community cats Archives - The Community Cats Podcast

July 12, 2016

Interview! Julie White, Former Senior Director of Grants, Programs and Field Initiatives at PetSmart Charities

“You can save more lives by fixing one cat than you can with one adoption.” 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 […]

July 18, 2016

July 18, 2016

Fee-Waived Adoptions Can Help Your Organization

This is the time of year when fee-waived adoption events are happening all of the time. Fee-Waived Adoptions Can Help Your Organization! Whether it be within specific organizations or in the community, as a whole, it has been seen to help reduce the overpopulation of cats and kittens in adoption […]

July 25, 2016

July 25, 2016

10 Tips for the Toughest Week of the Year

In my past experience, the end of July tends to be the hardest time for Community Cat rescuers and feeders. These 10 Tips for the Toughest Week of the Year will help you make it through these tough times! So what makes this week so tough? For the colonies that […]

August 1, 2016

Why It Is Okay to Return a Felv+ Cat

This week’s blog may be a bit surprising, but I want to share my take on Why It Is Okay to Return a Felv+ Cat to a colony. First off, I want to say VERY clearly that cats being trapped, neutered and returned should NOT be tested for FIV (Feline […]

August 8, 2016

Targeted Surrenders

Over the last 5-10 years we have heard a lot of discussion about the importance of targeted spay/neuter programs. We see flyers for spay/neuter at a low cost for $10 or for free. And as a result, when we have aggressive spay/neuter in these areas we see dramatic reduction in […]

August 15, 2016

Ten tips for statewide success in identifying spay/neuter black holes

Before I get started with this week’s blog, I want to thank everyone who has supported the Community Cats Podcast and has put up a review on iTunes! I just want to send a shout out to: GPCatCrew, Anuki21, kitkat76, HL Cat Lover, julieinmd3, HubCats105 and the UrbanCatCoalition for the […]

August 22, 2016

Abandonment Uptick – 5 Tips to Manage the Intake Flow

As the end of summer approaches, we begin to have a larger inflow of surrenders to our shelters. Why does this happen? Yes, we have the addition of kittens coming into our shelters, but in areas where the kitten population is somewhat under control most kitten surrenders can primarily be […]

August 29, 2016

How to Find an Organization to Volunteer With

Have you been thinking about ways that you can get involved in the community around you? Are you confused where to start, but would really like to start volunteering somewhere that will make a difference? If this sounds like you, it is easier than you think when it comes to How […]

September 5, 2016

Prepare for Winter and Prep Community Cat Shelters

With Fall right around the corner it is time to start thinking now about winterizing and cleaning out your feeding stations and feral cat housing. I can’t tell you how many times our committee members have run around at the end of October/early November getting our shelters and feeding stations […]

September 12, 2016

What Does a Humane Community Look Like for Cats

From backyards to large cities, we live in a world with many communities. My family is a community, my friends are a community, my neighborhood, my town…. okay you get it! So, What Does a Humane Community Look Like for Cats? We are currently so focused on shelter statistics that I […]

September 19, 2016

What Is A Managed Colony

What is a managed colony? Why is it important to manage colonies? It is just a quick fix! Over the last five or so years our language has changed about Community Cats. We now call them “Community Cats” instead of feral cats, free-roaming cats and stray cats. Why the change […]

September 26, 2016

Seven Tips to Convince Others to Help Community Cats

I often ask myself why is it such a challenge for us all to do the right thing for Community Cats. Why do we pass by a situation when we know that we can all help? It really does take a village in order to make sure the cats in […]

October 3, 2016

My Love/Hate Relationship with Social Media

On September 23, I had the opportunity to attend the Agents of Change (#AOC2016) conference in Portand, Maine. This was an all day “love in” for all things social media. For me, this was a great opportunity to learn from the experts about some of the best practices in the […]

October 10, 2016

October 10, 2016

What about Kids? Ideas and Tips for Community Cat Education

I must admit that I have been remiss over the years when it came to neglecting the importance of Community Cats Education. What about Kids? Ideas and Tips for Community Cat Education is such an important hurdle. We need the next generation to get excited about Community Cats! Over the […]

October 17, 2016

Happy National Feral Cat Day

Happy National Feral Cat Day! On this day I want us to take a moment to focus on what National Feral Cat Day means to us. I specifically want to focus on the word “Feral”. We’ve gotten a bit away from identifying our free-roaming cat populations and just putting all cats […]

October 31, 2016

Tips and Tricks for Community Cats at Halloween

With today being Halloween, I thought I would mention a few Tips and Tricks for Community Cats at Halloween. These will ensure that you, your community cats and house cats stay safe during this favorite holiday for kids! For the Community Cats: If you feed cats at night between 5-8pm, you […]

November 7, 2016

Cats and Politics

This week, the news will be focused on our elections. I don’t know about you, but I will be happy when this is over! Every election season I am continually amazed by how much money goes into campaigns. So much fundraising is done by powerhouse agencies trying to get folks […]

November 14, 2016

Raising Money for Community Cats

Raising Money for Community Cats. It’s not a lot different than what happened the day the furnace died! I will never forget this day! It was early November about 5 years ago. I was at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society adoption center in Salisbury, going about my usual day. […]

November 21, 2016

Being Thankful with a Time for Reflection

I am sitting here listening to the snores of my two kitties, Misha and Hooch, and they both look so content! How could I not help but be thankful for having these two odd mush balls in my life?! Many of you might feel the same way and it is […]

November 28, 2016

Transport or Not To Transport

Happy Cyber Monday! I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday and was able to enjoy their family and loved ones. If you are doing your online shopping this fine Monday morning, feel free to take a quick look at our Community Cats Podcast Store. All proceeds go […]

December 5, 2016

Playing in the Sandbox! 10 Reasons For Coalitions and How To Do It

As many of you know, sandboxes are places that cats often use as litter boxes and many caregivers need to negotiate possible ways to keep cats out of sandboxes in communities. It’s time for Playing in the Sandbox! 10 Reasons For Coalitions and How To Do It is what I […]

December 12, 2016

How to Retire an Old Feral Cat

Well, the snow is finally here in Vermont and everything is looking very festive! This week, we’re going to discuss How to Retire an Old Feral Cat. But between Christmas and New Year’s we will be replaying our greatest hits from the 2016 season. You will be hearing from Hannah […]

December 19, 2016

Happy Holidays from the Community Cats Podcast

Happy Holidays from the Community Cats Podcast! In this week’s blog, I wanted to talk about the Greatest Hits line up, Being Thankful and Thoughts about Cats in Aleppo. I can’t believe we are already at the end of December. It seems like just last June when we were launching our […]

January 2, 2017

Goal Setting for 2017

Happy New Year! First off, I want to thank everyone who participated in our holiday slide show. We have over 40 cat pictures profiled! If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I recommend you do! Share it with others! Take a look at our Year In Review […]

January 9, 2017

A Deeper Dive on How to Start a Coalition

As promised I wanted to add to my previous blog and take A Deeper Dive on How to Start a Coalition. If you didn’t read my first part I would recommend you check out my earlier blog on the topic. Much of that blog covered why we need to have a […]

January 16, 2017

Martin Luther King and… Community Cats?

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. day and a time to reflect on all of the efforts of the Civil Rights movement that he did. But, Martin Luther King and… Community Cats? Have I lost my mind? There are many ways to honor Dr. King and his legacy. I, for one, […]

January 23, 2017

My 13 Favorite (Mostly Free) Online Tools

This week I would like to cover My 13 Favorite (Mostly Free) Online Tools that I use to help manage people, time, and programs. For those of you who know more personally you know this is a favorite topic of mine. I think that technology is the best thing that […]

January 30, 2017

10 Fearless Fundraising Events For Those Starting Out

If you are new to running a non-profit, part of a small group, or just joining a group, thinking about fundraising can be overwhelming! I began my fundraising journey back in 7th grade, when I became treasurer of my class. We had to raise money to help pay for a […]

February 6, 2017

How to Track Those Pesky Grants

Managing grant applications can be a nightmare if it isn’t done right! The foundations you potentially work with are prospects that can mean bringing in real dollars to your organization. But it is an incredible challenge to track your potential funders, those organizations that you have applied too and then […]

February 13, 2017

Make It A Double! Why Adopting Two Kitties Is Better Than One

Happy day before Valentine’s Day! I hope you and your loved ones have a good day filled with Chocolate and Catnip. When we think about Valentine’s Day we think about couples. Today I would like to list some of the many reason why adopting two cats or kittens are better […]

February 20, 2017

Love your Pet Day – Can We Adopt Our Way Out of Pet Overpopulation?

Over the last couple of weeks, Merritt Clifton’s online publication has had several guest posts about why spay/neuter is the solution to our pet overpopulation problems around the world! Yes, folks, we are going to start addressing this issue on a worldwide scale. What perfect timing, as today is Love your […]

February 27, 2017

How to Set Up a Trap Bank that Works

Over the years, I have gotten many emails about How to Set Up a Trap Bank that Works effectively. You want to make sure equipment is returned clean and in a timely manner. I find this to be one of the hardest programs for groups to manage. It takes time, […]

March 6, 2017

March is Microchipping Madness Month

Can you believe we have already hit the month of March? It seems crazy how quickly the year is going by, but we’re excited because March is Microchipping Madness Month! How do you feel about microchipping your cat? It’s definitely not as prevalent as microchipping in our canine counterparts, but […]

March 13, 2017

The Nuts and Bolts of a Donation Jar Campaign

The Nuts and Bolts of a Donation Jar Campaign is something many of our groups in The Community Cats Grants ponder during their fundraising efforts. We currently have 40 groups from 18 different states working hard to raise money for their spay/neuter programs that help community cats! More info to […]

March 20, 2017

TNRM, A New Acronym for Stray Cats

I have long been a great fan of return to field programs. Without even knowing what return to field was, MRFRS was running free spay/neuter clinics for feral cats. Anyone could bring a cat in a trap to our monthly clinics and get them spay/neutered, vaccinated and ear tipped for […]

April 3, 2017

How Shelters and Rescues Can Work Better Together For Cats

There are many ways on How Shelters and Rescues Can Work Better Together For Cats. Over the last 20 years, thousands of small cat rescue organizations have started all across the country. Many of these groups focus on foster, adoption, and trap, neuter and return. In the early days, many […]

April 10, 2017

Preparing for Kitten Season and Trapping

Unfortunately kitten season either is upon us or will soon be here. I thought I would pass along some tips you can use for Preparing for Kitten Season and Trapping. I want you to have a successful year! For the Foster Home Coordinator 1. Check-In If you are a foster […]

April 17, 2017

Community Cats Grants Equals More Money to Spay it Forward

The First Community Cats Grants group is just about to finish up their fundraisers and raise thousands of dollars to help fund spay/neuter for cats in their communities! I just love how Community Cats Grants Equals More Money to Spay it Forward! I wanted to share a listing of who participated […]

May 1, 2017

No-Kill Shelters Versus No-Kill Communities

It seems like this month has been filled will lots of conversations about the word “No-Kill” and what it means. How will all of the data that we are collecting to create a country full of No-Kill shelters impact the overall wellness of our communities for Community Cats? So, when […]

May 8, 2017

Cat Adopters Need to Install a Backyard Cat Fence and Here’s Why

Join us for a guest blog post this week from Jennifer Smith of EasyPetFence! She provides her thoughts on why providing a Backyard Cat Fence is a good option for all of your cats. Cat Adopters Need to Install a Backyard Cat Fence and Here’s Why! When I talk to cat […]

May 15, 2017

Feline Fix by Five and Why This Would Make a Huge Difference

This week I want to discuss the Feline Fix by Five and Why This Would Make a Huge Difference! The program, created by Marion’s Dream and inspired by Esther Mechler, has always seemed like such an easy thing to do. All it asks is that we get our cats spayed or […]

May 22, 2017

Feline Leukemia Positive Cats and Why to Adopt Them Out

Before we talk about Feline Leukemia Positive Cats and Why to Adopt Them Out, I want to give a big thank you to everyone who participated in the Annual Survey! I had some fantastic responses and it is clear that you all enjoy the podcast. We’ve also got some great […]

May 29, 2017

Hug A Cat Day

Join us for out Guest Blog Writer this week, Brendalyn Drews! International Hug a Cat Day is coming up this weekend on June 4th, and it’s a holiday close to her heart. We hope you enjoy reading her take on how to hug a cat! I once won a school prize for a […]

June 5, 2017

FIV Cats and Why We Need to Stop Testing

I know many of you enjoyed my comments about Felv+ cats and I want to thank everyone for the great responses. I thought today I would get up on my FIV+ soapbox and advocate for this great group of FIV Cats and Why We Need to Stop Testing! My own […]

June 12, 2017

What Food Makes Cats Throw Up

Please join me in welcoming Diana Hutchinson to the blog today, to talk about What Food Makes Cats Throw Up! We’ve all been there and we all don’t enjoy it. Narrowing down the culprit can be a very lengthy process. There are many reasons as to why a cat will […]

June 19, 2017

It’s all about Spay/Neuter Baby

Today I am jumping back up on my spay/neuter soapbox and share with you some great statistics that I have. It’s all about Spay/Neuter Baby! The stats prove that high volume and accessible spay/neuter is what will truly make a difference in lives saved in your community. In 2008 a […]

July 3, 2017

5 Tips for Keeping Sane During the Summer with Kittens Everywhere

Hey everyone, Happy Summer! When I would hear those words I would just dread what I knew was going to come my way, lots and lots of requests for help with kittens and foster care. So these 5 Tips for Keeping Sane During the Summer with Kittens Everywhere will help! It […]

July 10, 2017

Fundraising For the Injured Community Kitty

It is the middle of the summer and we are up to our eye balls in requests for help! Kittens need trapping, people are complaining and we are all hot! Inevitably, when all of these requests pile up we get that call that an injured cat has been found and […]

July 31, 2017

My Love-Hate Relationship with Social Media – Part 2

It has been about a year since I have covered this topic and I have to say that I still have a love-hate relationship with Social Media. Below is a listing of my five points about social media that I think we all need to think about and how I […]

August 14, 2017

Ten Reasons Why We All Love Black Cats

My favorite holiday of the year is August 17th, which happens to be Black Cat Appreciation Day! For those of you that know me, you know of my love of black cats! I have only owned one black cat in my life (which seriously needs to be changed!), but I […]

August 21, 2017

The Summer Time Blues – When Volunteers Leave at the End of the Summer

The end of August is always bitter sweet in the shelters. We are full to the brim with lots and lots of cats and kittens. Our foster homes are tired, trappers are tired and to top it off… our summer volunteers are leaving us to go back to school. It […]

August 28, 2017

A Call to Action for Creating Statewide Community Cat Networks

Since 2004 there has been a network of cat trappers and rescuers who have worked together to help curb feline over population in Massachusetts. It is called Masscats and is a simple yahoo group that follows the framework of freecycle. This is where folks can post requests for assistance and help each […]

September 4, 2017

Watch HubCats Chelsea for Tips and Tricks for Cat Care

Take a second and Watch HubCats Chelsea for Tips and Tricks for Cat Care below! I was lucky enough to host an episode of CCTV’s original programming for HubCats Chelsea and I’ll be doing a few more as time allows, which I’m looking forward to! This particular episode addresses needs and behaviors […]

September 11, 2017

Hurricane Harvey and our Future

The last couple of weeks has been incredibly tragic with the onslaught of Hurricane Harvey on Southern Texas. My thoughts have been with the families and the animals in community and hope that they have overcome the challenges that this storm brought along, with Hurricane Harvey and our Future. Seeing […]

September 18, 2017

We Care For Animals, a Small Rescue with Big Results!

Guest Post by Molly H. Mednikow I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Linda Muse, a Board Member of We Care for Animals (W.C.F.A.). We Care for Animals is a small nonprofit organization that works in Mesquite, NV, and surrounding communities. The Mesquite Animal Shelter does not have a feral […]

September 24, 2017

Cats and Crossfit

So I have recently been on a big campaign to exercise more and eat better. I am now doing Pilates with the Barre along with my beloved tennis every week and I am weight lifting. I am trying to stay away from those pesky carbs and sugars and keep myself […]

October 2, 2017

Operation Paw’s Parody Music Video

This week, we have something particularly fun for you! Operation Paw’s Parody Music Video, with parodies Rick Ross’ “Trap Trap Trap” is hot, hot, hot! Catherine Duarte has been a cat lover for many years, but only recently learned about TNR. Since than, she’s been volunteering with Operation Paw, a Miami […]

October 9, 2017

Time to Think About Winterizing Feral Cat Shelters

For those of us that face cold, hard and long winters, October is the month where it is Time to Think About Winterizing Feral Cat Shelters. We need to go around to our feeding stations and shelters and give them a good cleaning. It’s time to fill them with new […]

October 16, 2017

Top Online Resources for Volunteer Management

When I sent out a survey asking listeners what their greatest pain points were many of you answered that recruiting and keeping volunteers were big challenges. So I thought I would have Jamie (a CCP staffer and social media guru) do some research on some of the Top Online Resources […]

October 23, 2017

What To Do When a Cat Knocks on Your Door

What To Do When a Cat Knocks on Your Door and comes into your back yard? Many folks still don’t know what to do. Unfortunately, the steps for helping community cats aren’t the same in all parts of the country, either! We ultimately want what is best for the cat. […]

October 30, 2017

Trick or Treat… Tips for Your Cats on Halloween

Tomorrow night is Halloween and many towns have trick or treating. It is a time for everyone to get dressed up (as their favorite cat) and enjoy going door to door getting lots of treats (I don’t think we do many tricks anymore). So today let’s discuss fun Trick or Treat… […]

November 6, 2017

Feline Nutrition 101 – A Simple Guide to Eating Well

Feline Nutrition 101. It’s more straightforward than the marketing would like for you to believe! To understand your cat’s nutritional needs, there are just a couple of basics you need to wrap your head around. 1. Cats are Obligate Carnivores This means that their diets should consist almost entirely of […]

November 13, 2017

Why November Should Be National Spay/Neuter Month and the 10-1 Rule

If I could have it all, I would make November a month where anyone could get their cat spayed or neutered for free during this month. So Why November Should Be National Spay/Neuter Month and the 10-1 Rule? This is a time of the year where many communities are wrapping […]

November 20, 2017

Sorry, This Clinic is for Cats Only

I continue to be amazed at how our sheltering community believes that programs that serve dogs can also serve cats equally well. Today, I would like to advocate around the notion that we need many, many more low cost wellness clinics for cats only. To be able to say, without […]

November 27, 2017

A Step-By-Step Guide To Moving With Kids And Pets

Moving into a new home can be one of the most stressful scenarios of your life. You’re not just moving all your belongings, you’re changing your complete life. It’s no wonder that some people believe moving into a new home is more taxing than getting a divorce. As stressful as […]

December 4, 2017

Kids, Cats and Books

We welcome our new guest blogger, Liz Pease, who is the former Executive Director of Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society! We hope you love her take on Kids, Cats and Books as much as we do! Cats have always been a popular subject for children’s books, stories, and nursery rhymes. […]

December 10, 2017

Best Holiday Gifts for Cats

There are so many great ways to spoil your cat this holiday! Designer pet products are everywhere, with more things available for cats than ever before. Many offer function that your cat can’t resist and style that you will love. Check out these fab finds to pamper your kitty this […]

December 18, 2017

December 18, 2017

Top Tips: Fundraising and Donor Engagement

In future blog posts, we are going to feature some “top tips” on an array of different types of topics we hope are of interest to you. If there is a topic you’d like to see featured, please let us know and we’ll find the right “expert” to share their […]

December 25, 2017

A Community Cat’s Christmas

I’ve heard a song that says “Christmas comes this time each year”—but for me, it comes every day. You see, I’m a community cat, you can call me C.C. When my caretakers stop by with food and fresh water, every day feels like Christmas (or whatever the best day you […]

January 1, 2018

The Increase in Community Cat Learning Opportunities

With the rising popularity of cats as our companion animals — combined with the feline dominance of the Internet — a whole new array of opportunities have arisen! It is bringing together cat fans and celebrates the general awesomeness of our feline friends with The Increase in Community Cat Learning […]

January 8, 2018

It Could Finally Be a Turning Point for Cats

The past two years may prove that It Could Finally Be a Turning Point for Cats and their welfare! Why? Because at the start of 2016 a veterinary task force was formed with the goal of improving cat welfare. By the middle of 2017, all major national veterinary organizations had endorsed […]

January 15, 2018

8 Easy Social Media Tips for 2018

We are so excited to welcome Dina Zawaski, Director of Digital Strategy, MSPCA-Angell this week, to give us some advice on 8 Easy Social Media Tips for 2018! This advice assumes you are a lone wolf – you’re running the digital show for your group or organization all by yourself, and […]

January 22, 2018

Favorite Kitty Lover Resources

If you had uttered the words “feline behaviorist” as little as 20 years ago, people would have looked at you oddly. Cats do what they do…because, well, they’re cats. Fast forward to today. We’re living in a golden age of feline behavior advice and guidance with many Favorite Kitty Lover Resources. […]

January 29, 2018

Top Tips for Building Your Foster Network

Building a sustainable fostering program can be one of the most powerful ways for organizations to be able to help more cats. I interviewed Bryn Rogers, Assistant Director of Adoption Center Programs and Katie Armour, Project Coordinator, of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). We […]

February 5, 2018

Have A Missing Cat? Do These Things First!

It’s every cat parent’s worst fear. You put out Shadow’s breakfast,just like you do every morning, but there’s no sign of Shadow. Whether your catis strictly indoor only, or goes outside on a regular basis, it’s incredibly upsetting to have your cat disappear. Don’t just sit back and wait for […]

February 12, 2018

Wisdom from a “Master Trapper” – Part 1

Trapping: It’s the core skill that anyone who wants to help community cats needs to learn. The more skilled a trapper you are, the more cats you can impact. But trapping cats is an art and a science, so in Wisdom from a “Master Trapper” – Part 1, we asked […]

February 19, 2018

Wisdom from a “Master Trapper – Part 2

We’re back with Wisdom from a “Master Trapper – Part 2, with Stephanie Gillis, Cat Care Coordinator at Alley Cat Advocates! Today, Stephanie offers some advice for those who get discouraged when trying to trap, a few of her best “war stories,” and some final advice that will give you […]

February 26, 2018

Fundraising with Community Cats Podcast

Is there anything more intimidating than fundraising? If you feel that way, you’re not alone. You can have all of the passion in the world, but asking people for money can be scary. That’s the beauty of our Community Cats Grants program: it rewards your organization for experimenting with a new […]

October 6, 2018

Interview! Julie Jacobson, Spay Tennessee and CCP Grants Coordinator

“You can do it. We promise. We’re here to help.” Those of you who have been CCP fans for a long time may remember hearing Stacy chat with Julie Jacobson before in Episodes 2 and 92. Julie runs Spay Tennessee, but is also the CCP grants coordinator. If you don’t […]

March 25, 2019

Trapper Tips & Tricks Profile: Charlotte Fox

This week, we have the next installment in our occasional series called Trapper Tips & Tricks, which profiles folks who are involved in trapping community cats. This week we bring you tips from Charlotte Fox, Field Coordinator at Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC. Charlotte has been trapping cats since […]

August 21, 2019

Holy Smokes Batman! There Are Kittens in Massachusetts!

Reports have been coming in from many Massachusetts rescuers and trappers saying that this year’s kitten season is the worst one “eva” (=ever in Boston-speak). I decided to email some of the larger shelters in the state to see what might be going on. I definitely came across some themes. […]

November 7, 2019

Webinars Reviews: What I’m Watching

I have been binge-watching lots of webinars lately. Webinars are a great way to learn new information without loading up the car or getting on a plane to go to a conference. This week, I’ll share my thoughts on some of the webinars I have been watching recently. ASPCA Pro: Leadership […]

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) […]

December 24, 2020

A Community Cat’s Christmas

Note: This blog post from Liz Pease originally ran in 2017. We are running it again this year (lightly edited) in honor of everyone out there putting their passion for cats into action each and every day. From everyone here at CCP, thank you—and Happy Holidays! I’ve heard a song […]

July 12, 2016