The Community Cats Podcast

"Fear free is all about educating people to understand their cat's emotional needs, which are deep and complex." This episode is sponsored in part by Kensington Books ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Stacy speaks with Mikkel Becker, a certified trainer and behavior consultant, that serves as the lead trainer for Fear Free Pets and Fear Free Happy Homes. She is also the co-author o...

"Keep following your dreams. Keep following your heart. Keep going to where you're led to go because it's a life worth living when you're following your heart." This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Pussum's Cat Nip ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . After dropping out of film school and being kicked out of his aunt's house, Caleb Curtis found himself without a home. Rather than staying at a home...

"It's very important to try to be diplomatic and to try to understand their point of view. . . . You have to be understanding." This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Pussum's Cat Nip ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Stacy chats with Angela Campbell, a USA Today best-selling author in the romantic suspense genre. Her book series, The Psychic Detective, heavily features rescue pe...

"Let's ensure that we're starting the conversation from that place of all of the things we have in common and real compassion and understanding for why community members might be confused around these issues." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Stacy converses with Caitlin Quinn, who has been the Director of Operations for HeARTs Speak since...

"[Pets] are empathy machines, and they can sense how we're doing without us having to say anything. Often our pets will know how we're doing before we do, and they'll connect in that way." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Stacy chats with Daniel Maigler, a licensed clinical social worker, who also serves as the Mental Health Advisor for Pa...

"I think it's great to bring that lens of diversity and inclusion to anything you're working on." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy speaks with Emily Miethner, who is the co-founder of Travel Cat, which produces products used to travel safely with your cat, including backpacks and harnesses. The company, founded in 2017, has become a global 7-figure e...

So if you're doing something where they're feeling engaged with that fun, I think it's a better experience for people to bond with a cat." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Mario Abore returns to the show (he previously appeared on CCP Episode 338 ). Since 2014, Mario, through his company, Square Paws, has been creating stunning and unique...

On trapping in tight locations..."We put a spotter up on the slope who could watch the whole thing and give us a signal when to drop the traps." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . This week, The Community Cats Podcast is excited to bring you part two of a special audio version of Drop Trap: A Trapper's Best Friend Presented by The Neighborhood Cats. If you w...

"Because they (cats) are less afraid of drop traps, you don't need them to be as hungry to trap them... " This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . This week, The Community Cats Podcast is excited to bring you a special audio version of Drop Trap: A Trapper's Best Friend Presented by The Neighborhood Cats. If you would like to watch the recording of this presentati...

"It's important that we learn to work together or learn not to work against one another." This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, "Trap King" Sterling Davis returns to the show to share some of the projects he has been working on since the pandemic. Sterling, a former rapper turned trapper and TNR advocate was previously on the show on CCP Episod...

"I think it all comes from being compassionate and coming to them from a place of empathy [and] understanding." [on dealing with community members] This episode is sponsored in part by CARE ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy speaks with Angéline Fahey, who is the Community Cat Program ("CCP") Manager at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. The CCP provides trapping assistance, guidance, res...

"We're trying . . . [to] demonstrate that this can be done, done effectively with great results, and . . . exemplify this to every town, because my ultimate belief is that there should be TNR in every town." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . In this episode, Stacy chats with Joe Federico, co-founder, and director of Stray Paws Animal Haven. After...

"These techniques are successful because they focus on what's essential in the procedure . . . and [this] allows the surgeon to work more effortlessly and therefore more efficiently." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy chats with Dr. June Long, who has been a high-volume spay/neuter surgeon for over six years. She was formally trained at the...

"Really my big thing in TNR is education and awareness; I want as many people to know about TNR as possible so that they can help save the cats." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy chats with Cameron Greig, the Community Cat Coordinator for the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Cameron shares information about the...

"Just to make people aware: pet insurance is a very helpful tool; veterinary financing is a very helpful tool. When they're combined, it creates a unique situation where they really piggyback and help each other." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Edwin Plotts is the Director of Marketing at Pawlicy Advisor. He is also involved with fostering and...

"I think we probably overthink it sometimes. And sometimes it's just a matter of trying different things to see what the cat seems to prefer or what eliminates the behavior that we're trying to eliminate." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Kristen Levine is a nationally acclaimed pet expert and influencer with over 30 years of experience in the in...

"This is for when you're really desperate to get the tomcat." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Drawing from over 20 years of experience working with feral cats, the folks at Neighborhood Cats have gathered together their favorite ways of catching the wiliest of felines. Join Neighborhood Cats' director of national programs, Bryan Kortis, as he of...

"What about the ones where you do all the basics - you do the feeding pattern, you withhold the food, you use the good traps, and all that - but they just won't go in?" This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Drawing from over 20 years of experience working with feral cats, the folks at Neighborhood Cats have gathered together their favorite ways of cat...

"The good thing about spay/neuter is one cat fixed: thousands saved. So you get one done, you can feel really good that night about what you've done. You don't have to have these big huge numbers to make a difference in your community, in your neighborhood." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Linda Chitwood is the volunteer director for the nonprof...

"There's so much noise in the world that really holds us back from doing our best work. We should just be kind to each other and work together." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Dr. Sara Pizano returns to the show (a previous CCP guest on episodes  56 ,  171 ,  246 ,  247 ,  306 , and  335 ) to provide updates on her work, including her involveme...

"There's a person behind every animal and we're trying to translate that person's care and concern for the animal into action." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Doobert , and Maddie's Fund . Joe Elmore has served as the President and CEO of Charleston Animal Society since 2012. When he joined, he brought 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to an organization in tur...

"They have cats for companionship to give them company because they're so isolated. There are so many stigmas attached to people who are homeless." This episode is sponsored in part by Telecom Consultants ,  Buzz to the Rescues , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy chats with Dr. Jon Geller, DVM, who worked as an emergency veterinarian for nearly 25 years. He is also the national founder and director of The...

"If people know what you're doing, they will come out of the woodwork. If the commitment's there and you really want to do it, it's definitely possible." This episode is sponsored in part by Telecom Consultants ,  Buzz to the Rescues , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy speaks with Carla Betlem, a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology where she has been performing TNR for nearly 15 years. Carla al...

"By being able to document [TNR] with photo and video . . . you can get those conversations started and start educating people why TNR is great, why it's so helpful for everybody." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Buzz to the Rescues , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy chats with Erica Danger, a pet photographer, designer, and cat rescuer located in the San Francisco Bay area. She fo...

"It's important for TNR groups who trap cats to realize the same "feral" behavior you see in [true] ferals, may be a sign of a scared cat and not necessarily a feral cat." This episode is sponsored in part by Humane Network ,  Buzz to the Rescues , and Maddie's Fund . Stacy talks to Kat Albrecht-Thiessen, a police detective turned pet detective and the founder/director of The Missing Animal Respon...