kittens Archives - The Community Cats Podcast

July 20, 2016

Interview! Scott Giacoppo, Chief Community Animal Welfare Officer Washington (DC) Humane Society

“Community cats are not homeless..they are loved and cared for.” 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 […]

August 30, 2016

Interview! Angela Walters Rockwell, Executive Director of the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Santa Barbara, California

“For community cats, it takes a community. There’s always something you can do.” 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 […]

May 6, 2018

Thoughts about Transport and the Future for Cats and Kittens

I want to first go on the record and say that I am not an expert in transporting cats and kittens around the country. I have never participated in an out-of-state transport of cats, and I will admit that I was always pretty adamant about helping the cats and kittens […]

October 14, 2018

Adopting Out the Last Kitten of the Litter

For those of us with organizations in the northern climates, the summer kitten season is finally coming to an end. Most of our youngest kittens are long-since adopted and romping around their new homes. But what about those kittens that didn’t get snatched up right away? Maybe they were the […]

April 6, 2019

Interview! Nikki Martinez, Trapper, Foster Mom, and Feline Welfare Activist

“Fostering absolutely saves lives, but TNR saves more.” 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 […]

August 20, 2019

Deb Barnes, Author, President of the Cat Writers’ Association

“Using my own life as a vehicle to educate others is what I wanted to do.” Listen to Episode #313 Now Deb Barnes is an award-winning author and blogger who currently serves as president of the Cat Writers’ Association, and as secretary of the board for Pawsitively Humane in […]

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 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. […]

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 […]

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 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 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 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, […]

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 […]

June 2, 2021

The Whole Kit and Caboodle: TNR of Kittens

This week’s guest post is authored by Nancy Peterson of The National Kitten Coalition. Best TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) practices involve trapping the entire colony of cats at the same time, although there are times when this is not possible. When there are kittens to be trapped, there are additional considerations. You will be […]

June 15, 2021

Rita Reimers, Feline Behavior Consultant and Podcast Host

“Our society seems to be so dog focused that cats really get sold short sometimes.” Listen to Episode #408 Now 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 […]

June 22, 2021

Andee Bingham, Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance

“There’s something really special about getting a kitten when its just a few hours old or a few days old or even a week or two old, and the amount that a kitten grows and changes in the first 4-6 weeks of life is amazing.” Listen to Episode #409 Now […]

July 28, 2022

What To Do If You Find Kittens

Contributed by Cristin Bates Have you ever come across stray kittens outside and wondered what you should do? You might be surprised to learn that leaving them where they are is oftentimes the most helpful thing you can do. From birth to eight weeks, mother cats provide their kittens with […]

October 20, 2022

Feral to Friendly: Tips for Socializing Shy Kittens and Cats

Contributed by Allison Hunter-Frederick, Cat Behavior Consultant, Trainer, & Educator at Allison Helps Cats If you foster cats, you may be asked to socialize feral kittens. My husband and I first faced this challenge in 2020. I’ve also worked with fearful cats of all ages at our local shelter for […]

November 3, 2022

Keeping a Cat Safe and Warm Inside

Contributed by Dr. Rachel Geller, Certified Cat Behavior & Retention Specialist As summer turns to fall and then winter, we humans can throw on a sweater or a blanket to stay warm. We may wear layers to save money if we have drafty windows or we don’t want to put […]

November 17, 2022

What I’ve Learned About FIP: Question’s Legacy

Contributed by Andrea Dorn, CVT, Vice President of Cat Writers’ Association You may have heard of a disease referred to as FIP. It usually brings up fear in cat owners’ hearts and thoughts of losing their cats. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is the mutated form of a coronavirus. When a […]

May 30, 2023

Saving Kittens with Nancy Peterson, Board Member of the National Kitten Coalition

“The National Kitten Coalition believes that every kitten deserves a chance to survive and thrive.” Listen to Episode #510 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Cats of the Wild Podcast, Doobert.com, and Maddie’s Fund. On this episode, Stacy chats with Nancy Peterson, Board Member of the National […]

June 6, 2023

Return-to-Field and Targeting Part 1 with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“How do you organize a TNR program on a very large scale and get the best results…” Listen to Episode #511 Now 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 […]

June 13, 2023

Return-to-Field and Targeting Part 2 with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“This brings us to one of the hot-button issues happening right now in return-to-field…what about friendly cats?” Listen to Episode #512 Now 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 […]

July 4, 2023

Mobilizing the Community to Make TNR Happen, Part 1, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“How do you manage TNR on a much larger scale…as more of a program manager?” Listen to Episode #515 Now 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 […]

July 11, 2023

Mobilizing the Community to Make TNR Happen, Part 2, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“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.” Listen to Episode #516 Now This episode is sponsored in part by […]

August 1, 2023

Targeted TNR & Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck, Part 1, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“…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.” Listen to Episode #519 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie’s Fund. In today’s podcast, we are […]

August 8, 2023

Targeted TNR & Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck, Part 2, with Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats

“You also want to know your community so your outreach is effective.” Listen to Episode #520 Now 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 […]

September 5, 2023

Strategies for Reducing Cat Populations, with Stacy LeBaron, Host of The Community Cats Podcast

“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.” Listen to Episode #524 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Urban Cat League, Doobert.com, and Maddie’s Fund. In today’s special podcast, […]