence has different fencing kits designed[...]

Book Review! Stacy LeBaron, Host, The Community Cats Podcast "Get ready for the tissues..." Stacy is back with her book review show. In today's episode she reviews, Redemption, by Nathan Winograd; Call of the Cats, by Andrew Bloomfield; Cat Daddy, by Jackson Galaxy; and Homer, The Ninth Life of a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen[...]

Interview! Deanna Sanvi, Spay-Neuter Coordinator, Gateway Pet Guardians Community Outreach Program "We help people keep their pets in their homes." Deanna Sanvi is the spay-neuter coordinator for Gateway Pet Guardians Community Outreach Program, a 501(c)3 organization serving about 65,000 people in East St. Louis, IL. Many of these people live below the poverty line, which[...]

Ask Stacy! Stacy LeBaron, Host, The Community Cats Podcast "Oftentimes, these folks are not upset about the cats in general, but the fact that they're not being cared for."  In this, the seventh (!) Ask Stacy episode, Lisa and Stacy leave the world of cat lovers behind for a moment to take a look at[...]

Interview! Bianca Leos, Student at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University "Animals lives are going to depend on me one day, so I need to know all this information." Bianca Leos is a student at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She intends to become a shelter veterinarian working[...]

Interview! Susan Rosenberg, Director of International Animal Programs at GreaterGood.org "I am working to save everything from ants to elephants." One could say that Susan Rosenberg has been managing animal shelters since she was 8 years old—at that age, she was covertly caring for abandoned animals in her backyard and using her allowance to do[...]

Interview! Laura Mullen, SPORE Program Director at San Francisco SPCA "Ringworm is nothing worth dying for." Laura Mullen has worked in the shelter medicine department at the San Francisco SPCA for 15 years. Her current project is the SPORE Program, or Shelters Preventing Outbreaks of Ringworm through Eductation.   Ringworm is a pesky fungal infection that[...]

Interview! Tina Traster, Award-winning Filmmaker, Writer, and Documentarian of "Catnip Nation" "There are people taking care of community cats, but it begs the question: who is taking care of those people?"  Tina Traster is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. Her written pieces have been featured in a multitude of publications, including a regular segment for[...]

Interview! Rosemarie Crawford, Director of Educational Programs, National Kitten Coalition After her first experience fostering bottle babies with acute health issues, Rosemarie's colleagues realized she was a natural and nudged her towards a career in animal welfare. She worked as a vet tech in Illinois, and subsequetly became a foster coordinator. This eventually led to[...]

Interview! Tracie Hotchner, Author, The Cat Bible and Radio Pet Lady "The point is to reach people and influence their hearts and minds in ways that are really meaningful." Tracie is a premiere podcast presence, supporting the education and wellness of cats. She is the author of The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You[...]

Interview! Mike Fry, Founder and Senior Consultant at No Kill Learning "The killing that takes place is harmful and costly and damaging." Mike was raised in a family of animal welfare activists who opened the first no-kill shelter in Minnesota in 1977. After working for Fortune 500 companies in the technology field, he decided to[...]

Interview! Susan Linker, Co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue "We've come a long way with spay and neuter in our area." Susan is the co-founder of Our Companions Animal Rescue, a forty-three acre sanctuary in Ashford, CT. A non-profit organization with 400 volunteers, 2,500 donors and plans to double in size, Our Companions Animal Rescue[...]

Interview! Bonney Brown, Founder and Principle Consultant of the Humane Network "Engaging the public in our work is the key to making it sustainable." Stacy has once again invited Bonney Brown from the Humane Network back on the show! Bonney fills Stacy in on what the Network's been up to in the past year, such[...]

Interview! Jonathan Rosenberg, Founder of Tabby's Place "I wanted to do something for the cats nobody wanted." Jonathan Rosenberg wasn't very interested in animal welfare—or even considered himself a "cat person"—until he met Tabby. When a stray cat showed up on his porch one day, begging for food and a place to sleep, Jonathan and[...]

Interview! Harold Rhee, Host of This is Pawprint Podcast  "Your volunteers may have skills that you never knew about. You don't really know unless you truly empower people to share their talents."  Harold Rhee is the creator and host of This is Pawprint, another animal welfare podcast! With his wife Nancy, he interviews the "heroes[...]

Interview! Steve Lawrence, Co-Director of The Cat Rescuers, and Tara Green, TNR volunteer of Brooklyn Animal Action "I think it's important for viewers to understand the kind of dedication and commitment that's required to do this work."  When Steve Lawrence moved to Brooklyn with his wife Helen, he didn't know the first thing about community[...]

Interview! Robin Olson, Blogger at CoveredinCatHair.com and founder of Kitten Associates "I love telling these stories because every single cat that we bring into our rescue always has something we can learn from." Robin Olson is the writer behind the award winning "Covered in Cathair" blog, which chronicles the stores of the 500 cats she's[...]

Interview! Rebecca Jewell, Executive Director of the National Kitten Coalition "Foster programs are my first love by far." Rebecca Jewell is the executive director of the National Kitten Coalition. Her family fostered many pregnant cats and litters when she was growing up in Ohio, which inspired in her a love of foster programs. In fact,[...]

Interview! Jackson Galaxy, Star of Animal Planet's My Cat from Hell, and Founder of the Jackson Galaxy Foundation "I was used to not following rules and cats don't follow rules for the most part." It's the Cat Daddy himself in this special episode of the podcast! Stacy has a fascinating conversation with Jackson Galaxy, the[...]

Interview! Dr. Theo Capaldo, President and Executive Director of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society "We really try to fight science with science." Dr. Theo Capaldo is the president and executive director of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS). NEAVS is committed to ending the use of animals as test subjects, and in fact spearheaded the[...]

Interview! Carter Luke, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) "Fall in love with a cat…find a cat and try to help it." Luke reflects on some of the changes he's seen for cats in his 40 years in animal welfare. His approach is based on building coalitions[...]

Interview! Renee Harris, Founder of PAWS to Success Program at the San Diego Humane Society   "If individuals took responsibility for their pets, then there would be no indiscriminate breeding."   Renee Harris has been volunteering and working in animal welfare since the tender age of twelve, and over her 30+ year career she has[...]

Interview! Sarah Pizano, Program Director for Target Zero "You are doing this on behalf of the cats. Put the nerves on the back burner; it's about saving cats." Stacy revisits with Sarah Pizano, the program director for Target Zero and the podcast's guest of episode 56. Sarah shares with us an innovative way that Target Zero was able[...]

Interview! Brad Shear, CEO of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society "We are not here to be exterminators." When it comes to animal sheltering, Brad Shear has run the gamut of shelter needs and sizes. He started his career in the local shelter of a small city in Colorado, and since then has moved around the country[...]

Interview! Merritt Clifton, Editor at Animals 24-7 "These days, shelters probably see only a fraction of the real numbers of cats in the community." In this episode, Stacy revisits Merritt Clifton, the editor of the Animals 24-7 news site. This time, Merritt gives an in-depth look at the use of statistics and data in animal welfare. He gives[...]

Beth Clifton, Photographer and Social Media Editor for Animals 24-7 "Take Personal Responsibility with Animals in Need" Beth Clifton is the photographer and social media editor for Animals 24-7. She is also the wife of previous CCP guest Merritt Clifton, and she cites him as one of the people who changed her thinking around TNR[...]

Ask Stacy! Stacy LeBaron, Host of The Community Cats Podcast "This is all about being a family." As kitten season approaches, guest host Lisa Finkel talks with Stacy about creatively managing community kittens. Describing kitten fostering as a "pre-program" to the adoption process, Stacy offers insight on productive ways to set up a healthy and sustainable foster[...]

Interview! Jocelyn Bouchard, Executive Director, Yavapai Humane Society "How do we elevate the status of cats?" Jocelyn's work in animal welfare began as a vet tech in a spay/neuter clinic in Vancouver BC in the 1980's, when high volume clinics were cutting edge. Twenty years' experience living in Maui fueled her belief that managing colonies,[...]

Interview! Laura Baughman, Director of Operations, National Kitten Coalition "You're going to get a whole lot more kittens when you start a nursery." As we enter "kitten season," Stacy talks to Laura about "kitten nurseries," a new and hot concept for management of neonatal kittens. Laura recently researched and wrote a manual for organizations thinking[...]

Interview! Sara Kent, Director of Shelter Outreach for Petfinder "Video is a great way to let cats speak for themselves…and they don't have to say a lot." Petfinder has brought the world of technology to shelters and potential adopters. Sara, who's been there for 17 years, speaks with Stacy about the visibility it brings to[...]

Interview! Julie Bank, President and CEO of Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA "I saw the animal shelter as a living museum."  Julie Bank is the president and CEO of Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA. She approaches running an animal shelter from the unique perspective of curating a museum—in fact, she enrolled in a museum education[...]

Interview! Anna Murrin and Valerie Kajko, Project Manager and TNR Coordinator, Metro Denver CAT Project "Having a physical location in the community builds up trust."  Anna Murrin and Valerie Kajko are the project manager and TNR coordinator, respectively, of Metro Denver CAT Project in Denver, CO. CAT, or Cats Around Town, is a unique project in that[...]

Interview! Part Two - Cheryl Fernandes, Shelter Care Representative, PetLink "The microchip is the silent voice for the animal." In part two, Stacy and Cheryl Ann dive into the complexities of microchipping once microchips have been placed—how do you scan a newly-trapped feral cat? What are best practices for animal control officers when recovering an[...]

Interview! Part One - Heather Cammisa, CEO and Tara Sannucci, Pet Retention Coordinator, St. Hubert's "A database is only as good as it's maintained." In part one of this two-part episode, Stacy talks to Heather Cammisa and Tara Sannucci, the president of St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center and director of the Pet Retention Program, respectively.[...]

Interview! Part Two - Heather Cammisa, CEO and Tara Sannucci, Pet Retention Coordinator, St. Hubert's "It's senseless to put out all this advice if you have someone who's not willing or able to do it all." In part two of this two-part episode, Tara dives into details while Heather gives us the big picture. Tara has[...]

Interview! Lauren Burbridge, Coordinator, Massachusetts Animal Fund "If every taxpayer in MA payed just one dollar… we could help over 40,000 cats and dogs every year." Lauren Burbridge has figured out how to help people and animals at the same time: she is a licensed social worker who started the Massachusetts Animal Fund, an organization that seeks[...]

Interview! Joyce Briggs, President, Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs "Whenever we intervene with animals in an ecosystem, there are implications for other animals." Joyce Briggs is the president of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs. With a background in public health, she is concerned with how to better manage populations of[...]

Interview! Dr. Dena Mangiamele, Author/Lecturer "'Safety first' does not exclude cats at all." When Dena Mangiamele started to practice veterinary medicine with the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Control in the 1990s, animal sheltering procedures and best practices looked very different from how they do now. Dena helped to implement groundbreaking (at the time) programs like[...]

Interview! Gavin Ehringer, Author "We are so people-focused because behind every animal that is coming into our clinic is a person." Gavin Ehringer has been writing about companion animals for 25 years, fueled by a childhood growing up next to a game farm and spending his young adult years working on a ranch. In this[...]

Interview! Michelle Rivera, Founder, Spay-Neuter Kansas City "We are so people-focused because behind every animal that is coming into our clinic is a person."  Michelle Rivera is the founder of Spay-Neuter Kansas City, a 501(c)3 non-profit that services the Kansas City areas in both Kansas and Missouri. Now going on its fifteenth year of operation, SNKC[...]

Interview! Priscilla Ma, Executive Director, US Chapter of World Animal Protection "People don't want to know just about suffering, they want to know how they can help." Priscilla Ma is the executive director for the US chapter of World Animal Protection. While doing humanitarian work with Smile Train, she traveled throughout the world and saw[...]

Interview! Cheryl Fernandes, Shelter Care Representative, PetLink "The microchip is the silent voice for the animal." In continuation with Microchipping Madness, Stacy invites Cheryl Ann Fernandes back to the show to discuss the importance of microchipping. Cheryl Ann explains a bit about the technology behind the microchip, what RFID is and what it stands for, and[...]

Interview! Brigid Wasson, Co-founder Missing Pet Partnership "We recommend that all cats be chipped, but it isn't foolproof." Brigid is back for another interview with Stacy, and to kick of March Microchipping Madness, Brigid talks about the importance of microchipping your pets. Microchipping is an especially important development when it comes to cats, as the Return to[...]

Bruce Myers, Executive Director, United Spay Alliance "The law tends to be way behind the needs on the ground… We've got to let the law catch up."  In this Spay Day episode, Stacy is joined by Bruce Myers, an animal protection lawyer and new director of the United Spay Alliance. The United Spay Alliance (USA) seeks[...]

Interview! Rob Halpin, Director of Public Relations at the MSPCA   "Journalists love to help animals just like we do."    Rob Halpin is the director Public Relations at the MSPCA Angell Animal Hospital in Boston, MA. He transitioned from the corporate sector, working as a PR agent for At&T, to his current job about five[...]

Interview! Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Protection and Policy at the Humane Society of the United States "This is the thick of legislative session season."  Where in the USA is cat policy these days? Katie Lisnik can tell you! Katie is back for her third interview with Stacy, and this time she is taking us on a tour[...]

Ask Stacy! Five Tenets of Building an Organization "We have to focus on giving people the guidance they need, but also let them take ownership a task, too."  In this Ask Stacy episode, Lisa and Stacy go through Stacy's 5 Tenets of Building an Organization to Help Community Cats, which are: Understand your community, Build[...]

Interview! Rachel Geller, Certified Humane Education Specialist "The moral and humane response to animal abuse begins with assisting kids in developing empathy and compassion for animals." We are once again re-visiting an old friend of the podcast—Dr. Rachel Geller, vice president of the Gifford Cat Shelter and certified humane education specialist. As a cat behavior[...]

Interview! Tamar Arslanian, Author of Shop Cats of New York "Isn't a life in a shop where they're loved better than a cage or being put down?" Tamar Arslanian is the blogger behind ihavecat.com and the author of Shop Cats of New York, the coffee table book that Stacy recommended in her last book show. In the three years it[...]

Interview! Christina Ha, Co-Founder of Meow Parlour and Creator of Cat Camp NYC "How can I bridge the gap between people who want to learn about cats and the experts who know all about cats?" Until 3 1/2 years ago, Christina's passion was food rather than felines. But after adopting her first kitty, Mr. Socks,[...]

Interview! Shaun Sears, Co-Owner, Canopy Cat Rescue "What we do is extremely dangerous…even savvy tree climbers have difficulty rescuing cats." You don't need to call a fireman to rescue your cat from a tree when Shaun Sears is around. Shaun and his partner are certified arborists who have "branched out" (sorry!) into the specialty of[...]

Interview! Rob Leinberger, President, National Animal Care and Control Association   "The communities that I have seen do best have a network."   Rob Leinberger has been in the animal control game for 25 years—first starting as a veterinary assistant in high school, then working as an animal control officer for Chesterfield County in Virginia.[...]

Meg Bond, Owner, Events by Meg "You need to find the kingpin to what is taking up space." Meg Bond has a "Type-A" dream job—she organizes for a living! Meg is a self-employed event coordinator and residential stager/organizer, which means that she sets up residences to be most appealing to perspective buyers. She also helps[...]

Joe Miele, TNR project coordinator, Broken Promises SW "A tight-knit colony is going to keep other [cats] out of the area."  Joe Miele is the TNR project coordinator for Broken Promises SW, a non-profit that seeks to address community cat overpopulation in Las Cruces, New Mexico and the surrounding county. Joe has been working with[...]

Gus Ray, Owner of Baycom Diagnostics "From a scientific point of view it's been one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also the most rewarding." Gus Ray is the owner of Baycom Diagnostics, a new company that provides A1C testing for dogs and cats. The A1C test aids in the diagnosis and treatment[...]

Myles Chadwick, Vice President of the New School at Emancipet "In order to reach people who haven't been [reached] before, we have to do a lot of listening, not just a lot of telling." What do line cooks and high-volume spay-neuter vets have in common? Coming to the animal welfare world from a background in restaurants and[...]

Steve Smith, Founder of Pet Releaf "We follow the science first and foremost." In this episode, Stacy interviews a different kind of person interested in pet health and medication—Steve Smith, co-founder of Pet Releaf, a service that provides hemp- and CBD-infused products for pets. Pet Releaf was born of Steve's personal experience with his dog Mattie. As she[...]

Stacy's back with more recommendations in the second ever Book Review Show! These four books offer a wide variety for anyone in the animal welfare world: from a coffee table book of city kitties, to a birder's views  on managing free-roaming cat populations. As last time, the final book recommendation does not talk specifically about cats,[...]

Emma Clifford, Founder and Executive Director of Animal Balance "I don't think you can put a dollar figure on humanely managing all species." Emma is back for another interview! This time, she tells Stacy about her most recent and fascinating trip to the Galapagos Islands in early December. There she and her team at Animal Balance Galapagos[...]

Laura Moss, Founder, and Jamie Brooks, Communications, AdventureCats.org "We [are] trying to… rebrand not just what it means to be a cat lady… [but also] what a cat is." Laura Moss and Jamie Brooks are partners in Adventure Cats, a website that promotes safe ways for cat owners to explore the outdoors with their cats, and seeks to[...]

Interview! Mary Peng, CEO & Founder, International Center for Veterinary Services (Part 2) "It has to be high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter, with Chinese characteristics."' In part two of this special two-part episode, Mary Peng continues to tell the story of ICVS, and goes into more detail about the unique challenges the hospital must face in China.[...]

Interview! Mary Peng, CEO & Founder, International Center for Veterinary Services (Part 1) "This is a program for China. It is going to raise the bar on humane animal welfare." In part one of this special two-part episode, Stacy interviews Mary Peng,CEO and founder of International Center for Veterinary Services. Based in Beijing, ICVS is[...]

Interview! Chris Roy, Founder, Doobert.com "The concept behind Doobert was to automate those rescue tasks that can and should be automated." Chris Roy is a pilot, a Milwaukeean, a husband and owner of several cats and dogs, and the creator of Doobert.com, an online software platform for animal welfare volunteers and organizations. Although Doobert started as[...]

Interview! Dr. Caitlyn Neal, HVHQSN Veterinarian, Washington D.C. and Maryland "We have enormous community support through our foster network and feeders who really want to go the distance for their cats" Just two years out of veterinary school, Dr. Neal has been drawn to shelter medicine for quite some time. This spay/neuter "dynamo" has been[...]

Nina Wolf, Writer and Expert, Animal Nutrition and Wellness "Think about our kids who are cuddling animals and sticking their faces down into their fur." Nina is a passionate advocate for keeping animals safe and healthy through use of natural, non-toxic foods and treatment alternatives.  She catalogs the many health issues posed to cats and dogs[...]

Interview! Aimee St. Arnaud-Relaunch-  Director at Humane Alliance a Program of the ASPCA "We need to focus on stopping the problem at the root… that's why we focus on prevention." In today's episode we are relaunching Aimee St. Arnaud's super podcast, as we had a technical glitch. Since the episode was only live for a[...]

Interview! Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs, Neighborhood Cats "We've been able to return cats to colonies that otherwise would have been lost in the system." In his return to the Podcast, Bryan tells Stacy about his recent move to Maui (we're a little jealous!), which is in crisis when it comes to stray and[...]

Justin Zimmerman, Director of the Film, "SMART: Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team." "We fell in love with their drive and passion, and what they're doing so visual, we thought there was something cool there." In this fascinating interview, Justin talks about his award-winning documentary that follows the exploits of the Los Angeles-based SMART team, which[...]

Greatest Hits! Susanna Della Maddalena, CEO and President, Central OK Humane "We're in the business of saving lives." Susanna was a fan favorite and we can definitely see why! She spent ten years heading up PetSmart Charities and now leads Central OK Humane. She has seen it all when it comes to fundraising and has[...]

Greatest Hits! Brianna Lovell, Outreach and Events Manager, Alley Cat Allies "No action is too big or too small." We couldn't have asked for a better guest on National Feral Cat Day than Brianna Lovell! If you are still unaware of what this great day entails, this is the podcast that you've been waiting for![...]

Greatest Hits! Hannah Shaw, The Kitten Lady "I live and breathe cat advocacy…that's what I do." Hannah Shaw was such a popular guest earlier this year that we couldn't wait to bring back her episode for a reboot! How was she to know that saving an orphaned kitty would reboot her career, as well! Hannah,[...]

Interview! Kathy Downey, Journalist and Animal Rights Advocate, Plus "Mickey's Story" "These cats are citizens of our community just like you are and I am." Kathy was one of the earliest volunteers for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society when she moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1992.  She and Stacy reminisce about the feral cat colony[...]

Interview! Dr. Marty Becker, "America's Veterinarian" and Founder of the Fear Free Initiative "To finally realize we were causing psychological damage to animals…once you know it, you can't not know it." After being a renowned veterinarian, including being the resident vet on Good Morning America for 17 years, Dr. Becker says, "I'm not retiring…I'm refiring!"  His[...]

Interview! Dr. Sara White, Founder Spay ASAP Inc.- VT "We haven't really been taught… how to take care of [our bodies as] this instrument that we have." Dr. Sara White is a mixed-animal veterinarian with experience both in private and shelter medicine, and the operator of Spay ASAP Inc., a mobile MASH clinic. Since 2006,[...]

Interview! Aly Miller and Paul Castro, Jr., Creator of Aeris, A Short Film- NYC "Our responsibility as filmmakers is to tell the most vulnerable truth." When Paul Castro Jr. entered a pet store on a whim almost two years ago, he didn't expect to find a new passion for animal advocacy that would fuel one of[...]

Interview! Christie Keith, Communications Strategist, MI "For me, it's all about persuasion." Christie Keith is a journalist and communications consultant for animal welfare and veterinary medicine. Although she is based in Michigan, she has clients all over the country, including the Million Cat Challenge and Maddie's Fund. Christie is passionate about effective communication, and she[...]

Interview! Elizabeth Putsche, Founder, For All Animals "It's all about data and supporting information. That's what really speaks to government officials." Elizabeth Putsche is the founder and executive director of For All Animals, a 501(c)3 organization that "identifies and fills voids in the animal protection field." The organization is based in Baltimore, which in 2007 was one[...]

Interview! Will Allen, New Sales Business Manager, Frontstream "BiddingForGood helps you expand your reach and raise more money." In this unique episode, Stacy talks to Will Allen, self-professed cat lover and fundraising consultant at Fronstream, a software company that helps non-profits develop fundraising strategies. Stacy, a user herself, helps Will explain to listeners some of the[...]

Interview! Dr. Julie Levy, Maddie's Professor of Shelter Medicine at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine "Our goal is to enculturation these life-saving key initiatives into animal sheltering… so that this becomes [the norm.]" Dr. Julie Levy is a professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida, as well as a prolific publisher of[...]

Interview! Dr. Christine Wilford, Founder, The Feral Cat Project "Sometimes helping means us having to not do something, and us realizing that, for this cat, bringing it inside means it's going to be scared everyday of its life. Would that be what you would want?" Dr. Wilford, founder of Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in Lynnwood,[...]

Interview! Karen Little,  Executive Director, Alley Cat Advocates "Urban cats are accustomed to urban living. Rural cats are accustomed to rural living… Keeping those colonies in tact, adjacent to where their habitat might have been destroyed, is in the best interest of the cats." In her second interview with Stacy, Karen explores the issue of[...]

Interview! Andy Kola, Founder, LumenLS "To fix the problems that are facing cats, all center around increasing the perceived importance, the perceived value, and the perceived acceptance of cats to humans." In his second interview with Stacy, Andy discusses his organization's approach to challenges facing community cats in Broward County, Florida. With a mission of[...]

Dakin, since cat overpopulation has become less of an issue across Massachusetts. Dakin has performed over 70,000 spay/neuter surgeries, and as a result, the cats entering her adoption center are much more complex to rehome. She notes, "we wouldn't have had the time or space to help these cats in the past, but now we're[...]

Interview! Alana Yanez, Manager of HSUS Pets For Life Los Angeles   "When we have literally put these vouchers in people's hands at their doorsteps, there really is no excuse now."   An advocate for animals and residents of underserved communities in East Los Angeles, Alana brings compassion and political experience to her position as[...]

Interview! Suzanne Kogut, Executive Director of the Petco Foundation "Everyone wants the same thing, to do right by the cats. There's just a disagreement often about how we get there. But I thought we could all work together to get there." After her first career as a corporate finance and securities attorney, Suzanne took the[...]

It's an Ask Stacy episode! "You could feel the energy busting through the wires" Stacy reflects what all that she's learned since launching the Community Cats Podcast, having completed more than 100 episodes speaking with experts all over the US and beyond. She recommends a number of her favorite interviews, with individuals like Emma Clifford,[...]

Interview! Diego Alves, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pet and Tie "We want to be the premium app for pet parents and pets." Ever have trouble finding a pet sitter? Diego did, and that experience was the impetus to his envisioning an virtual community where pet owners could connect to all of the services[...]

Interview! Katie Lisnik, Director of Cat Protection and Policy, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) "Taking an active role in legislation is the only way we're going to move the ball forward." In her return appearance on the Podcast, Katie plays "Around the Country Policy for Cats" with Stacy, detailing the successes and[...]

Interview! Sally Williams, Founder, The Brodie Fund "I think the thing that makes us a little different, and our goals quite lofty as well, is that we are putting the focus on quality of life and not the diagnosis." Sally is a cat behavior consultant and the founder and director of The Brodie Fund, a[...]

Interview! Sharon Secovich, Co-founder, Spay Maine "What I've found is a lot of people will feed but they don't have the knowledge or wherewithal or the means to trap. So the only way to get our feral cat population down is with trapping help." After her first career as an environmental geologist, Sharon pursued a[...]

Interview! Dr. Margaret Slater, Senior Director of Veterinary Epidemiology Research and Development for the ASPCA "One of the things that we've found really helpful in all kinds of programs and projects is to couch it as a pilot… you can succeed and the prove that it does actually work…" Author of Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives, and[...]

Interview! Audra Farrell, Community Cares Program Supervisor at the San Francisco SPCA "I have found even the fiercest of ferals can be really great moms, so their concern is more taking care of their kittens than have to deal with us." Through the Mama from the Streets program, San Francisco's shelters are combining TNR for[...]

Interview! Deborah Schutt, Co-Founder Michigan Pet Fund Alliance "Attending conferences, understanding what other people are doing, and adding to the tool kit is really important." The co-founder of the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance, Deborah began her journey into the animal welfare field with dog fostering. Time and experience led her to TNR, feral cat welfare,[...]

Interview! Kristen Petrie, Creative Director, Mellarium and Technical Cat, Community Cats Podcast "The brand is important and it is an asset to any organization, whether they are big or small. It's your face to the rest of the world." Kristen began her career in cat rescue as an adoption counselor at the Merrimack River Feline[...]

Interview! Sheila Massey, Neighborhood Activist - NYC "I found that I spent half my time explaining TNR and working with the community so that they would buy in and accept the cats." Sheila dove into the world of community cats after retiring from work as a forensic accountant and corporate fraud auditor. She became certified[...]

Interview! Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, Founder of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC "Don't worry about things you can't change…take that passion and make it action and see what you can do." *Please note, while not graphic, this episode deals with topics related to animal cruelty that some listeners may find disturbing. If you need to skip it, might[...]

Interview! Emma Clifford, Founder and Executive Director of Animal Balance "Islands are helping islands, which is exactly what we wanted to happen." Don't miss this fascinating look at how community cats are being helped around the world by Animal Balance, the brainchild of its founder, Emma Clifford. Beginning with a program in 2004 to assist[...]

Interview! Jill O'Connell, Executive Director and Crystal Arnott, Communications and Fundraising Manager, Lowell Humane Society (MA) "No matter how we operate, we all have the same goals which is to help community cats." In another episode extolling the benefits of collaboration, Jill and Crystal describe how their relationships with other organizations have benefitted the cats[...]

Interview! Stacey Carver, President and Executive Director of Berkshire Animal DREAMS (MA) "Collaboration is a wonderful thing for all of us trying to do animal rescue work." Stacey tells Stacy about the positive impact that forging "harmonious" partnerships has had on the number of community cats in Berkshire County, especially its "big city" of Pittsfield,[...]

Interview! Aimee St. Arnaud, Director at Humane Alliance a Program of the ASPCA "We need to focus on stopping the problem at the root… that's why we focus on prevention." Aimee St. Arnaud works for the Humane Alliance training vets and community advocates who want to open spay-neuter clinics. She first got the idea to[...]

Interview! Julie Jacobson, Director of Spay Tennessee "When writing grants, you have to come in prepared, you have to know your mission, you have to know your community." Julie's back for another interview on CCP! This time, Stacy checks about how things are going for Spay Tennessee, and Julie gives tips on managing grant money,[...]

Book Review Special with host, Stacy LeBaron.   An episode for both book worms and compassionate cats.   In this special episode, Stacy shares some of her favorite resources for information on community cats, as well as how to take care of yourself when doing the hard work of animal welfare. We've included the names[...]

Interview! Dr. Peggy Larson, Founder of Cat Spay and Neuter Clinic, Colchester, VT "You have to balance, to make sure that that cat's going to be alright going back to where he came from." Peggy Larson, founder of National Spay/Neuter Coalition, holds degrees from Ohio State Vet School, UC Davis, and Vermont Law School. She has[...]

Interview! Juan Martinez, Founder and President, JMart Strategies "Pick one platform, become really good at that platform, before you expand into a second one." With his 20 years of experience in the legislative and non-profit communications world, Juan has keen insight into the importance of storytelling in the world of social media. He notes that[...]

Interview! Brianna Lovell, Outreach and Events Manager, at Alley Cat Allies   "No action is too big or too small."   To commemorate National Feral Cat Day (NFCD), Stacy speaks with Brianna about the origins of this annual event. Originally, National Feral Cat Day was simply a way to celebrate Alley Cat Allies' 10th anniversary, but[...]

Interview! Amy Sandler, Executive Coach, and Certified Breathwork Meditation Teacher "Usually our minds are somewhere in the past or somewhere in the future." In this "out of the box" interview, Stacy speaks with Amy Sandler about how mindfulness and meditation can help decrease the stress and manage the challenges often faced by those in the[...]

Interview! Hannah Shaw, "The Kitten Lady" "I live and breathe cat advocacy…that's what I do." Little did Hannah Shaw know that the day that she borrowed some shoes to climb a tree and save an orphaned kitten, she would be starting a career that would inform and engage cat lovers around the world. An expert[...]

Interview! Hannah Shaw, "The Kitten Lady" "I live and breathe cat advocacy…that's what I do." Little did Hannah Shaw know that the day that she borrowed some shoes to climb a tree and save an orphaned kitten, she would be starting a career that would inform and engage cat lovers around the world. An expert[...]

Interview - Part One! Mary Smith, Executive Leadership Team and Sheila D'Arpino, Director of Research, of Maddie's Fund   In this special two-part episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy interviews two leaders at Maddie's Fund, one of the most innovative and results-oriented non-profits helping animals across North America.  Through its educational programs, advocacy and[...]

Interview - Part One! Mary Smith, Executive Leadership Team and Sheila D'Arpino, Director of Research, of Maddie's Fund   In this special two-part episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy interviews two leaders at Maddie's Fund, one of the most innovative and results-oriented non-profits helping animals across North America.  Through its educational programs, advocacy and[...]

Interview! Cindy Wiemann, Treasurer of the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA)   Cindy was instrumental to bringing TNR to the small community of Madison, Georgia.  She helped research the appropriate ordinances, and ultimately Madison implemented the first 100% government operated and funded TNR program in Georgia's history.  As an animal control officer, she[...]

Interview! Blake and Adrienne Kuhre, Founders of the Furry Foundation Blake and Adrienne are the founders of the Furry Foundation, a non-profit, foster care organization in Los Angeles focused on TNR, cat socialization, and educating the community on proper colony cat care and prevention. After visiting Buenos Aires, Argentina, curiosity led them to an investigation of health[...]

Stacy LeBaron, podcast host and president emeritus of MRFRS answers your questions. As Community Cats Podcast celebrates its eightieth episode, Stacy and guest host Lisa Finkel discuss how bird lovers and cat lovers can work together to decrease both the number of free roaming colony cats and, subsequently, bird deaths. The financial and social causes of cat[...]

Interview! Christie Kamiya, Chief of Shelter Medicine, Humane Society Silicon Valley At nine years old, Dr. Kamiya's first experience adopting a dog sparked a lifelong passion for battling animal welfare issues. A graduate of the University of California's School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kamiya's focus lies specifically in shelter medicine. She shares her experiences as Chief of[...]

Interview! Jennifer Blough, Psychotherapist in Compassion Fatigue and Author With experiences ranging from animal care attendant to animal control officer, Jennifer choose to passionately pursue the subject of compassion fatigue as a psychotherapist after struggling with it herself over the years. She focuses on how compassion fatigue effects those specifically in animal welfare, and has[...]

Interview! Valerie Ingram and Alistair Schroff, Founders of The Lakes Animal Friendship Society The combination of Valerie's nineteen years' experience in elementary education and Alistair's passion and business experience has led to inspiring changes for animal welfare in their rural British Columbia community. Co-authors of children's books Nobody's Cats and Out of the Cold, Valerie and Alistair discuss their belief that[...]

Interview! Holly Putnam, Faculty Clinician, Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, Cornell University Dr. Holly Putnam graduated veterinary school in 2003, and initially went into private practice for small animals in Albany, NY. After moving to Austin, TX, in 2008, however, she began working at a high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinic for low-income neighborhoods and area shelters. Seeing the large number[...]

Peter Wolfe is a cat initiatives analyst at Best Friends Society and a blogger at Vox Felina, where he seeks to fill the void of TNR research and other issues affecting community cats. He says diving into the detail of arguments for and against community cats advocacy helps him in his work at Best Friends, such as proposing[...]

Mike's been an integal part of Massachusetts' animal welfare efforts for 22 years.  He has extensive experience managing situations where community cats — and potentially their caretakers — have been exposed to rabies, and recounts several challenging situations he's faced, including one where an entire colony needed to be quarantined for six months after exposure to[...]

Interview! Taryn Breuer, President, Friends of Jeannette Hunt Animal Shelter (NE)   Taryn describes how rural Blair, Nebraska needs its resident cats to help keep rodents from getting into the grain farmed there, but also needs an active TNR effort to keep the numbers of cats in check.  Participating in the MRFRS Mentoring Program was the[...]

Interview! Diane Blankenberg, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Consultant for Humane Network Imagine being on the ground trying to rescue owned and community cats after Hurricane Katrina, as well as the recent flooding in Louisiana.  Diane Blankenberg describes her amazing experiences working with Alley Cat Allies to help reunite people and their cats, including working at[...]

Interview! Mike Phillips, President, Urban Cat League, and Community Outreach Coordinator for the New York City Feral Cat Initiative Even though he had lived in Manhattan for decades, Mike didn't know there were street cats in New York: "I had no idea because I lived on the 43rd floor," he observes. In 1999, he got bitten[...]

Interview! Tammy King, Founder, Mayport Cats (FL)   Mayport Village, a fishing village near Jacksonville, Florida, had become a popular place for people to "dump" cats, both healthy and sick.  Enter Tammy King, who brought her persistence and compassion to address the problem. Originally dealing with 200-250 cats, the population is now down to 30-50 and,[...]

Interview! Amanda Arrington, Director, Pets for Life Program at The Humane Society of the United States Amanda's childhood interests in both animals and in social justice have led her to a career overseeing a groundbreaking program to help not just pets, but people in underserved areas.  She leads he innovative HSUS "Pets for Life" initiative, which[...]

Interview! Cheryl Ann Fernandes, Regional Shelter Care Representative, PetLink   Drawing on Cheryl Ann's diverse, 25-year career in animal welfare, she and Stacy have a wide-ranging discussion about the challenges of being an urban animal control officer, the persistent challenge of "compassion fatigue" for all of those working in the field, and the innovative idea[...]

Interview! Merritt Clifton, Journalist and Founder, Animals 24-7 News It would be challenging to find someone with more experience in the animal welfare field than award-winning writer Merritt Clifton. From his childhood ambition to "starting a kitty farm" to taking census of homeless cats during his family's travels, he's dedicated his life and work to[...]

Interview! Andi Kola, Founder Lumen LS, Broward County, Florida   Andi is a man on a mission… a mission to eliminate euthanization of cats in his home area of Broward County, Florida and beyond.  He recounts his efforts to work with local animal control officials as well as Country Commissioners to pass ordinances mandating return to[...]

Interview! Linda Gage, No More Homeless Pets Network Specialist, Best Friends Animal Society Linda outlines the myriad resources that the No More Homeless Pets Network offers to small organizations around the country: ideas on how to get a Community Cats program started, marketing tool kits, grants and financial aid and the opportunity for sharing ideas[...]

Interview! Ollie Davidson of Almond & Olive   Ollie has two passions:  animal welfare and music. He and his musical partner, Natalie Alms, are about to drop their debut album, and are donating a portion of its sales to the Jackson Galaxy Foundation.  Ollie met Jackson (who also plays music in his spare time) a few years[...]

Interview! Kelley Bollen, Owner and Director of Animal Alliances Consulting Firm Kelley earned a Master's in Animal Behavior, has taught at Cornell Veterinary School, and now consults with both pet owners and shelters to improve life and outcomes for companion animals. She and Stacy talk all things behavior, and how to make life for cats[...]

Interview! Bonnie Geisler, President and Founder, Felines and Friends Foundation (VT) Bonnie's utilized partnerships with many different organizations to contribute to the success of the Feline and Friends Foundation, which has helped 2000 cats in just three years, in one of Vermont's poorest countries. She borrowed her game plan from NY's renowned Neighborhood Cats, built[...]

Interview! Cameron Moore, Project Manager, Target Zero Given Cameron's contribution to a diverse number of game-changing initiatives, she and Stacy have a wide-ranging conversation about a number of topics related to TNR, abandonment and adoption programs, and helping communities get the support they need to get to the goal of zero euthanasias for healthy dogs[...]

Interview! Sherri Gustafson, Spay/Neuter Community Liaison for the Massachusetts Animal Fund Sherri serves as the Spay/Neuter Community Liaison for the Massachusetts Animal Fund, which provides a voucher program for low income pet owners. This program focuses on three main priorities: S/N support for municipal shelters, providing vouchers for low income pet owners, and providing TNR[...]

Interview! Pamela Krausz, Founder and Executive Director of Vermont Companion Animal Neutering   Pamela is a founder and the executive director of Vermont Companion Animal Neutering (VT-CAN), a low cost, high volume spay/neuter clinic. As a stationary clinic with a mash-stlye component, VT-CAN performs approximately 3,200 spays/neuters per year in central Vermont, with an additional[...]

Interview! Heidi Colonna, Curriculum Development Manager for the Humane Society of the United States and Board Member with Association of Professional Humane Educators Heidi was volunteering at a local shelter in 1994, which compelled her to choose animal science and public policy over a potential business degree. She discusses her focus on 'preventable people problems'[...]

Interview! Kaleel Sakakeeny, Founder, The Other Me Coaching After experiencing the passing of a companion cat, Kaleel's initial interest in animal communication led him to a deeper study of this intuitive practice. In his discussion with Stacy, he explains the premise of animal communication, including the quieting of the mind to facilitate a connection with[...]

A graduate of Cornell's College of Veterinary program, Sarah is the Program Director for Target Zero, a national initiative focused on assisting financially struggling shelters. She discusses the ways in which this program helps subsidize fixed income pet owners across the country, allowing spay and neuter opportunities that result in drastic decreases in shelter intake.[...]

An Interview with Danielle Jo Bays, Community Cats Program Manager for the Humane Society of the United States   Danielle calls on both her hands-on trapping experience and public policy work to help HSUS develop campaigns and programs that will educate and empower people who want to support cats in their community, such as webinars and[...]

An Interview with Angela Walters Rockwell, Executive Director of the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Santa Barbara, California Angela shares fascinating information about ASAP's innovative programs, particularly their recognized "Tiny Lion Tamers" initiative that socializes feral kittens within the shelter environment. So far, this program has 125 "graduates" and has made a significant difference in[...]

Initially a dog person and very allergic to cats, Caitlyn Macintosh made an unlikely candidate for founder of an organization dedicated to helping community cats. Her US Marine husband's passion for cats, however, sparked her own interest in animal welfare. When her husband was stationed at the naval base in Norfolk, VA, she found a passionate civilian community of cat[...]

It's time for another Q&A session with Stacy! In this episode, Stacy takes questions posted to the CCP Facebook page. Listeners asked for advice on how to keep the peace between an area's cat colonies and its disgruntled residents, recommendations of safe and effective traps, the pros and cons of fee-waved adoption, and her favorite[...]

Liz began her work with cats in 2004, when she was feeding a local cat colony and reached out to the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society for help. Soon after, she became the MRFRS' main trapping volunteer, and quickly rose through the ranks to Feral Cat Program Manager. From there, she elevated to Director of Operations and finally[...]

In this episode, Stacy interviews Dr. Emily McCobb, director of the Tufts Shelter Medicine Program and clinical associate professor of anesthesiology at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.  Having volunteered at TNR clinics as a veterinary student herself, Dr. McCobb teaches shelter medicine as an emerging specialty.   She explains how her own experience working in shelters showed her that[...]

In the field of animal welfare, "Dr. Susan" possesses a prolific resume. She opened her own veterinary-behavioral consulting service in 2000, has maintained a position as veterinary advisor for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association since its beginning in 2008, runs a private practice, and has volunteered her veterinary service at various local shelters in her home state of[...]

John's background in wildlife management and a biology degree from George Washington University led him to become an animal control officer in 1994. Since then, he has served as the director of the National Animal Control Association and,since 2003, the City Animal Care and Services Program in San Jose, CA. John discusses the rewarding effects[...]

From working as an animal control officer in 1989 to becoming the first person ever to complete a veterinarian residency in shelter medicine in 2001 at UC Davis, Kate's passion for saving the lives of community cat is undeniable. Within what she calls her 'big picture work,' she has incorporated treatment of infectious diseases in[...]

A national expert in animal welfare issues, Rick is an advocate for spay/neuter programs targeting low income pet owners. He founded Jacksonville, Florida's First "Coast No More Homeless Pets" in 2002. At that time, 23,000 was the annual number of deaths among shelter animals. Today, that number has decreased to 781. Rick discusses the concept[...]

After her first experience losing a beloved stray to overpopulation in a Bridgeport, CT shelter, Esther's passion for improving the quality of life for community cats across the country was ignited. Her grassroots efforts began with soliciting spay/neuter discounts among nationwide veterinarians while chartering her toll-free hotline in 1990. By 1993, she was fielding twenty-three[...]

In her 8th grade research paper, Dr. Christine reported that up to twenty-two million cats were killed annually in shelters at the time. Almost thirty years after pursuing her DVM, those numbers have dropped to four million. Christine discusses the impact both mash-style and free-standing clinics have had on these statistics, as well as the challenges[...]

With 33 years of experience as a veterinarian in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Zeke founded United Pet Fund in 2010 and United Pet Resource Center in 2015. An advocate for the integration of corporate assistance within the non-profit world, he discusses the positive impact large companies could offer smaller "mom & pop" organizations with significantly lower[...]

A computer consultant with Microsoft by day, Amber channeled both her passion for cats and her business-sense into launching Michigan's All About Animals Rescue in 2005. Since then, she has raised over $1 million in grants, has grown the program's original annual budget from $80,000 to over $3 million, launched a high volume spay/neuter clinic[...]

Always a lover of animals, a young Bryn Rogers thought she would take the obvious career path of veterinarian—until she shadowed at a vet office and found herself unable to stomach the reality of surgery. She didn't let her squeamishness stop her from helping animals, however, and found meaningful work in shelters. She is now the program manager at[...]

Dr. Marvin Mackie began his lifelong work with animals from an early age. Raised on a farm around cows and horses, he entered veterinary school with the intent of becoming a large animal veterinarian. After seeing the dire need for more spay-neuter services while working at a 24-hour emergency clinic in Chicago, however, he eventually transitioned into pediatric small-animal[...]

Ellen Carozza is a veterinary technician with a passion for rescuing and raising neonatal kittens. She lovingly brings the kittens she raises everywhere with her, and implements innovative ways to care for them, including electrolytes, probiotics and plasma. With Stacy, she discusses the risks involved in raising kittens this young, and emphasizes that this is[...]

Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PhD has impact on his mind. He discusses how he works to help PetSmart Charities save 1,400 lives a day, through grantmaking, adoption centers, supporting spay/neuter and other initiatives. To find out more visit PetSmart Charities online.

Michael tells Stacy about all things animal welfare in Arizona, from a ten-month kitten season to roaming packs of chihuahuas. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of working with other animal welfare groups and discusses other strategies for handling an influx of kittens, including promotions and foster networks. To find out more visit Arizona Animal Welfare[...]

Former animal control officer Alice Burton has transformed her beliefs about trap-neuter-release. Alice tells Stacy about synergistic relationships between animal control departments and TNR organizations, resources for communities that hope to introduce TNR, and her own reluctant transition to believing in trap-neuter-release. Now working with Alley Cat Allies, Alice discusses other initiatives, like National Feral[...]

CAT is the largest feline-only shelter in the Pacific Northwest, and Karen outlines their focus on taking in cats from other shelters and rescue groups for necessary medical care and rehoming.  One secret to their success is that they are committed to "give each cat the housing and support and care they need to be successful[...]

With her ten years of at the helm of PetSmart Charities, and her current role leading Central OK Humane, Susana is in a perfect position to share her perspective both as a a funder of animal initiatives, and a recipient of grant dollars.  Thanks to previous support from the ASPCA, Central OK Humane has implemented a raft of[...]

Julia says that earning her Masters in Animals and Public Policy at Tufts gave her a perfect "launching pad" for what she wanted to do with her life.  It also led her to take an active role at the Massachusetts Animal Coalition, which connects volunteers, animal welfare professionals and community members. She details their new program,[...]

A veteran advocate for animals, Kara talks about her involvement in several game-changing initiatives — a license plate program and tax check-off — that created funding sources in Massachusetts for spay/neuter programs that have impacted thousands of animals.  She also talks about the importance of getting to know your local legislators, and educating them before you[...]

Have a diabetic cat, or know someone who does? JaneA describes her experience with her own cat plus the work she does as a member of the "virtual" team that runs Diabetic Cats in Need. (DCIN).  DCIN assists cat owners with education and financial assistance to better support their cat's needs.  Since its founding, DCIN has assisted[...]

After reminiscing about their early work together, Bonney and Stacy discuss fundraising strategies and the importance of focusing your message on successes and future opportunities. It can be overwhelming to think about thousands of animals in need, but inspiring to tell the story of an individual cat or situation.  Bonney also talks about how to[...]

Marlan leads a "boots on the ground" initiative to go into Kansas City's underserved communities to provide education, wellness and other resources to keep families and pets together. These efforts include a pet food pantry that distributes more than 40,000 pounds of dog and cat food a year, a MASH-style high volume spay/neuter clinic that aims[...]

The State of Delaware has legislation in effect establishing a spay/neuter program for non-profits and low-income individuals, which is funded by a $3 surcharge on rabies vaccines.  Shauna talks about how those funds are put to work through with participating veterinarians and local shelters. She notes that all types of individuals are necessary to create[...]

Shelby describes the challenges of helping community cats in the rural South, where 40% of residents have no access to the internet.  So, she reaches out to local social services organizations to get information to individuals who don't even know what spay/neuter is:  "you have to assume that people don't know and start there." Her "street[...]

After TNR'ing 43 cats and fostering multiple litters of kittens, Ashley became "addicted" to trapping and decided that a career in animal welfare was inevitable for her. She speaks about her communications efforts to educate individual neighborhoods about the importance of spay/neuter and the resources available to help them with community cats.. Her staff at[...]

When Scott accepted the challenge of joining the Washington Humane Society, their live release rate was 28%…today it is 90%. Scott outlines the various programs that have moved the dial, including improved coordination and cooperation with animal control, their Pets for Life program, and targeted TNR that fixed over 2500 cats last year alone.  Today,[...]

Kit reflects on the "bad old days" 30 years ago when "cats were third class citizens, who came in and went out the back door" and there was no formal way for rescues or shelters to share information and build community regarding programs to help them.  She describes the kitty she met who changed her mind about[...]

Rachael started her career as an academic scientist and brings disciplined thinking to her cageless cat shelter and TNR efforts. She and her mother founded Here Today, Adopted Tomorrow after attending a Best Friends workshop. She describes how the cats in her care stay healthier because their stress levels are lower and notes that it's important to[...]

Nancy, who has been involved in the start-up of community cat TNR programs in Florida and now in Delaware, identifies several of the critical factors for building a successful effort:  educating and developing working partnerships with community entities, concentrating on cats in a small area first, and keeping detailed records of the number of cats affected.[...]

In this episode, Stacy's in the interview chair and speaks about her motivation for launching the Community Cats Podcast, the wide array of volunteers, services and skills necessary to support cats, and her four biggest priorities for making big picture difference.  Among those priorities is fundraising, which Stacy calls "an everlasting challenge" for supporting spay/neuter initiatives:[...]

Jessica has had broad exposure to many different functions necessary to helping community cats:  TNR, high volume spay/neuter clinics, and even managing a pet food pantry. When she joined Indy Humane, there were nearly 800 cats on the waiting list for spay/neuter services and describes her efforts to shorten these waiting times.  She also talks about the[...]

Julie applied her for-profit experience and strategic mindset to the issues facing Community Cats in her years at PetSmart Charities and Executive Director of the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program in Washington State.  She points out how important it is for all groups — no matter their size — to figure out what they do best,[...]

Volunteering at the Gifford Shelter, and helping socialize fearful, shy and semi-feral cats launched Rachel into her role today as a certified cat behaviorist. She describes the cat behavior and retention program she founded at Gifford, and has shared with other organizations as well as the Humane Society of the United States. Her passion for[...]