Kristen Petrie, Author at The Community Cats Podcast

November 14, 2019

It’s Goal-Setting Time

When I first started the Community Cats Podcast, I had big dreams of being able to provide tip sheets every week on all parts of taking care of community cats. I had big dreams and high goals. Yes, I said goals. I have hit some of the goals that I […]

November 19, 2019

Isa Peraza-Martinez, ASPCA Community Cats Outreach Manager

“You need the buy-in from your community — and the support.” Listen to Episode #326 now 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) […]

November 21, 2019

Book Reviews

These are some of the books that I have been reading lately and my thoughts about them. Several of them would be great holiday gifts. Rescue Meez – Siri Zwemke This is a wonderful book and anyone who is thinking about starting a nonprofit organization should definitely read it. I hadn’t […]

November 26, 2019

Ashley Morrison, Foster Caregiver & Cat Advocate

“You realize that you’re making a difference and it’s helping you just as much as it helps them.” Listen to Episode #327 now Ashley Morrison is an independent kitten foster home and cat advocate in Washington state. She has fostered over 300 cats and kittens over the past four years. […]

November 29, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving + Something for Those Who Don’t Like Football

Happy Thanksgiving! I want to thank everyone for being part of the CCP family this year, whether as a listener to the show, a conference or webinar attendee, or a Community Cats Grant program participant. Thank you all for your support and for sharing the Community Cats Podcast with others. […]

December 3, 2019

Meagan Larrea, Joy 4 Cats

“That would be my number one advice: don’t be afraid to ask.” Listen to Episode #328 now 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 […]

December 5, 2019

Webinars That Will Blow You Away!

It is getting cold and snowy outside, so it is a good time for more webinar reviews. Here are a couple Maddie’s Fund Webinars that were of interest to me: Toolkit for the Time-Starved Leader: A Practical Guide to Hiring and Retaining Engaged Employees Presented by Jocyeln Kessler, MBA, Senior […]

December 10, 2019

Valerie Sheppard, Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

“We are here to help the industry succeed.” Listen to Episode #329 now 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 […]

December 10, 2019

Trappers, Tips and Tricks! Registration Link

December 12, 2019

The Cat Rescuers- A Review

I recently had an opportunity to watch The Cat Rescuers, a documentary by Rob Fruchtman and Steve Lawrence. I have had the opportunity to interview Steve (CCP Episodes 178 and 307) about his experience making the film and following the main characters, Clare, Sassee, Tara, and Stuart around. We follow […]

December 17, 2019

Lizz Whitacre, Pawlytics

“We’re really excited about the ability to share these resources so that, as a community, we can have a much bigger impact on the feral cat community.” Listen to Episode #330 now In this episode, Stacy is joined by Lizz Whitacre, founder and CEO of Pawlytics, a technology solution to […]

December 19, 2019

This Blog Is for You! The 2019 CCP Listeners Survey

I would like to find out from you, our listeners, some of your thoughts about the Community Cats Podcast and our programs. If you can take a few minutes to answer these questions, it will help us improve our programs next year. If you can fill this quick survey out […]

December 24, 2019

John Boone, Wildlife Biologist at Great Bay Bird Observatory

“We tried very hard to focus objectively on the questions that we’re asking and accept the answers that we’re getting …” Listen to Episode #331 now John Boone, a wildlife biologist previously interviewed on CCP, joins Stacy to discuss new research on how we can use the tools we […]

December 26, 2019

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is enjoying a great holiday season. This week I would like to share a couple of my favorite blog posts from the past. Enjoy, and I hope you continue to enjoy time with friends, family and of course, kitties. In 2020, the Community Cats Podcast will be […]

December 31, 2019

Julia Grosz, Cat Hustler

“Marketing is not adoption counseling … [it’s] the highlight reel.” Listen to Episode #332 now This episode is sponsored by Dr. Elsey’s Veterinarian Formulated Quality Products for Cats, makers of “litter we’re so confident you’ll love, your first purchase is on us.” Learn more! Julia Grosz earned the nickname […]

January 2, 2020

Community Cats Podcast Goals for 2020

Many of you know that goal-setting is one of my favorite things to do. I usually start to think about goals in the fall, but unfortunately this year I just haven’t had a chance to sit down and really focus on our goals here at CCP until now. I can’t […]

January 7, 2020

Dr. Jennifer Conrad, The Paw Project

“We know that this is the wrong thing to do to cats. No matter where you are, it’s the wrong thing.” Listen to Episode #333 now This episode is sponsored by Dr. Elsey’s Veterinarian Formulated Quality Products for Cats, makers of “litter we’re so confident you’ll love, your first […]

January 9, 2020

Fundraising TV: What It Is and a Review

I had the opportunity to spend some time this weekend checking out Sandy Rees’s Fundraising TV program. Many of you know Sandy from her presentations at the 2018 Online Cat Conference and the 2019 Online Kitten Conference. I have also had Sandy on the Community Cats Podcast as a guest […]

January 14, 2020

Hasara Lay, Catexplorer

“Cats are capable of more than we give them credit for.” Listen to Episode #334 now 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 […]

January 16, 2020

Double your adoptions in 2020 – here’s how!

This is a guest post from Kristen Auerbach, Director of Pima Animal Care Center. Kristen Auerbach has been making some dramatic changes since joining the Pima Animal Care Center in Tuscon, AZ. I have been following her and I found the post below very interesting and valuable. Kristen has kindly allowed […]

January 21, 2020

A Best of CCP Episode! Dr. Sara Pizano, DVM, Team Shelter USA

“Ending euthanasia doesn’t take years, and it doesn’t take millions of dollars.” Listen to Episode #335 now 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 […]

January 24, 2020

Stacy’s Podcast Reviews – Part 1

As a podcaster, I thought I would share some of the other animal-focused podcasts that I listen to. Maybe you listen to podcasts on your commute, or maybe at work or just while out walking. Whether you have lots of time for podcasts or just a little time, we all […]

January 28, 2020

A Best of CCP Episode! Will Zweigart, Flatbush Cats

“Five to ten years from now, I want to be able to look at my neighborhood … and say that we’ve made a measurable impact.” Listen to Episode #336 now In this episode, Stacy sits down with Will Zweigart, founder of Flatbush Cats, a nonprofit focused on reducing the […]

January 30, 2020

CCP Goes to Jackson Galaxy’s Total Cat Mojo Live Tour

This week’s guest post comes to us from Liz Pease, former Executive Director of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, who was featured on CCP Episode #51. Last week, on behalf of CCP, I attended Jackson Galaxy’s Total Cat Mojo Live tour. The Boston stop was held at the Wilbur Theatre, […]

February 4, 2020

Interview! Jeff Parks, Author of You Know Your Cat Loves You Because…

“I wanted it to be a book that was full of joy.” Listen to Episode #337 now 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 […]

February 6, 2020

Online Cat Conference Summary

We had a fantastic weekend at the 2020 Online Cat Conference on January 24–26. We had such an impressive group of presenters and I am thankful to all of the speakers for giving of their time and sharing their expertise. I would also like to thank the Humane Society of […]

February 11, 2020

Interview! Mario Arbore, Square Paws

“It’s always great to see cats enjoying our work.” Listen to Episode #338 Now 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 […]

February 13, 2020

Animal Podcast Reviews Part 2

A few weeks ago, I reviewed several animal welfare-related podcasts. Here are some more reviews of some of the podcasts that I listen to and my thoughts about them. Humane Voices Did you know that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has its own podcast called Humane Voices? It is […]

February 18, 2020

Dr. Andy Kaplan, The Toby Project

“I’ve always been passionate about saving lives. That’s just who I am as a vet.” Listen to Episode #339 Now 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. […]

February 20, 2020

Celebrating 150,000 Downloads!

Here at Community Cats Podcasts, we’re celebrating this week, because the show just reached 150,000 downloads! If you are new to CCP, or need to catch up on your listening—or if you just want to take a trip down memory lane with us, check out the top nine most-downloaded CCP […]

February 25, 2020

Britney Fox Hover, Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society

“Whenever we can try to keep cats and people together, we do.” Listen to Episode #340 Now 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 […]

February 27, 2020

Am I a Bottleneck or a Funnel?

Since it is February, which tends to be the quietest month of the year, it is a good time to sit back and reflect on whether you and others in your organizations are “bottlenecks” or “funnels.” It might not be immediately obvious, but this idea of bottlenecks and funnels is […]

March 4, 2020

Jill Tucker, California Animal Welfare Association

“I really enjoy getting people aligned behind a vision and moving forward.” Listen to Episode #341 Now 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 […]

March 5, 2020

Caring for Cats, Compassion Fatigue and Moral Distress

At a recent workshop that I ran, the concept of “moral distress” came up in conversation. The thought at the workshop was that we are misidentifying moral distress as compassion fatigue. I found this incredibly interesting. In general, moral distress is the anxiety we feel around the fact that we […]

March 10, 2020

Debbie Chatenever, community cat caretaker

“Going out and helping those cats gave me reason to want to get up and get dressed and go outside.” Listen to Episode #342 Now In this episode, Stacy chats with community cat caretaker Debbie Chatenever, who walks several miles each day to feed the community cats in her […]

March 12, 2020

Report from Podfest (and Field Trips!) in Orlando, Florida

Kristen and I got to spend several days in Orlando at Podfest last week. We had a great time! Since we work virtually, it is always great to get together to “talk shop” in person. We started out with a day-long session with Jessica Kupferman of She Podcasts, Bonnie Frank of Business […]

March 17, 2020

Lori Behrman, The Toby Project

“It has been … an amazing eleven years.” Listen to Episode #343 Now 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 […]

March 19, 2020

10 Issues Facing Animal Welfare Organizations During the Coronavirus Crisis

***UPDATE: COMMUNITY CATS AND CORONAVIRUS POP-UP PANELS CCP will be holding some more town hall-style meeting webinars about COVID-19 and the response. Join in and share your experiences, concerns, and thoughts. Register for the Community Cats and Coronavirus Pop-Up Panel on Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. EDT or […]

March 24, 2020

Alisse Russell, Puff Cat Rescue, Inc.

“[We’re] trying to streamline all the connections that we try to make as rescues into one platform.” Listen to Episode #344 Now 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 […]

March 26, 2020

How Are You Doing?

Wow, times are changing quickly. Our world of caring for community cats has changed dramatically in the last week. Our spay/neuter resources are much fewer or non-existent. We are being told to let kittens be born and leave cats that are not in distress out on the streets until we can begin our […]

March 31, 2020

Elaine Spencer and Melanie Gardner, T-Town TNR

“If you want to run a successful nonprofit TNR organization that relies on outside funding … capturing data is essential.” Listen to Episode #345 Now 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 […]

April 2, 2020

20 Virtual Learning Options During the Coronavirus Crisis

On Sunday, March 29, President Trump announced that the US would continue to follow social distancing guidelines until April 30th. Many organizations are trying to find ways to keep staff and volunteers engaged during this shutdown period. Below is a listing of 20 websites or webinars, by category, that you […]

April 7, 2020

Camille Labchuk, Animal Justice

“It’s not just about making sure [animals] don’t suffer; it’s about making sure they have lives worth living, that they’re respected as individuals.” Listen to Episode #346 Now In this episode, Stacy is joined by Camille Labchuk, an animal rights lawyer and the executive director of Animal Justice, Canada’s […]

April 9, 2020

Twenty-ish More Virtual Training Ideas

It seems like folks enjoyed my listing of resources last week, so I am going to continue to share more resources for you to enjoy and share with others. Since in-person conference season is pretty much wiped out, one good way to share virtual education is to have a group of people […]

April 14, 2020

Danielle Bays, Humane Society of the United States

“[There is] a major shift in how we’re thinking about how cats use their claws, and why they use their claws, and why they should keep them.” Listen to Episode #347 Now In this episode, HSUS Senior Analyst for Cat Protection & Policy Danielle Bays joins Stacy to talk […]

April 16, 2020

Let’s Appreciate Our Animal Control Officers This Week!

This week is Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. This is certainly a time to appreciate the great commitment of those who join this profession. Animal control officers enter homes to help animals impacted by the coronavirus crisis and risk their lives to save others, and we need to say thank […]

April 21, 2020

Tina Traster, Catnip Nation

“That’s really the point of the film … to show that we’re not powerless.” Listen to Episode #348 Now 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 […]

April 23, 2020

The Future of Volunteering in Animal Welfare

It is Volunteer Appreciation Week. Thanks so much to all of the volunteers that support animal welfare organizations. Most of us volunteer in many ways and this is the week to take time to celebrate everyone’s efforts—including those of the many folks who are fostering cats and dogs right now. […]

April 28, 2020

Julie Posluns, Cat School

“It’s a fun way to enrich an animal’s life.” Listen to Episode #349 Now 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 […]

April 30, 2020

Where Are the Foster Homes for People Trapping Community Cats During COVID-19?

An Open Letter to Folks Who Trap Community Cats I am concerned that there will be kittens and cats that need our help and we won’t be to help them. You might think I am crazy, as the whole world seems to want to be a foster home. Groups are […]

May 5, 2020

Arden Moore, Pet Health and Safety Coach

“I think it’s kind of a good time to be a cat.” Listen to Episode #350 Now 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 […]

May 7, 2020

Small is Beautiful During COVID-19

“Small is Beautiful” is going to be my mantra for community cat programs and clinics this summer. As states begin to open up their restrictions on what businesses can and can’t do, we will need to be creative in adjusting to different working conditions. The most nimble organizations are going […]

May 12, 2020

Dean Killingbeck, Pets Strong CBD

“As pet owners, we suffer as much with our animals as the animal does.” Listen to Episode #351 Now 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 […]

May 14, 2020

COVID-19: The Impact on Pets in Chelsea, MA

As we all do, I wear many hats. In addition to heading up the Community Cats Podcast and all of our educational programs, I am also the program administrator for a small group in Chelsea, MA called HubCats Chelsea (HCC). This group started up about four years ago to do a […]

May 19, 2020

Lora O’Connor, The National Kitten Coalition

“I was very excited to be given an opportunity to … really focus solely on cats.” Listen to Episode #352 Now 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 […]

May 21, 2020

Caring for Kittens: 10 Tips

There’s no way around the fact that kittens are going to be a big part of our lives in the coming months. While we may not see the numbers in our shelters as the desire for foster care continues to rise, kittens will be out there in the community, and […]

May 26, 2020

Marian Pekar, My Nine Lives Video Game

“[The game] is not only for raising money, but also to raise awareness.” Listen to Episode #353 Now 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 […]

May 28, 2020

Will the Great Kitten Explosion Happen?

Are you worried about the colonies that you take care of and about all of the kittens being born out in the community, especially when we don’t have access to the spay/neuter resources that we have normally have? While some parts of the United States are opening up, some are […]

June 2, 2020

Karen Little, Alley Cat Advocates

“We’re here and we’re here to stay.” Listen to Episode #354 Now 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 […]

June 4, 2020

10 Ways for Your Indoor Cat to Enjoy the Great Outdoors Safely

Summer is finally here for those of us who live in the north, and many of us want to get outside to enjoy the sun and warm weather. I am sure our cats want to be able to do this too. Below are a few tips to consider when bringing […]

June 9, 2020

Mary Tan, Whisker Media

“We need to change the image of cats and cat owners so that they can be elevated in society.” Listen to Episode #355 Now 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 […]

June 11, 2020

Everything You Need to Know About Kittens!

You may have seen my blog post about a possible kitten explosion and overpopulation concerns a couple of weeks ago. I believe we will have a substantial uptick in the number of kittens being born in our communities this summer, and I also am convinced that members of the community […]

June 16, 2020

Mary Howard, Community Cat Coordinator at McKamey Animal Center

“We just have to make sure that [the caregivers] understand … how we’re there to help them.” Listen to Episode #356 Now 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 […]

June 18, 2020

A Question for the CCP Community – Is it time to lose our spay/neuter mission?

Spending the weekend talking at the Online Kitten Conference about how to care for, nurture, spay/neuter, transport, and adopt out kittens really got me thinking about the role of spay/neuter in our animal welfare movement. Twenty-plus years ago, when I first started out with the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, […]

June 23, 2020

Elizabeth Finch, Good Mews Animal Foundation

“We’re now able to expand our mission to help community cats.” Listen to Episode #357 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. Stacy talks with Elizabeth Finch, a member of the board of directors and full-time marketing and communications […]

June 25, 2020

10 Tips for Successful Feline Fundraising in the Time of COVID-19

Once the coronavirus hit, the stock market plummeted, and unemployment took off in the United States, our nonprofits started to shut down. Many organizations began to worry about their fundraising prospects for the year ahead. Some organizations chose to lay off or furlough employees, including their development staff, but some […]

June 30, 2020

Steven Mornelli, Waggle

“We’re helping people end ‘economic euthanasia.’” Listen to Episode #358 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. In this episode, Stacy chats with Steven Morelli, CEO and founder of Waggle, a new—and very different—crowdfunding platform to help pet owners […]

July 2, 2020

A 4th of July Tale

This week’s guest post comes to us from Liz Pease, former Executive Director of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, who was featured on CCP Episode #51. This week, I’m starting with a tale from my decade at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS) in Salisbury, MA. Since the 4th […]

July 7, 2020

Ashley Shoults, Animal Arts

“Figure out what it is that you absolutely need out of the new space first.” Listen to Episode #359 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. In this episode, Stacy sits down with Ashley Shoults, a principal w/ Animal […]

July 9, 2020

Webinar Review: How Gateway Pet Guardians Uses Community Programming During COVID-19

Today’s guest post comes to us from Emma Gabbert, Digital Content Specialist Intern at Whisker Media. Last month, Jamie Case and Janet Alderson from Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG) in East St. Louis, Illinois (just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri) hosted a webinar called Keeping Families Together: Pivoting Community Programming […]

July 14, 2020

Sterling Davis, Atlanta’s “Trap King”

“I see a lot more people getting engaged.” Listen to Episode #360 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. In this episode, Stacy sits down with Sterling Davis again (she talked with him before in CCP Episode 243) to […]

July 16, 2020

What to Know about Feline Leukemia — and How to Learn More

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is the number one viral killer of cats. The virus weakens the immune system, leaving cats vulnerable to other diseases. Most diagnosed cats have an expected life span of three […]

July 21, 2020

Dr. Bob Weedon, TLC PetSnip & Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

“When you start talking about the public health benefits of TNVR programs, you engage a whole different group of stakeholders.” Listen to Episode #361 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Fosterspace, powered by Doobert. Visit them online to learn more. In this information-packed episode, Stacy sits down with […]

July 23, 2020

Introducing Your New Kitten to the Family: Older Cats, Dogs, and Children

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. It’s kitten season and you may be thinking about bringing a new kitten into your family. Or maybe you stopped by the shelter for some entirely different purpose, or even “just to look”—and […]

July 28, 2020

Carrie Lippert Gillaspie, Television & Podcast Host

“We’re changing the culture and we’re shifting how people are viewing community cats in our area.” Listen to Episode #362 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com. Other sponsorship consideration provided by The Cat Fanciers’ Association and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. In this episode, Stacy […]

July 30, 2020

Your Cat’s Path to Insta-stardom

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Your cat is the cutest cat there’s ever been. You know it. You want everyone to know it. Now it’s time to make your perfect cat an Instagram star. The internet is a […]

August 6, 2020

You Found a Stray Kitten in Your Yard. Now What?

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. The warmer weather ushers in kitten season, which can last a long time and put a lot of stress on your local shelters and rescues. Now you’ve found a stray kitten in your […]

August 11, 2020

Bonney Brown and Diane Blankenburg, Humane Network

“It’s well worth waiting for that right person.” Listen to Episode #364 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, The Cat Fanciers’ Association, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. Bonney Brown (CCP Episode 30 and Episode 181) and Diane Blankenburg, the president, and the CEO, respectively, of […]

August 13, 2020

Recent Study Identifies Key Indicators in Building High-Impact Community Cat Programs

Today’s guest post comes to us from Anna Murrin of Metro Denver CAT. Cat homelessness and overpopulation are problems that face animal welfare groups and the communities they support across the country. Addressing such a widespread problem is daunting when the data is incomplete. Metro Denver CAT is a program created […]

August 18, 2020

Julie Jacobson, Spay Tennessee and CCP Community Cats Grants Program

“I fear a complete loss of services in some areas that already had little to nothing.” Listen to Episode #365 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, The Cat Fanciers’ Association, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. Stacy chats with Julie Jacobson of Spay Tennessee, who is […]

August 20, 2020

Anyone Can Trap! How to Get Involved with Your Local TNR Program

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs can be a wonderful way to deal with community cat population issues. It is important that community/feral cats get spayed/neutered and vaccinated so that their colonies don’t grow exponentially. In […]

August 25, 2020

Dr. Anne Beall, Market Researcher, Animal Advocate, Author

“I really believe that cats connect with us just the same as dogs do and they’re just as helpful … to us as dogs are.” Listen to Episode #366 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, The Cat Fanciers’ Association, and The American Association of Feline Practitioners. Anne […]

August 27, 2020

Reasons Not to Adopt?

This week’s guest post comes to us from Liz Pease, former Executive Director of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, who was featured on CCP Episode #51. Last week, while putting together the CCP e-news, I was struck by the video that we shared from the new group Companions and Animals […]

September 1, 2020

Anna Raines, Best Friends Animal Society

“If you want to protect wildlife, if you want to protect birds, then you need to do a full dive into TNR and cat programming.” Listen to Episode #367 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com’s FosterSpace, Kitty Sift Litter System, and The American Association of Feline […]

September 3, 2020

Transports for Shelters and Volunteers

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Dale’s volunteer name tag at Animal Friends Alliance (AFA) in Fort Collins, Colorado reads “Cat Chauffeur.” He is one of a dedicated group of volunteers that helps to transport animals to AFA from […]

September 8, 2020

Keith Williams, C5 Las Vegas

“Don’t just tell me about the cute kitten you saved. Tell me about the mom that you spayed, because that is where the progress is really going to be made … on the spay/neuter side of the house.” Listen to Episode #368 Now This episode is sponsored in part […]

September 10, 2020

The Ever-Changing World of Facebook Marketing: What You Need to Know

Today’s guest post comes to us from Emma Gabbert, Digital Content Specialist Intern at Whisker Media. When social media took off in the 2010s, businesses and nonprofits were excited to get their brand on social media platforms. It’s fair to say that at the time, no one could foresee the […]

September 15, 2020

Holly Ganz, Animal Biome

“I consider it very much a labor of love.” Listen to Episode #369 Now 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, […]

September 17, 2020

Planning for Emergencies

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Photos are courtesy of Krista and of Isabel Betsill of Colorado. The sun today is red. The sky, an orangey-black. Ash is drifting down from the sky like snow. It’s so dark it […]

September 22, 2020

Sarah Dunsmore, CDE Animal Cages

“Enrichment and the ability to exercise in the outdoors is important to cats.” Listen to Episode #370 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com’s FosterSpace, Boulder Holistic Vet, and Heaven Can Wait Animal Society. Sarah Dunsmore of CDE Animal Cages, previously featured on CCP Episode 302, joins […]

September 24, 2020

Caring for Your Feral Working Cat

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Employing a feral working cat at your barn, warehouse, vineyard, garden center, or workshop serves the dual purpose of controlling the rodent population and helping a feral cat find a safe place to […]

September 29, 2020

Jennifer Barnes, Trapper & Animal Welfare Advocate

“My niche is TNR.… Know your niche and stay focused.” Listen to Episode #371 Now 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 […]

October 1, 2020

Programs for Pet Retention

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. This week I spoke to Anna, Community Pet Resource Manager at Animal Friends Alliance (AFA), a guaranteed adoption shelter in Colorado, about programs that support pet retention or shelter intake prevention. If you’ve […]

October 6, 2020

Sarah Moore & Dr. Teri Kidd, Animal Protective League

“Veterinary medicine in general and spay/neuter in particular are essential services.” Listen to Episode #372 Now 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 […]

October 8, 2020

The Kansas Law that Keeps FeLV+ Cats from Being Adopted

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Kansas State Law 47-624 sounds pretty reasonable. Under the Kansas Statutes for Livestock and Domestic Animals, the law pertains to “any domestic animal affected with any contagious or infectious disease.” These animals are […]

October 13, 2020

Kathy Black, Cat Fanciers’ Association Judge

“We have always been there to enhance the well-being of all cats.” Listen to Episode #373 Now 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 […]

October 15, 2020

Book Reviews

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. My Life in a Cat House by Gwen Cooper – Memoir Gwen Cooper, the author of Homer’s Odyssey, writes this time about all the cats she has shared her home with over the […]

October 20, 2020

Meagan King, Volunteer & Advocate

“We need people to save animals. We always have to work with people … the only way we’re going to get this done is with people.” Listen to Episode #374 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, Heaven Can Wait, and C5. This week Stacy talks to […]

October 23, 2020

A Powerful New Tool for Improving Return to Owner Rates

Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. At the 2020 American Pets Alive! Conference, Gina Knepp (Michelson Found Animals) and Bobby Mann (Front Street Animal Shelter) gave a presentation about their Lost2Found program. The program features an automated text messaging […]

October 27, 2020

Kathleen O’Malley, TNR educator

“It’s a real relationship we have between ourselves and our feral cats.” Listen to Episode #375 Now 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, […]

November 14, 2019