Kristen Petrie, Author at The Community Cats Podcast

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 9, 2017

Interview! Sandy Rees, Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer – Get Fully Funded

“I’ve always felt deep in my soul that I’m here to help lots of people. I have a sensitive heart and can’t stand to see anyone suffer.” Sandy Rees helps nonprofits and charities who have been used to nickel and dime fundraising work get to six or seven figures on […]

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 16, 2017

Interview! Frances Carlisle, Attorney

“An important and usually neglected part of estate planning is what will happen to a client’s pets and animals. Charities which are already overburdened than have to step in, taking resources away from their other needs.” Frances Carlisle is a New York attorney who prepares wills and trusts, including trusts […]

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 23, 2017

Interview! Haydn Hilton, Owner of Java Cats Cafe in Atlanta, GA

“If I would have known how much work a cat cafe was, I might have turned around, but the cats are where the magic is. They market the coffee shop all by themselves when people walk by!” Meet twenty-six-year-old Haydn Hilton, owner of Java Cats Café. Located in the heart […]

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 6, 2018

Interview! Keoni Vaughn, Executive Director of Lanai Cat Sanctuary

“My job has helped me instantly get to the heart of what I want to do, which is rescue and protect animals that can’t speak for themselves.” Keoni Vaughn is the Executive Director of the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, where a staff of just six people provide daily care for almost […]

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 13, 2018

Interview! Nell Thompson – Coordinator of National Getting To Zero Program

“I’m passionate for improving outcomes for community cats. I believe TNR would work great with cooperation and collaboration to achieve community change.” Nell Thompson has worked in the animal welfare world for over twenty-five years. With a background as a veterinary technician, she has exceptional experience and knowledge. Her journey […]

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 20, 2018

Interview! Gavin Ehringer, Author of Leaving the Wild: The Unnatural History of Dogs, Cats, Cows and Horses

“It’s not enough to take care of animals after they’re born, we have to think about their circumstances before the act of breeding even takes place.” Gavin takes a critical look at breeding and how our values shape our animals for good and bad in his new book, Wild. The […]

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 3, 2018

Interview! Ann Dunn, Founder of Cat Town, Oakland, CA

“Nobody wanted to be standing in a cafe making coffee, they wanted to be helping the cats. But now, we’re seeing how helpful it has been to forgotten kittens and see how successful it has been.” Ann Dunn founded Cat Town, an Oakland, CA organization focused on helping the most […]

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 10, 2018

Interview! Brianna Grant, Communications Associate at Alley Cat Rescue

“We believe in protecting all cats, no matter what area they are in.” Brianna Grant was always involved with cats and when she was younger, she found a particularly sweet whose terrible condition broke Brianna’s heart. She spent the next few months taking care of this little stray and in […]

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 17, 2018

Interview! Kimberley Heeney, Vice President of Operations Activ4Pets

“My goal is that anyone, anytime, anywhere, irregardless of economics or world areas, would be able to utilize Activ4Pets for their pet’s well-being and health.” With over twenty-five years of experience in the human healthcare industry, Kimberley Heeney brings a wealth of expertise to the Activ4Pets team. She has always […]

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 24, 2018

Interview! Dr. Linda Harper, Clinical Psychologist, Compassionate Heart Specialist and Author

“Feeling compassion fatigue isn’t really a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. We naturally put ourselves on the back burner over the animals we help.” Dr. Linda Harper, a lifelong animal lover and advocate, is an author and clinical psychologist in the Chicago area. She is passionate about […]

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 […]

March 3, 2018

Interview! Kate Cote, Founder of Fur Love Comfort Cats

“It’s always such a wonderful time to visit a place for 5 to 6 hours, letting people pet and interact with the cats, and brightening up someone’s day.” “It’s always such a wonderful time to visit a place for 5 to 6 hours, letting people pet and interact with the […]

March 5, 2018

March 5, 2018

The May Spay Challenge

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 […]

March 10, 2018

Interview! Kaleel Sakakeeny, Founder, The Other Me Coaching

“You can’t apply a one-size-fits-all for losing a pet or animal in your life. People shouldn’t be ashamed of their feelings of grief when losing an animal.” Kaleel Sakakeeny is back with another great episode about dealing with the grief that can come from losing a pet. Check out his […]

March 11, 2018

March Microchipping Madness

March is one of my favorite months, as it is usually the calm before the spring and summer storm of trapping, fostering, and transporting. In March, many communities hold town-sponsored rabies vaccination clinics. These clinics are a good way for the community to come together to care for and celebrate […]

March 17, 2018

Interview! Dr. Lynn Bahr, Feline Veterinarian and Owner of Dezi and Roo

“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 […]

March 19, 2018

Athletic Woman Practicing Yoga with an Affectionate Cat

March 19, 2018

Kitten Yoga

As spring approaches (we hope!), so does kitten season — and with kitten season comes added costs for spay/neuter, food, and supplies. One popular current fundraiser that may be able to help you and your group is Kitten Yoga. Below is a tip sheet written by Julie Jacobson on how […]

March 24, 2018

Interview! Daniel Spehar, Co-Founder of the Together Initiative for Ohio’s Community Cats

“I hope all of us can focus on a shared goal of fewer community cats instead of focusing on the differences. Let’s focus on the most effective and humane ways to reach our common goal.” Daniel Spehar works to enact animal-friendly legislation as a volunteer with the Humane Society of […]

March 25, 2018

Introducing the Community Cat Pyramid

Are you interested in making a significant reduction in the numbers of cats in your community? If the answer is yes, then I think the Community Cat Pyramid will be of interest to you. I hope this graphic will illustrate just how important certain programs are to impacting cat numbers. […]

March 31, 2018

Interview! Ask Stacy! Online Cat Conference Review

“I’m passionate about the idea of having a dedicated annual cat conference nationally and this was a great way to work towards providing access to everyone.” Stacy is back to discuss all of the in’s and out’s of how the first Online Cat Conference went this past January! She always […]

April 1, 2018

Vaccination and Microchip Clinic Best Practices

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 […]

April 7, 2018

Interview! Vickie Fisher – President of The International Cat Association (TICA)

“We cherish both pedigree and non-pedigree cats. We just want the world to value cats as companion animals.” Vicki Fisher had a successful career in finance & management, but in retirement, she has really been able to devote more time to her passion: CATS! She is the President of the […]

April 8, 2018

No-Kill is Now a Metric and No Longer a Movement

For as long as I have been involved with animal welfare (which is going on twenty-four years), there has always been a discussion about the term “no-kill.” Many organizations have “no-kill” in their mission statements and proudly state that they embody this philosophy — and then there are others who […]

April 14, 2018

Interview! Sterling Davis, Atlanta’s “Trap King”

“You don’t lose cool points for compassion.” Sterling Davis left behind a promising rap music career to begin working with cats professionally several years ago when he took a temporary job at an animal shelter in between tours. A lifelong animal lover, Sterling soon got hooked on TNR and cats. […]

April 15, 2018

Record Keeping: Ughhh! What to Keep and What to Pitch!

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 […]

April 21, 2018

Interview! Jennifer Blough, Compassion Fatigue Expert and Author

“Self care—it’s not selfish; it’s really charging your batteries so you can go out and have the energy to do what you love to do, which is saving animals.” Jennifer Blough, a licensed therapist, compassion fatigue expert and author of the bookTo Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for […]

April 22, 2018

Clear out the Shelters – How to Make it Happen

In late March I saw several posts by large organizations in Massachusetts sharing the fact that they didn’t have any dogs available for adoption (T.J. O’Connor Animal Control) and only three cats (MSPCA Boston). This is so incredibly amazing … I really didn’t think we would see something like this […]

April 28, 2018

Interview! Christina Ha, Creator of Cat Camp

“I’m so incredibly excited for Cat Camp this year!” Christina Ha, who originally joined us on Episode 144, is back to talk about this year’s Cat Camp—now known as Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp. Galaxy, who attended last year’s event, loved it so much that he wanted to expand it. Cat […]

April 29, 2018

Cat Cycling – How to Make Your Spay/Neuter Programs Most Impactful and not Overwhelm Your Staff

I am a person who likes to do things efficiently, with the biggest possible bang for the buck! One thing that I am not sure we think about enough is how to strategically operate spay/neuter programs within an adoption agency. With these programs, it is often all about just getting […]

May 5, 2018

Interview! Part 1 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

“Northern Kentucky will be no-kill for cats this year, absolutely, hands-down!” Dr. Sara Pizano, who joined us previously on Episode 171, is a veterinarian who has been involved in animal welfare for over thirty years. She has extensive experience helping shelters move away from euthanasia as a means of population […]

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 […]

May 12, 2018

Interview! Part 2 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

“You don’t need millions of dollars—you need to allocate your pie of resources intelligently … that’s really the key.” In part 2 of our two-part episode with Dr. Sara Pizano, she talks about the big picture in animal welfare these days, and about where she feels the focus should be […]

May 13, 2018

Our Technical Cat’s Day at Cat Camp 2018

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 […]

May 19, 2018

Interview! Kim Freeman, Professional Missing Cat Finder

“I would really like anyone who has anything to do with lost cats to realize how important it is not to give up, and not to assume anything.” Kim Freeman turned her lifelong love for cats into a career as a professional missing cat finder. When her own cat Mr. […]

May 20, 2018

Shelter Animals Count Numbers- What Do They Mean for Us?

I recently got an email that Shelter Animals Count had released their summary of statistics collected from 2016. I took a look at those numbers and found some very interesting trends. If you want to take a deep dive into the report, feel free to visit https://shelteranimalscount.org/data/data-reports/2016-animal-sheltering-statistics. I want to commend […]

May 26, 2018

Interview! Michele Tilford, Cat-Assisted Therapy Advocate

“I really believe animals have such an ability to get people. They have an intuitiveness which I find amazing.” Michele Tilford has over five years of experience as a cat-assisted therapy handler—but when she first became interested in cat-assisted therapy, the only programs she could find were for dogs. Eventually […]

May 27, 2018

The Silly Season- Happy Memorial Day!

Over my years in animal sheltering, I started to dread Memorial Day Weekend. What used to be a time of family get-togethers and days at the beach, now begins a season of emergency rescues and calls about emergencies with our fosters. Compared to many areas of the country, we aren’t […]

June 2, 2018

Interview! Dr. Philip Bushby, Professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine

“I long for the day when I can walk into a shelter and not find any cats in the shelter — and it’s achievable.” Dr. Philip Bushby, a veterinarian and well-known advocate for early age spay/neuter, can’t remember a time that he didn’t want to be a veterinarian. He became […]

June 9, 2018

Interview! Niki Cochran, Program Manager at Alley Cat Rescue

“Just because you’re getting the [positive] combo test … that doesn’t mean ‘death sentence’. That means ‘OK, now I have to go and educate myself about what that combo test result is.’ ” Niki Cochran, Program Manager at Alley Cat Rescue in Washington, DC, has been a cat lover her […]

June 10, 2018

Can We Be Buddies?

This suggestion has been presented to me many times and I feel the need to share this idea with all of you! Based on the data, there are many areas of the country where we seem to have cat overpopulation under control. These successful areas have offered community low-cost spay/neuter […]

June 16, 2018

Interview! Richard Angelo, Legislative Attorney for Best Friends Animal Society

“Getting those community cat programs started, where cats are not even entering the shelter… it’s so key in saving lives.” Richard Angelo, a legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society, is a long-time animal welfare advocate who fell into animal law when he ran across the story of a pit […]

June 17, 2018

Motivational Interviewing…Huh?

When you are speaking with someone, asking them to do something or to make a change in how they are doing something, do you ever feel like you are talking to a brick wall? Do you wonder why you’re even wasting your time? Well, I just may have a new […]

June 23, 2018

Interview! Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

“I am determined it’s going to be my legacy in this field that we get the tools that we need to really reach the cats we want to be able to help.” Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs (ACC&D), told us all about how […]

June 24, 2018

Kitten Season is Here, and More than Ever, We Need to Communicate

So kitten season is here in full force around the country. Based on my sampling of what I am hearing from listeners, it appears that this summer is worse than past summers. I am hearing about areas with a 10% increase in kittens, and shelters in the southeast and southwest […]

June 30, 2018

Interview! Chad Nelson, Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island

“Tons and tons of cat lovers have no idea … that there’s this whole population of cats that really need our help.” Chad Nelson, a lawyer by trade, is the Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island, an all-volunteer network for community cats. Chad came to his work in TNR and […]

July 1, 2018

Birds and Cats-Is It Really a Big Issue to You?

I recently have been having a lot of conversations around the issue of birds and cats and how they impact one another. I have to be honest — I really didn’t think of this as that “hot” of a topic while working on TNR, adoptions and spay/neuter for owned cats […]

July 7, 2018

Interview! Ellen Quinlan, Executive Director of Darbster Foundation

“We definitely don’t want to displace animals that are native to New England.” Ellen Quinlan, Executive Director of Darbster Foundation, was one of those kids who always brought home every stray animal she found, and that passion for helping animals has stayed with her as an adult. The mission of […]

July 8, 2018

Foster “Failure” – The Real Story

I know it’s early in the season, but I know many of you out there are just about at the point of falling in love with one of your fosters. We have all been there. Up until now you have been strong and let those fosters kittens go up for […]

July 14, 2018

Interview! Mike Keiley (MSPCA) & Carmine DiCenso (Dakin Humane Society), “The Mike & Carmine Show,” Part I

“Overpopulation is very, very different than not allowing your animals to leave your shelter.” – C.D. Stacy speaks with Mike Keiley, the Director of Adoption Centers and Programs at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), and Carmine DiCenso, Executive Director of the Dakin Humane Society […]

July 15, 2018

Does Return to Field Help the Big Picture?

Even though I am doing the Community Cats Podcast, Community Cats grants, and running an online conference, I still stay as involved as possible with small organizations trying to do the best that they can for community cats. Many of you know I do a lot of work with a […]

July 21, 2018

Interview! Mike Keiley (MSPCA) & Carmine DiCenso (Dakin Humane Society), “The Mike & Carmine Show,” Part 2

“I think it’s time for us to pull together and really work towards how we might be able to help the largest number of people and animals.” – MK Tune in to the second part of “The Mike and Carmine Show,” with Mike Keiley of the MSPCA and Carmine DiCenso […]

July 21, 2018

Interview! John Boone, Research Coordinator at Great Basin Bird Observatory, Nevada

“The best solution to [community cat] issues is going to be significant changes in how people care for their cats.” John Boone’s professional track has been that of a wildlife biologist, but he also serves as a consultant with Humane Society International, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and […]

July 22, 2018

How to Adopt out Cats and Kittens Without the Help of Your Local Shelter

Everyone is full, full. We are clearing the shelters with adoption events, we are debating the merits of fee waived adoptions, and our small programs can’t TNR because we are backlogged with “way station” cats and kittens waiting to find placement. The wheels stop turning in our community cat machinery […]

July 29, 2018

Maddie’s Pet Forum-Our Helping Hand

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 […]

August 4, 2018

Interview! Pamela Merritt, Cat Advice Columnist

“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 […]

August 5, 2018

Feline Fix By Five – I need your input!

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 […]

August 11, 2018

Interview! Erin Robinson, Community Cats Program Manager at Humane Rescue Alliance

“Return to Field has always been the right decision for cats who are thriving and have somewhere to go.” Erin Robinson admits that once upon a time, she simply didn’t know that community cats existed, let alone what you were supposed to do about them. That all began to change […]

August 12, 2018

Let’s Play Trapper Bingo!

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 […]

August 19, 2018

The Volunteer Program Wellness Check

Volunteer coordination, recruitment and management are some of the most challenging issues that we face in this business. Below are a few points to consider when you are setting up your program — or doing a wellness check on an existing program. When someone expresses interest in volunteering with your […]

August 19, 2018

Interview! Danielle Bays, Director of Cat Protection and Policy, Humane Society of the United States

“If there isn’t anything that prohibits what you’re doing [for cats], you don’t necessarily need to make a law that actually allows for it.” Danielle Bays, the new Director of Cat Protection and Policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), plays “Cat Protection and Policy Jeopardy!” with […]

August 25, 2018

Interview! Karen Kraus, Executive Director of the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, and Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director at the Audubon Society of Portland

“… the key is recognizing that in general … the public wants solutions that are good for birds and cats.” Karen Kraus and Bob Sallinger’s organizations, the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and the Audubon Society of Portland, have formed what may seem to some to be a most unlikely […]

August 26, 2018

Five Freedoms and Community Cats, I wonder?

Do you know what the Five Freedoms are? I find that any time I go to a conference and there are hard questions asked about our work, everyone seems to fall back on the Five Freedoms They are: Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from discomfort Freedom from pain, injury […]

September 1, 2018

Interview! Jim Tedford, President & CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

“… we are really doubling-down on our commitment to bringing professional development to the [animal welfare] industry.” Jim Tedford, President & CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (formerly SAWA), who previously appeared on Community Cats Podcast episode #199, joins Stacy again to discuss his organization’s new name, their […]

September 2, 2018

Non-Surgical Sterilization – How Will It Work for Community Cats?

In early July, I had the opportunity to attend the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D)’s 6th International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods of Pet Population Control, held this year in Boston, MA. Below are a few of my takeaways from the two days of presentations. If you […]

September 8, 2018

Interview! Olivia Westley, Development Director for Forgotten Cats, Inc.

“Anything is possible, and I hope that there can be a lot more organizations like Forgotten Cats in this world.” Olivia Westley, a former teacher who discovered her true passion for helping cats when she started volunteering in a Forgotten Cats pet store adoption center, now serves as the group’s […]

September 9, 2018

Community Cats Sentiment Survey- A Summary

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Community Cats Sentiment Survey. We collected data over a three-month period and I thought I would share the results with everyone here. So what does this all mean? At first glance I would think that we aren’t making much of […]

September 15, 2018

Interview! Darlene Duggan, Director of Operations at Tree House Humane Society

“We’re not going to solve this problem on our own … we have to team up, we have to get together with our community members … to solve this problem.” Darlene Duggan, the Director of Operations at Tree House Humane Society in Chicago, holds a master’s degree in public health […]

September 16, 2018

Fall Fundraising Tips and Strategies

Fall is the busiest time of the year for nonprofit organizations. This is the time of year where many organizations get most of their donations. Below are a few tips to ensure that you are making the most of this last period of gift giving. 1. Don’t forget to ask […]

September 22, 2018

Interview! Anne Lindsay, Founder & President, Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) – Part I

“That’s what a coalition should be about … giving people an opportunity to share their side of the story and be understood.” Anne Lindsay, the founder & president of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC), has been an animal advocate for over 30 years. Founded in 2000, MAC was one of […]

September 23, 2018

Oh My! It’s Already Time to Start Thinking about Winterizing Those Shelters!

With fall just about upon us, it’s time to start thinking 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 in late October/early November trying to get our shelters and feeding stations ready for […]

September 29, 2018

Interview! Anne Lindsay, Founder & President, Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) – Part II

“I can’t believe that … we are where we are. I never could have written the script… but it’s worked out.” In Part II of this two-part episode, Stacy continues her conversation with Anne Lindsay, the founder & president of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC). Anne talks about what she […]

September 30, 2018

A Living Dedication

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 […]

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 […]

October 7, 2018

The Importance of Advocacy and Voting For Cats and the Community

It seems like over the last few weeks, the news has been filled with references to Kavanaugh, Ford, #metoo and the Supreme Court. While you might think these issues have nothing to do with cats, I think they do. We need to support an environment where everyone feels it is […]

October 13, 2018

Interview! Kelly Duer, Foster Program Consultant with Maddie’s Fund

“Foster is the most humane and cost-effective solution.” Kelly Duer, Foster Program Consultant for Maddie’s Fund, has worked with many organizations over the years, including such big names as FEMA and Best Friends Animal Society. The goal of her work is to help groups increase live outcomes for animals through […]

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 […]

October 20, 2018

Interview! Gary Willoughby, President & CEO of SPCA Serving Erie County

“It seems like we’re at a good crossroads here [with community cats].” Gary Willoughby, the President and CEO of the SPCA Serving Erie County in West Seneca, New York, joins Stacy to talk about what’s going on at the nation’s second oldest humane society. A passionate life-long learner, Gary joined […]

October 21, 2018

Get Inspired by this Community Feral Cat Shelter Building Project!

In response to our September 24th post about preparing your community cat shelters for the winter, we got a great email from Chris Bralick of Indiana’s Elkhart County Feral Cat Coalition. Chris wanted to share their “Community Build” feral/community cat shelter-building project with us (called 4 Paws 4 Walls), and […]

October 27, 2018

Interview! Liz Illg, Owner of Puff & Fluff Grooming & Pet Sitting

“Not every single groomer can groom a cat … A cat feeds off people’s energy, and so the person working on that cat needs to be very gentle and kind and understanding.” Liz Illg, owner of Puff & Fluff Grooming & Pet Sitting, located in Phoenix, Arizona, joins Stacy to […]

October 27, 2018

Black Cats and Halloween—Let’s Have Some Fun!

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 […]

November 3, 2018

HubCats TV! Featuring Dr. William Snell, Veterinarian at Blue Pearl Pet Hospital

“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 […]

November 5, 2018

Goal-Setting for 2019 —Why Is It Important?

The next two months are going to be a whirlwind of activities. Between Thanksgiving and the holidays in December, I have never felt like I could really enjoy myself during these months. Family and work pull me in way too many different directions. It isn’t fun. Before you enter into […]

November 10, 2018

Interview! Aaron Hancox & Michael McNamara, Directors of Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit

“You don’t have to be a cat person to love this movie.” Aaron Hancox and Michael McNamara of Markham Street Films join Stacy in this episode to talk about their documentary,Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit, which follows the Canadian competitive cat show world. Aaron is a long-time cat […]

November 11, 2018

Getting to the Goal with the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance

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 […]

November 17, 2018

Interview! Moshow, Cat Rapper

“Get ready for some cat-tastic stuff!” Internet sensation Moshow was born and raised in inner city Baltimore, MD. He didn’t grow up with pets, and it wasn’t until he was in college that what he calls “cat fever” took over. Since then, Moshow has combined his passion for cats and […]

November 18, 2018

Creating a Fundraising Plan for 2019

Over the next two weeks I am going to touch upon two areas of our organizational goal setting that are often overlooked: the fundraising/development plan and the operations plan. Ughhh, you say. Who has time for this? I will agree that fall is a very busy time for fundraising, but […]

November 24, 2018

Preparing for the Online Cat Conference with Stacy LeBaron and Kristen Petrie, Head Cat and Technical Cat of the Community Cats Podcast

“We’re going to have a lot of fun!” As the year is drawing to an end, at the podcast we’re already working on ways to help you turn your passion for cats into action in 2019. This week Stacy LeBaron, the host and head cat of the Community Cats Podcast, […]

December 4, 2017

Kids, Cats and Books

December 9, 2017

Interview! Sandy Rees, Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer – Get Fully Funded

December 10, 2017

Best Holiday Gifts for Cats

December 16, 2017

Interview! Frances Carlisle, Attorney

December 18, 2017

Top Tips: Fundraising and Donor Engagement

December 23, 2017

Interview! Haydn Hilton, Owner of Java Cats Cafe in Atlanta, GA

December 25, 2017

A Community Cat’s Christmas

December 30, 2017

Interview! Natalise Kalea, COO of poundWISHES

“We want to save animals, help animals, and better the lives of animals around the world. We aim to execute on our mission through creative innovation and community.” Natalise Kalea has always been an animal lover, and she always dreamed of putting her business skills to good use to help […]

January 1, 2018

The Increase in Community Cat Learning Opportunities

January 6, 2018

Interview! Keoni Vaughn, Executive Director of Lanai Cat Sanctuary

January 8, 2018

It Could Finally Be a Turning Point for Cats

January 13, 2018

Interview! Nell Thompson – Coordinator of National Getting To Zero Program

January 15, 2018

8 Easy Social Media Tips for 2018

January 20, 2018

Interview! Gavin Ehringer, Author of Leaving the Wild: The Unnatural History of Dogs, Cats, Cows and Horses

January 22, 2018

Favorite Kitty Lover Resources

January 29, 2018

Top Tips for Building Your Foster Network

February 3, 2018

Interview! Ann Dunn, Founder of Cat Town, Oakland, CA

February 5, 2018

Have A Missing Cat? Do These Things First!

February 10, 2018

Interview! Brianna Grant, Communications Associate at Alley Cat Rescue

February 12, 2018

Wisdom from a “Master Trapper” – Part 1

February 17, 2018

Interview! Kimberley Heeney, Vice President of Operations Activ4Pets

February 19, 2018

Wisdom from a “Master Trapper – Part 2

February 24, 2018

Interview! Dr. Linda Harper, Clinical Psychologist, Compassionate Heart Specialist and Author

February 26, 2018

Fundraising with Community Cats Podcast

March 3, 2018

Interview! Kate Cote, Founder of Fur Love Comfort Cats

March 5, 2018

The May Spay Challenge

March 10, 2018

Interview! Kaleel Sakakeeny, Founder, The Other Me Coaching

March 11, 2018

March Microchipping Madness

March 17, 2018

Interview! Dr. Lynn Bahr, Feline Veterinarian and Owner of Dezi and Roo

March 19, 2018

Kitten Yoga

March 24, 2018

Interview! Daniel Spehar, Co-Founder of the Together Initiative for Ohio’s Community Cats

March 25, 2018

Introducing the Community Cat Pyramid

March 31, 2018

Interview! Ask Stacy! Online Cat Conference Review

April 1, 2018

Vaccination and Microchip Clinic Best Practices

April 7, 2018

Interview! Vickie Fisher – President of The International Cat Association (TICA)

April 8, 2018

No-Kill is Now a Metric and No Longer a Movement

April 14, 2018

Interview! Sterling Davis, Atlanta’s “Trap King”

April 15, 2018

Record Keeping: Ughhh! What to Keep and What to Pitch!

April 21, 2018

Interview! Jennifer Blough, Compassion Fatigue Expert and Author

April 22, 2018

Clear out the Shelters – How to Make it Happen

April 28, 2018

Interview! Christina Ha, Creator of Cat Camp

April 29, 2018

Cat Cycling – How to Make Your Spay/Neuter Programs Most Impactful and not Overwhelm Your Staff

May 5, 2018

Interview! Part 1 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

May 6, 2018

Thoughts about Transport and the Future for Cats and Kittens

May 12, 2018

Interview! Part 2 – Dr. Sara Pizano, Veterinarian and Animal Welfare Consultant

May 13, 2018

Our Technical Cat’s Day at Cat Camp 2018

May 19, 2018

Interview! Kim Freeman, Professional Missing Cat Finder

May 20, 2018

Shelter Animals Count Numbers- What Do They Mean for Us?

May 26, 2018

Interview! Michele Tilford, Cat-Assisted Therapy Advocate

May 27, 2018

The Silly Season- Happy Memorial Day!

June 2, 2018

Interview! Dr. Philip Bushby, Professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine

June 9, 2018

Interview! Niki Cochran, Program Manager at Alley Cat Rescue

June 10, 2018

Can We Be Buddies?

June 16, 2018

Interview! Richard Angelo, Legislative Attorney for Best Friends Animal Society

June 17, 2018

Motivational Interviewing…Huh?

June 23, 2018

Interview! Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

June 24, 2018

Kitten Season is Here, and More than Ever, We Need to Communicate

June 30, 2018

Interview! Chad Nelson, Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island

July 1, 2018

Birds and Cats-Is It Really a Big Issue to You?

July 7, 2018

Interview! Ellen Quinlan, Executive Director of Darbster Foundation

July 8, 2018

Foster “Failure” – The Real Story

July 14, 2018

Interview! Mike Keiley (MSPCA) & Carmine DiCenso (Dakin Humane Society), “The Mike & Carmine Show,” Part I

July 15, 2018

Does Return to Field Help the Big Picture?

July 21, 2018

Interview! Mike Keiley (MSPCA) & Carmine DiCenso (Dakin Humane Society), “The Mike & Carmine Show,” Part 2

July 21, 2018

Interview! John Boone, Research Coordinator at Great Basin Bird Observatory, Nevada

July 22, 2018

How to Adopt out Cats and Kittens Without the Help of Your Local Shelter

July 29, 2018

Maddie’s Pet Forum-Our Helping Hand

August 4, 2018

Interview! Pamela Merritt, Cat Advice Columnist

August 5, 2018

Feline Fix By Five – I need your input!

August 11, 2018

Interview! Erin Robinson, Community Cats Program Manager at Humane Rescue Alliance

August 12, 2018

Let’s Play Trapper Bingo!

August 19, 2018

The Volunteer Program Wellness Check

August 19, 2018

Interview! Danielle Bays, Director of Cat Protection and Policy, Humane Society of the United States

August 25, 2018

Interview! Karen Kraus, Executive Director of the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, and Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director at the Audubon Society of Portland

August 26, 2018

Five Freedoms and Community Cats, I wonder?

September 1, 2018

Interview! Jim Tedford, President & CEO of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

September 2, 2018

Non-Surgical Sterilization – How Will It Work for Community Cats?

September 8, 2018

Interview! Olivia Westley, Development Director for Forgotten Cats, Inc.

September 9, 2018

Community Cats Sentiment Survey- A Summary

September 15, 2018

Interview! Darlene Duggan, Director of Operations at Tree House Humane Society

September 16, 2018

Fall Fundraising Tips and Strategies

September 22, 2018

Interview! Anne Lindsay, Founder & President, Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) – Part I

September 23, 2018

Oh My! It’s Already Time to Start Thinking about Winterizing Those Shelters!

September 29, 2018

Interview! Anne Lindsay, Founder & President, Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) – Part II

September 30, 2018

A Living Dedication

October 6, 2018

Interview! Julie Jacobson, Spay Tennessee and CCP Grants Coordinator

October 7, 2018

The Importance of Advocacy and Voting For Cats and the Community

October 13, 2018

Interview! Kelly Duer, Foster Program Consultant with Maddie’s Fund

October 14, 2018

Adopting Out the Last Kitten of the Litter

October 20, 2018

Interview! Gary Willoughby, President & CEO of SPCA Serving Erie County

October 21, 2018

Get Inspired by this Community Feral Cat Shelter Building Project!

October 27, 2018

Interview! Liz Illg, Owner of Puff & Fluff Grooming & Pet Sitting

October 27, 2018

Black Cats and Halloween—Let’s Have Some Fun!

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 […]

November 3, 2018

Preparing for the Online Cat Conference with Stacy LeBaron and Kristen Petrie, Head Cat and Technical Cat of the Community Cats Podcast