“Diabetes is not a death sentence for cats.” Have a diabetic cat, or know someone who does? JaneA describes her experience with her own cat plus the work she does as a member of the “virtual” team that runs Diabetic Cats in Need. (DCIN). DCIN assists cat owners with education and […]
“I love telling these stories because every single cat that we bring into our rescue always has something we can learn from.” Robin Olson is the writer behind the award winning “Covered in Cathair” blog, which chronicles the stores of the 500 cats she’s rescued over the years. She also […]
“I’m not just writing about cool-looking stuff. I’m writing about stuff that’s going to make a difference in these cats’ lives.” Kate Benjamin has combined her professional knowledge of design and product development with her love of cats to fill a unique niche—she blogs about cat products designed with the […]
“Not only does the design of the room at the shelter make it very functional and enjoyable, but it’s a showcase for what people can do when they get home.” In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Kate delves into how user-centered design theory can be applied to shelters, in […]
“Cats’ needs for enrichment are only becoming more understood.” Lorrie Shaw is the owner of Professional Pet Sitting and specializes in helping families care for hospice and special needs pets. Through her work, she has observed that medical issues and behavioral issues are very often linked—inappropriate elimination, for example, is the most […]
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 […]
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 […]
Are you anxious to know what your cat wants to tell you? If it talks to you, would you be able to understand it? Learn How To Understand The Body Language Of Your Cat! Of course, you won’t know everything. But, you can definitely know about its mood from its body […]
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Summertime is when our trappers are their most active. We are so busy handling calls about kittens in distress, feral mothers and cat fights. It is, by far, when cats are their most visible in the community. It seems like everyone wants community cats gone in July and August! Trust me, […]
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 […]
“When you’re looking to recruit, recruit everywhere and all of the time.” It’s time for another Q&A session with Stacy! In this episode, Stacy takes questions posted to the CCP Facebook page. Listeners asked for advice on how to keep the peace between an area’s cat colonies and its disgruntled residents, […]
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 […]
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 […]
“A lot of the folks who end up writing these laws don’t have a great deal of experience [with community cats], and you can end up with some real dire unintended consequences.” Peter Wolfe is a cat initiatives analyst at Best Friends Society and a blogger at Vox Felina, where he seeks […]
“The best of us get compassion fatigue. It’s something that is inherent in this field… you’re not alone, you’re not weak, and you’re not crazy.” With experiences ranging from animal care attendant to animal control officer, Jennifer choose to passionately pursue the subject of compassion fatigue as a psychotherapist after […]
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 […]
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 […]
The past couple of weeks has been very tough on the little community that I live in, in Vermont. Some of you may have heard about the terrible accident that happened over Columbus Day weekend, killing five teenagers. While I didn’t know the kids personally, my son is a seventh […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“Isn’t a life in a shop where they’re loved better than a cage or being put down?” Tamar Arslanian is the blogger behind ihavecat.com and the author of Shop Cats of New York, the coffee table book that Stacy recommended in her last book show. In the three years it took […]
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Introducing your new cat to your home can be very stressful not only on you, but also the cat. So How to Introduce Cats to New Environments? Stress levels can become more elevated if there are other animals or small kids involved. Introducing your new feline friend to your home […]
I know that many of my recent blog posts have focused on the fact that we are overwhelmed with kittens. We also have so many requests for assistance, along with many more things going on. Today I am going to continue on that trend by discussing Applying Broken Window Theory […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“The bigger database, the more associations and discoveries we can make.” Anna Skaya is the CEO and founder of Basepaws, a commercial company that conducts feline genetic testing and research. Using the results from genetic testing, we can analyze an individual cat and assess her probability of contracting certain diseases. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
“I like to look at life through a cat’s point of view, not my point of view, and I think that that helps me to understand them better, to communicate with them better, and to know what they need.” How did a dog-loving legal secretary end up becoming a cat-only […]
Our guest blogger this week is Brianna Grant, Communications Associate at Alley Cat Rescue in Mt. Rainier, Maryland. Alley Cat Rescue’s May Spay Challenge has become a powerful program to engage local veterinarians in the battle against feline overpopulation. Here’s Brianna’s take: Back in 2010, we were looking for creative […]
This week’s post comes to you from guest blogger Liz Pease. If you’d like to know a little more about Liz and her experience in non-profit management, TNR and cat care, check out episode 51 of the podcast. One of the best ways to get to know your community—and get […]
Happy Tax Day! I hope everyone made the deadline with filing their personal taxes. Mid April is a time that I dread every year. Many of us need to track our mileage, expenses, and a million health certificates for all of the cats we trapped over the past year. How […]
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 […]
This week’s post comes to you from guest blogger Kristen Petrie. If you’d like to know a little more about what Kristen does at the podcast, check out episode 198 of the podcast. This past Sunday, at the crack of dawn, I left New Hampshire and headed for New York […]
“Be proud of loving cats!” Pamela Merritt — better known as “Dear Pammy” through her cat advice blog — didn’t become a cat fan until she married one. At the time, she says, cats were really still second-class citizens in this country. There weren’t any no-kill shelters, and she and her […]
Okay, I am really excited about the Pet Forum platform that the folks at Maddie’s Fund have put together. You can read more about it at maddiesfund.org. I believe that this forum could potentially be the next generation of technology that can help take us to the next level for cats. It […]
I recently scanned the Feline Fix by Five Website and I am wondering why we don’t have more veterinarians and humane societies signed up in support of this effort. So I am asking our listeners/readers for comments. Below are some of the issues that I think might hold us back from […]
In lieu of our regular weekly blog post, join us in having a little end-of-summer fun with Trapper Bingo! We hope you’ll enjoy playing along with other trappers you know—and be sure to email stacy@communitycatspodcast.com when you get BINGO! Do you have other ideas for squares to include on our […]
This week’s blog post is a of a very personal nature, but one that I am sure everyone can relate to. About a couple of months ago, my kitty Misha was diagnosed with oral cancer. She is 16-1/2 and there is really nothing that can be done for her. She […]
This week’s post comes to you from guest blogger Liz Pease. If you’d like to know a little more about Liz and her experience in non-profit management, TNR and cat care, check out episode 51 of the podcast. For years, as recently for the first half of my career in […]
“You didn’t sign up to be a vet to get the bills paid. You signed up to help animals.” This week our show is a little different. In addition to hosting The Community Cats Podcast, Stacy LeBaron also appears on HubCats TV, a show on Chelsea Cable Access where she […]
This week’s guest blog post comes to us from Dr. Diana Newman, who serves as the clinic administrator for Companion Cats (Battle Creek, Michigan) and the Eaton County (Michigan) Humane Society. She is also a board member for the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance (MPFA), and recently attended the MPFA “Getting […]
Within the next couple of months, the Community Cats Podcast will have published 300 episodes and 150 blog posts, hosted 2 Online Cat Conferences, assisted over 50 small nonprofit organizations through the Community Cats Grants program, and offered several other webinars as a resource for anyone who wants to help […]
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 Episode #51 of the podcast. It’s hard to believe it’s December again, but here we are! With the holiday season come Christmas trees, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa candles, […]
This week, we are starting an occasional series called Trapper Tips & Tricks, which will profile folks who are involved in trapping community cats. This week we interviewed Laura Burns, president of Hub Cats, a community cat group working in Chelsea, Massachusetts. She is also president of Habitat for Cats, […]
You might have heard reference to Opportunity Zones in the news, but you’ve likely never really thought about how they might impact Community Cats. Opportunity Zones designations were created in 2017 as a way to encourage investment in communities that need job growth and support. This is a perk for […]
Today’s blog is the first installment of a new series: the Foster Program Profile Series, in which we ask foster program directors a series of questions about their program and then share their answers with you. This week, we’re talking to Siri Zwemke of Siamese Cat Rescue Center. We hope […]
“In the time I’ll talk to you, twenty fewer cats will lose their lives in animal shelters because of the progress we’ve made in this field in the last five years.” You may remember Dr. Kate Hurley, Director of U.C. Davis Koret School of Veterinary Medicine and co-founder of Million […]
Bright and early on April 27th, I was in the nation’s capital setting up the CCP table at Meow DC. The event, held at the trend Dock 5 space at Union Market, benefitted the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) of Washington, DC. That name might ring a bell. Stacy has interviewed […]
Today’s post comes from guest blogger Allison Hunter-Frederick, a pet blogger, cat consultant, and cat trainer. Allison is also mom to three rescue cats. This post originally appeared on Allison’s blog site, Lincoln Pet Culture. We thought it was so great that we reached out to Allison to ask if we […]
Many of you know that I am part of a small volunteer group in Chelsea, Massachusetts that, with the help of fundraising and a local foundation, is committed to making life better for cats and dogs in the community. The group, HubCats Chelsea, offers free spay/neuter services for owned, stray […]
“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 […]
The last couple of weeks of July were very busy in the animal welfare world. Best Friends Animal Society had one of their biggest conferences, Alley Cat Allies had a big event in Texas, and Brandon Zavala put on a new event, the Silicat Valley Cat Convention, in San Jose, CA. […]
“I couldn’t believe that this [testing] exists for dogs … but didn’t exist for cats. So now it does.” Listen to Episode #322 now Anna Skaya, the CEO of Basepaws, joined Stacy last year on CCP Episode 213, and now she’s back to update Stacy on everything that has happened […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
“I consider it very much a labor of love.” Listen to Episode #384 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com’s FosterSpace. In this episode, Stacy chats with Holly Ganz, Ph.D., a micro-ecologist who studies how microbes and mammals interact, with a specific interest in the role that […]
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 […]
“When I wrote Lola’s book, I said if I can save one animal’s life, then I really fulfilled my mission with this book.” Listen to Episode #399 Now This episode is sponsored in part by TICA and Doobert.com. Dawn White works as a behavioral psychologist and a massage therapist, […]
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. […]
As animal lovers, we all want our laws to protect animals, who don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves. But it can be very confusing to try to keep up with all the bills moving through city and state governments, as well as the national government. So we’ve prepared […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
“Cats and books, they just kind of go together. If you want to be a writer, I feel you need a cat.” Listen to Episode #376 Now This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert.com, and KittySift. Author of Hobo Finds a Home and Huck and Finn, Bookstore Cats and independent […]
Today’s guest post comes to us from Krista Beucler, Marketing & Communications Intern at Community Cats Podcast. Like most everything this year, Cat Camp pivoted to a virtual format. Due to COVID-19, Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp in New York City and San Diego had to be cancelled, but thanks to […]
This week’s guest blog comes to us from our friends at All About Cats. Their expert-written, expert-reviewed guides bring you the facts on cat products, behavior, health, and more. Their editorial team is made of dedicated cat lovers and experts, including over a dozen veterinarians, a cat behavior specialist, and […]