The Community Cats Podcast

"What's better than bringing home a life you saved instead of a souvenir that just sits on a shelf?" This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , OcuTrap , and The Community Cat Clinic . What does it take to transform a country's approach to stray animal care? In this inspiring episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron reconnects with Julie Kelley—entrepreneur, philanthropi...

"Community cats — it's really about the community. It brings the community together." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , OcuTrap , and the Feline Behavior Summit 2026 . What does it take to build a community cat program from scratch in a rural, under-resourced area where nearly everyone — officers, residents, and administrators alike — is convinced it won't work? In this episode...

"We might think access to veterinary care is just an issue for low-income families—but the reality is, it affects people across income levels, for very different reasons." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , OcuTrap , and the Feline Behavior Summit 2026 . Access to veterinary care is one of the most pressing—and complex—issues facing pet families today. In this episode of the Comm...

"I'm announcing that FIP is no longer considered fatal… and I looked up to see tears in the eyes of veterinarians around the world." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , OcuTrap , the Feline Behavior Summit 2026 , and the TNR Certification Workshop . In this powerful and emotional episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with renowned animal behavior expe...

"No cat should be euthanized because it tests positive for a virus—period." This episode is sponsored-in-part by  Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation ,  Reduce Surrenders with Feline Behavior Support Certification Workshop , and The Community Cat Clinic . Feline leukemia (FeLV) has long been one of the most misunderstood—and often feared—diagnoses in the cat world. In this eye-opening epi...

"You can't possibly trap every cat. So we teach the community how to do it themselves — and give them the tools to fully sterilize entire colonies." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Feline Behavior Summit , and The Community Cat Clinic . What happens when a community stops trapping two cats at a time — and starts thinking in entire neighborhoo...

"The goal is really to do the maximum good. Not bring in kittens who don't need to be there today, but make sure we have a plan for the future … and importantly that we have a plan to return and sterilize everyone…" his episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Workshop , and The Community Cat Clinic . What if the key to saving more...

"The board should govern, and the executive director should lead the day-to-day operations. When those lines blur, that's when things get messy." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Workshop , and The Community Cat Clinic . Strong missions save lives but strong governance sustains them. In this essential episode of the Com...

"Small to mid-size organizations can accomplish a tremendous amount of impact when they work together, shoulder to shoulder in joyful service." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Certification Workshop , and  The Community Cat Clinic . In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Ch...

"I just thought—why can't we know what care costs before we walk through the door? That's what FairVet is here to solve." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Underfoot Podcast , and The Community Cat Clinic . When a pet emergency nearly cost him both his beloved dog and thousands of dollars, Pietro Kabeya decided enough was enough. In this compel...

"The future is feline. Let's keep understanding our cats." This episode is sponsored-in-part by  Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , The Underfoot Podcast , and The Community Cat Clinic . In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Angie Krause, a holistic small-animal veterinarian from Boulder, Colorado, and her veterinary nurse, JoJo Smith. Togeth...

"The cat was telling me—I was just the one writing it down." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , and The Underfoot Podcast . What if there were a scientifically validated system to help shy, fearful, or traumatized cats become adoptable and happy? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jacklyn Ellis, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Director of Beh...

"No matter what's going on out there, there's always hope." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , and The Underfoot Podcast . What happens to cats deemed unadoptable due to behavioral challenges? In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Mary Scott, Director of the ASAP Working Cats Program in Santa Barbara, Califo...

"The ultimate goal is to make cat welfare and population management so normal, so embedded in our communities, that it's simply what a community does." This episode is sponsored-in-part by  Maddie's Fund , The Animal Rights Foundation , and The Underfoot Podcast . In this insightful follow-up to episode 605, Stacy LeBaron welcomes back global animal welfare strategist Harry Eckman, who shares grou...

"It's not what we think they need—it's about what they actually need. And sometimes, that's just food and space to be left alone." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund and the Underfoot Podcast . In this inspiring episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes longtime animal welfare advocate Carrie Weber to discuss her three-decade journey championing the needs o...

"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 pioneering voice in animal welfare law. From her start as a ba...

"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, bold vision, and a rallying cry for cat advocates everywhere. In this s...

"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 young leaders reshaping the future of TNR. As founder...

"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 a targeted TNR program. If Part 1 was the "why," this episode is the "how."...

"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 TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and why it's essential for managing community cat pop...

"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 Jackie Noble, Executive Director of the Orphan Kitten Club,...

"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 what to do when friendly cats enter the system. With an emphasis on in...

"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. As a key evolution of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), RTF...

"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 Pet Alliance, shares her journey from individual rescuer to statewide advocate f...

"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 tactics for high-stakes trapping scenarios—from uneven terrain a...