About The Community Cats Podcast

Welcome to The Community Cats Podcast, a dedicated space for feline enthusiasts and advocates alike. Founded by Stacy LeBaron, a compassionate leader and feline entrepreneur with over three decades of experience working with Community Cats in Massachusetts, our podcast is more than just a series of conversations – it's a movement to turn your passion for Cats into Action!

Our Impact

The Community Cats Podcast has played a pivotal role in creating positive change and building a network of empowered individuals and organizations devoted to the welfare of community cats. Our success stories, both shared on air and behind the scenes, illustrate the tangible impact we've had on the ground.

Turn your passion for cats into action!

Whether you're a seasoned advocate or a newcomer to community cat care, The Community Cats Podcast welcomes you to be part of our journey. Together, let's create a humane and supportive environment for every feline friend in our communities.

Engaging Conversations

Join Stacy LeBaron in insightful conversations with experts, advocates, and enthusiasts. Explore a wide range of topics, from successful TNR programs to heartwarming stories of feline rescue and care.

Informative Blog

Delve deeper into the world of community cat care through our blog. Discover articles, guides, and resources covering essential aspects of TNR strategies, cat welfare, and more.

Online Conferences

Stay connected and informed with our online conferences, where thought leaders share insights on pressing issues in community cat welfare.

Certification Workshops & Free Webinars

Enhance your knowledge and skills through our certification workshops and free webinars, designed to provide valuable insights and practical tools for community cat care.

Consulting

Stacy will do one on one, group strategic consulting for organizations and municipalities that want to reduce the number of cats in their community.

Check out the data dashboard to see our reach!

Meet the Team

Stacy LeBaron, Head Cat, Founder & Host

Stacy LeBaron with friendly (and very handsome!) community cat, Xander.

Stacy LeBaron has been involved in animal welfare for over 30 years and considers herself a feline entrepreneur. She currently hosts a weekly podcast called the Community Cats Podcast where she interviews nationally and internationally renowned experts helping with the problem of cat overpopulation and cat welfare. She has recorded over 500 episodes. In addition to the podcast, Stacy is committed to the model of virtual education by holding three weekend conferences; the Online Cat Conference, The United Spay Alliance Conference, and the Online Kitten Conference. She hosts day-long sessions covering specific topics around Feline Leukemia and Behavior. The Podcast hosts three certification programs covering the topics of Trap, Neuter, and Return, Surrender Prevention, and Return to Home. The Community Cats Podcast founded the Community Cats Grants Program helping small grassroots learn fundraising skills to raise the desperately needed funds for spay/neuter surgeries and match the money raised from the Community Cats Grants program. This program has assisted over 200 groups and is now part of the United Spay Alliance.

Her mission is to encourage folks to “Turn their passion for cats into action”.

In addition to her role at the podcast, she is a partner of the Community Cat Clinic in Woodstock and Duluth, Georgia, President of PAWSitive Pantry in Vermont and Massachusetts, Treasurer at the Vermont Humane Federation, Treasurer for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, Treasurer at Community Cat Champions and Treasurer and Director of Strategy at the United Spay Alliance. She is a past board member of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition and the New England Federation of Humane Societies. She serves as the current administrative trustee for the LeBaron Foundation. Previous to starting the podcast, Stacy served for 16 years as president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS).

In addition to the above Stacy is also available for individual and group consulting to encourage others to think strategically about how they are reducing cat overpopulation in their communities by utilizing the Community Cat Pyramid and Community Cat Calculator needs assessment.

Stacy graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Urban Studies. She now lives in Vermont and Switzerland with her husband.

Kristen Petrie, Technical Tabby & Correspondent

Since 2005, Kristen has been an enthusiastic proponent for feline wellbeing and recognizing the human animal bond....

For nearly two decades, she's dedicated her time to various roles within the animal welfare community, ranging from the hands-on tasks of adoption counseling and trapping to more strategic roles like lecture coordination and marketing consulting. Her commitment to improving the lives of cats has been unwavering, having served on the board of directors for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society and currently for the Community Cat Clinic. She attended Massachusetts College of Art and graduated magna cum laude from Salem State University. Kristen looks for opportunities to use her professional skills in graphic design, development, branding, and photography to champion animal welfare causes and promote feline-friendly culture. In her downtime, you'll find her fostering cats with quirky social or behavioral needs, providing them with the time and patience they need to thrive. And when she's not busy with her feline friends, she's off on adventures, whether it's emceeing the local story slam, braving the twists and turns of a good theme park rollercoaster, or seeking out off-the-beaten-path experiences that keep life exciting.

Kendall Wapner, Social Media and Business Cat

With a fervent dedication to animal welfare, Kendall has been an advocate for the rights and well-being of animals since 2013...

Over the years, she has contributed to the cause in various capacities, ranging from hands-on work in animal shelters to orchestrating impactful exhibitions aimed at raising awareness for animal rights. Currently collaborating with the Community Cats Podcast, Kendall is excited to amplify the message of the critical importance of spaying and neutering cats, particularly through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) initiatives. Through Kendall’s multifaceted engagement in the realm of animal advocacy, they aim to inspire positive change and foster a compassionate understanding of the needs of our furry companions.

Elizabeth Finch, Professor Cat & Production

Elizabeth has been devoted to animal welfare since 2015, with a career highlighted by leadership and dedication...

At Good Mews, a metro-Atlanta feline rescue, she served as president of the board of directors. Elizabeth played a key role in expanding Good Mews' impact, overseeing marketing and communications efforts that significantly increased the organization's reach and support. In 2020, Elizabeth developed a comprehensive community cat program at Good Mews, which continues to aid over 4,000 cats annually. This initiative collaborates closely with municipal shelters and the community to ensure the welfare of community cats. In early 2024, Elizabeth decided to transition into other areas of animal welfare, formally instructing others on implementing community cat programs of their own and lending her skills to the Community Cats Podcast. She also shares her expertise through advising roles with other animal welfare organizations and nonprofits. When she's not advocating for cats, you can find her happily zapping away in her workshop, creating intricate designs with her laser crafting tools.

Follow us on the socials and keep up with The Community Cats Podcast team! (We post lots of cute cats!)

Check Out Stacy's Guest Appearances

Providing online TNR classes adds another dimension to our community cat toolkit. Caretakers are thankful for the convenience, flexibility, and easy access. We’re thankful we can trust they’re learning from the best. Having the option to watch a recording of the session is another plus. If something came up that day preventing a caretaker from participating in the live class, they don’t have to wait an entire month to take the next class before getting started TNRing. In addition to learning best practices, the TNR class has served as an effective way for us to communicate how people can utilize our spay/neuter services. We accomplish this with an add-on recording and link to handouts of what we need caretakers to know. This saves our staff an enormous amount of time.
Catherine Garrett
Director of Development and Marketing
I recently got hooked on your podcast! What a wonderful educational and fascinating show you have! I can’t stop listening and I can’t stop telling people about it. Such an amazing show! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who keeps Community Cats podcast going. It is such an educational insight into our national cat community. When I listen to your show it feels like I’m sitting down with a group of close friends and we’re all conspiring to change and fill the world with more love, knowledge, and compassion for animals. I absolutely love what you do! I will keep binging episodes and keep spreading the word about Community Cats Podcast to anyone who will listen... That is when I’m not blabbing on about my ridiculously adorable fosters!
Kris
=^..^=
I recently found your podcast and it has been incredibly helpful. It has taught me to stay on track and really work my neighborhood over to get everyone done before I move on; and inspired me to keep checking in on the caretakers to see if anyone new has joined them. The podcast has also helped me to be kinder to the caretakers. I was a bit irritated/frustrated at first when they wouldn’t withhold food or when they got cold feet because they were worried about the operation. All of the people you interview, I am sure, have gone through similar if not worse situations, but they stick to the positive. It has really showed me by example how to conduct myself during the TNR process. Thank you for everything, especially for helping new TNR recruits to be mindful and kind as they learn and grow toward helping more cats/people.
Sarah
=^..^=
I had asked to be an ambassador for your podcast during the summer. I got the materials after some tabling events had passed but now I've had an opportunity to do two in a row Global Cat Day and a subsequent adoption-outreach event. We're even having a follow up event this Saturday.
Roberto
=^..^=
Thank you and Hannah so much for an excellent and informative podcast! I really learned a lot from it and feel much more confident and able to rescue and foster. I look forward to your next one. Thank you again!
Kim
=^..^=