The Community Cats Podcast

Our mission is to provide education, information and dialogue that will create a supportive environment empowering people to help cats in their community.

*For transcripts of most shows, visit https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/podcast/.

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20 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes20

Newest first

Tuesday · 26 min
Ep 675: Cats Pick Their People: Inside Florida's First Cat Cafe Franchise with Sandra Cagan Founder & CEO of the Orlando Cat Cafe
This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and The Community Cat Clinic. Sandra Cagan spent decades in property management before a milestone birthday and a brief human-interest news story about a New York cat cafe sent her in a new direction. She cold-emailed her county commissioner in Lake County, Florida — "You're gonna think I'm crazy, but this is what I want to do" — and had his support within the hour. The Orlando Cat Cafe opened in September 2016 as Florida's first cat cafe, and this year marks its 10th anniversary alongside the Community Cats Podcast's own. Sandra built it as a business first: a full-service cafe rather than packaged snacks, separate AC and filtration systems to keep the cafe and cat areas from cross-contaminating, and a "sweet spot" of about 28 cats at a time in a 1,000-square-foot play area, refreshed weekly by exclusive shelter partner SPCA Florida. All 489 adoptions facilitated last year sent 100% of the fee straight to SPCA Florida — a public-private model she credits partly to a public administration master's she earned during the pandemic. That same pandemic tested her resolve: Florida ordered the cafe closed, and she kept it shut into late July rather than reopen too soon, paying her staff the whole time. Her advice to other cat cafe owners: keep six months of reserves and treat the business like any other, rather than publicly asking for help with basics like a broken AC unit. Ten years in, Sandra has turned that playbook into the country's first cat cafe franchise: 18 months of groundwork, a 500-plus-page operations manual, a $42,750 initial fee, and total investment of roughly $450,000–$650,000 depending on location. She and her team vet franchisees closely and personally scout a shelter partner in every new market, favoring slow, strategic growth — currently focused on the Southeast — over rapid expansion. Press Play Now For: How a milestone birthday, a chance news story, and one bold email led to Florida's first cat cafe Why Sandra runs the cat side and the cafe side as two separate legal entities, with 100% of adoption fees going to her shelter partner The financial cushion and mindset that got the Orlando Cat Cafe through a months-long pandemic shutdown without laying off staff What it actually takes to become an Orlando Cat Cafe franchisee — from a 500-page operations manual to the investment range Why the cats do the matchmaking at the cafe, and how that changes the adoption experience Resources & Links Orlando Cat Cafe: https://www.orlandocatcafe.com Orlando Cat Cafe Franchise: https://www.orlandocatcafefranchise.com SPCA Florida: https://www.spcaflorida.org
July 21 · 22 min
Ep 674: From One Alley Cat to 700 Spay/Neuter Surgeries a Year with Debra Magaldi, Director of CatPAWS
"People have to feel like they are making a difference, not earning a buck." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Neighborhood Cats' TNR Certification Workshop. Debra Magaldi never set out to run a nonprofit. What began as feeding a neighborhood stray in her alley turned into a chance encounter with Helen Sanders herself, and after Helen's passing in 2005, a small fund to feed her jetty cats grew into CatPAWS, a Long Beach and Orange County organization now operating with an all-volunteer board, paid veterinary contractors, and a growing spay/neuter program. Sixteen years in, Debra brings her business background and MBA to a mission she says still runs on a fundamentally different fuel than any company she's worked for. Debra and host Stacy LeBaron dig into what it actually takes to build a volunteer-run organization that lasts. Debra pushes back on the advice to "run your nonprofit like a business," arguing that while structure and strategy matter, people show up because they believe in the cause, not because of a bonus or a quota. She's candid about the cost of starting a new program: it takes far more money than founders expect, and grant and donor funding won't arrive until there's a track record to earn it. She also talks through the hard boundary-setting that comes with leadership, including learning to say no to well-meaning ideas that don't fit the organization's priorities. On the ground, CatPAWS has scaled its spay/neuter access dramatically, moving from a mobile trailer serving only community cats in 2023 to a full surgical suite that opened in 2025 and now serves owned cats as well, with almost 700 cats served since the start of the year and typical wait times of only one to two weeks. Debra also walks through CatPAWS's approach to the question every community cat organization fields constantly: what to do when someone finds a litter of kittens. Her answer starts with checking whether mom is coming back, since kittens who stay with mom have far better survival odds, and points to the organization's "Help, I Found a Cat" guide and DIY kitten kit program as tools that keep vulnerable kittens out of shelters that aren't equipped to bottle-feed around the clock.[/one_second] [one_second]Press Play Now For: How CatPAWS grew from a single alley cat colony into a 16-year-old nonprofit Why Debra treats volunteer time as equivalent to a financial donation The real difference between running a nonprofit and running a business, and where the "run it like a business" advice breaks down What it actually costs to launch a new program, and why grants and donors won't be there on day one CatPAWS's mobile trailer-to-surgical-suite spay/neuter expansion and current wait times What to actually do when you find a litter of kittens — and why waiting for mom matters Resources & Links Helen Sanders CatPAWS CatPAWS Spay/Neuter Assistance CatPAWS Who We Are & What We Do
July 14 · 30 min
Ep 673: The 42-Point Gap Between Loving Your Cat and Getting It to the Vet with Gina Fortunato, Executive Director of the CATalyst Council with Kristin Wuhrman
"It is not a lack of care or love. They love, love, love their cats. They would do anything to give their cat a longer life." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Feline Infectious Disease Summit 2026. Host Stacy LeBaron talks with Gina Fortunato, Executive Director of CATalyst Council, and Kristin Wuhrman, the organization's Chair and co-founder/Chief Experience Officer of CatsOnly Veterinary Services, about a stark gap in feline care: cats now make up nearly half of U.S. household pets, yet get only a fraction of the veterinary visits dogs do. CATalyst Council, founded in 2008, exists to close that gap with data. Gina explains how a decade-old feline usage study first exposed the problem, while years of "veterinary visits are declining" headlines actually masked cat visits quietly climbing as dog visits fell. She also flags a number that matters to TNR advocates directly: over half of cats are acquired through informal channels rather than shelters, meaning they may never enter a system connected to routine care. Kristin breaks down the real barriers between cat parents and the vet — affordability, carrier stress, and the myth that adult cats need less care — and the data behind them: 93% of cat parents call wellness visits important, but only 51% follow through. She and Gina talk through what's actually working: reframing reminders around a longer life rather than a routine shot, flexible visit schedules, and mobile vet care reaching cats who'd otherwise go without. The conversation closes on Kristin's own work building CatsOnly Veterinary Services, a feline-only hospital model minimizing stress from car to exam room, and a lighter note: the "crazy cat lady" stereotype no longer holds up, with cat ownership now split evenly by gender and a rising share of millennial cat dads. Press Play Now For: Why cats now outnumber dogs in growth rate, yet get only a fraction of the veterinary visits How CATalyst Council uses data to separate the "dog visits are down" headlines from what's actually happening with cats The surprising stat that over half of cats are acquired through informal channels rather than shelters or breeders The four biggest barriers standing between cat parents and the vet — and which one might surprise you Why 93% of cat parents say wellness visits matter, but only 51% actually follow through How reframing a vet reminder around a cat's longer life can change a cat parent's behavior The growing role of mobile veterinary care in closing the access gap An inside look at CatsOnly Veterinary Services, a new feline-only hospital model built to minimize stress from car to exam room Why the "crazy cat lady" stereotype no longer matches the data — and the rise of the cat dad How the broader animal health and welfare ecosystem can better collaborate to serve every cat, from community colonies to household companions Resources & Links CATalyst Council CatsOnly Veterinary Services Mission Meow
July 7 · 28 min
Ep 672: How Mumbai's Feline Foundation Is Systematically Tackling a Million-Cat City with Pallavi Kamath, Executive Director of The Feline Foundation, Mumbai, India
"The more I work in this field, the more there is to learn — and there's multiple strategies that you have to implement." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Feline Infectious Disease Summit 2026. Pallavi Kamath grew up fostering kittens in Mumbai, studied animal science at UC Davis, earned a master's in animal public policy, and returned home to lead The Feline Foundation — an NGO she describes as the first in Maharashtra to systematically address the needs of community cats. With an estimated one million cats on Mumbai's streets and no existing population data to work from, the Foundation built its entire approach around a Logical Framework Matrix: a structured problem tree that mapped every welfare challenge and converted each into a program goal, giving the organization three focused pillars — population management, healthcare, and community involvement. On the ground, that means zone-by-zone sterilization across Andheri West, Mumbai's largest suburb. The Foundation divides the area into zones, conducts exhaustive street-by-street cat censuses, organizes local feeders into "carer collectives," and sets monthly TNR targets before returning to repeat the census. Once a zone hits 80% sterilized, it moves into maintenance mode — with community members taking the lead. Six of their 12 zones have crossed that threshold. Pallavi and Stacy also dig into the logistical realities most programs never face: nearly zero access to commercial traps, a handful of expert cat catchers who learned entirely on the job, and a city so geographically dense that sterilizing one neighborhood means immediately contending with cats flowing in from the next. The conversation closes on scalability — how a cat cafe can seed community buy-in, why Mumbai's municipal government is a rare progressive funding partner, and what it would take to open additional centers across a city that still has nowhere near enough sterilization resources. Press Play Now For: How a Logical Framework Matrix turns a problem tree into an organizational blueprint The zone-by-zone census methodology: every street, every building, every shopkeeper — before TNR begins What a "carer collective" is and why organizing local feeders before you start trapping changes everything The 80% threshold: how the Foundation defines population stability and transitions to maintenance mode The reality of trap access in India — and how a visit from an international colleague transformed the team's efficiency Why Mumbai's dog sterilization history may have contributed to a massive cat population explosion How a cat cafe can function as an adoption engine and community awareness hub Why Mumbai's municipal government is one of the few in India providing grants for cat sterilization — and why it's still not enough Resources & Links The Feline Foundation The Feline Foundation on Instagram The Feline Foundation on Facebook The Feline Foundation on YouTube The Feline Foundation on LinkedIn CCC TNR Certification Workshops
June 30 · 31 min
Ep 671: Saving the African Wildcat: The Race Against Hybridization in South Africa with Louise Holton, President & Founder, and Debbie Holzer, Development & Fundraising Manager, Alley Cat Rescue
"The goal isn't so much a set number as the area, and 100% sterilization — which is a lofty goal. But the only thing we can do is keep going." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Feline Infectious Disease Summit 2026. Louise Holton has been working to protect cats for decades and across continents — from TNR work with the Johannesburg SPCA in the 1970s, to helping establish TNR programs in the UK, to founding Alley Cat Rescue in 1997 as the first national organization in the US dedicated to all cats, friendly and feral alike. She's joined this episode by Debbie Holzer, who has worked alongside her since 2020 and brings a nonprofit development background to ACR's writing, programs, and day-to-day operations. Together they share how their own early connections to cats — Louise's mother's habit of rescuing strays, Debbie's childhood cat she called her best friend — set the stage for lifelong advocacy. Stacy and the team dig into how the community cat landscape itself has shifted: TNR programs built in the '90s for antisocial, "spitfire" feral cats now have to account for a growing population of social, unowned cats living outdoors without a dedicated caregiver. Debbie and Louise talk through what that means for how programs prioritize care, and why leaving a friendly, adoptable-seeming cat outdoors can still be the better outcome when shelter capacity can't absorb every cat that could technically come inside. The conversation's centerpiece is Alley Cat Rescue's African wildcat conservation work. The African wildcat — ancestor of the modern housecat — is losing genetic purity as it interbreeds with domestic and stray cats along the borders of places like Kruger National Park. ACR's strategy is a sterilization "buffer zone" along those borders: spay/neuter and rabies-vaccinate every domestic cat in town after town, closing one community at a time to stop the intermingling. To date, the program has sterilized around 6,000 cats on Kruger's borders and roughly 11,000 more in the Cape region, where a local caregiver has identified seven hybrid cats through DNA testing. Louise and Debbie are candid about the obstacles: a severe veterinary shortage in South Africa (many vets have emigrated), unreliable population data, and almost no dedicated funding for small wild cat species. They highlight mobile vets like Dr. Ina Visser, who packs her own equipment into a car — or a plane — to set up clinics in remote farming communities, including one stop at an abandoned diamond mine with 120 free-roaming cats. The episode closes with a reminder that nobody needs a veterinary degree to help build spay/neuter capacity in their own community, and an invitation for listeners' vets to join Alley Cat Rescue's Feral Fix Challenge, the annual global TNR initiative that has helped sterilize over 600,000 community cats to date.[/one_second] [one_second]Press Play Now For: The story behind Louise Holton's lifelong devotion to cats, sparked by a single sighting of an African wildcat in Kruger Park at age 14 Debbie Holzer's path from a childhood "best friend" cat to a career in cat advocacy Why today's TNR programs are dealing with more social, unowned outdoor cats than the antisocial ferals of decades past A crash course on the African wildcat: what it is, where it lives, and why it matters to every housecat's ancestry How hybridization between domestic cats and African wildcats threatens the wildcat's genetic purity — and how DNA testing confirms it Inside Alley Cat Rescue's sterilization "buffer zone" strategy along the borders of Kruger National Park The hard numbers: roughly 6,000 cats sterilized at Kruger's borders and 11,000 in the Cape region so far Why rabies vaccination is built into every TNR catch in South Africa, and the public health stakes involved The reality of practicing veterinary medicine in rural South Africa, and how mobile vets like Dr. Ina Visser reach cats that have no other access to care Why you don't need to be a veterinarian to help build spay/neuter capacity — and how to get your own vet involved in the Feral Fix Challenge Resources & Links Alley Cat Rescue The Feral Fix Challenge — sign up your veterinarian Alley Cat Rescue's African Wildcat Conservation Program Contact Debbie Holzer: debbie@saveacat.org
June 23 · 28 min
Ep 670: Bridging the Gap Between Vets and Community Cat Caregivers with Dr. Kevin Lynch, DVM, Veterinarian, Author, and Founder of The Moriches Hospital for Animals
"That's my own formula — passion and compassion tempered by dedication and humor." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Drop Traps: Beginning and Advanced Certification Workshop. After more than five decades behind the exam table, Dr. Kevin Lynch has treated thousands of pets, mentored generations of veterinary staff, and built one of Long Island's longest-running animal hospitals. His new memoir, Off the Leash: Tales From a Lifetime of Healing Pets and Wonder, traces that journey from a 13-year-old kid who talked his way into a part-time job at a local animal hospital to a veterinarian whose guiding philosophy is simple: treating the animal is only half the work, and tending to the person on the other end of the leash is the rest. Dr. Lynch and Stacy dig into one of the thorniest debates in animal welfare: the divide between "indoor-only" advocates and the realities of outdoor and community cat caregiving. Drawing on his own farm-cat memories from working summers on a dairy farm before vet school, he makes the case for listening over judging, and for meeting cat caregivers where they are instead of where a textbook says they should be. From there, the conversation turns practical: how should trappers and community cat program managers actually approach a veterinarian for the first time? Dr. Lynch's answer centers on intention, relationship-building, and showing up with a plan rather than a crisis. The episode also gets personal. Dr. Lynch opens up about compassion fatigue and burnout, a topic he says is as urgent in veterinary medicine today as it's ever been, and shares the daily habits, including a deliberately disciplined relationship with his phone, that keep him from burning out after 51 years in practice. He and Stacy also revisit one of the most harrowing chapters of his career: volunteering with search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero after 9/11, an experience he says revealed both the depths of tragedy and the best of human nature. Rounding out the conversation, Dr. Lynch shares a few of the stories from his book, including an unforgettable lesson in slowing down before attempting a DIY tick removal. He also talks about where listeners can find his memoir, his YouTube series The Pet Mindset Show, and the dental care device he invented for dogs and cats. Press Play Now For: How a 13-year-old's unpaid job at a Long Island animal hospital turned into a 51-year veterinary career Dr. Lynch's perspective on the indoor-only versus outdoor/community cat debate, and why he believes there's no one-size-fits-all answer His honest advice for trappers and caregivers on how to approach a veterinarian for the first time Why showing up with "a plan" rather than a crisis is the fastest way to build trust with a vet The role of compassion fatigue and burnout in veterinary medicine, and the daily habits that help him stay in the game His "physical mailbox" approach to managing phone use and protecting mental bandwidth A first-hand account of volunteering with search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero after 9/11 The story behind a Rottweiler named Big Shot, and the unexpected humanity he witnessed during that crisis Two unforgettable cat stories from his memoir, including a lesson in patience before attempting DIY pet care Where to find his memoir, his YouTube series, and the dental device he invented for pets Resources & Links Off the Leash: Tales From a Lifetime of Healing Pets and Wonder (Amazon) Dr. Kevin Lynch's website The Pet Mindset Show (YouTube) Plaque Be Gone dental device
June 16 · 41 min
Ep 669: 10 Years of Community Cats Podcast: A Conversation with Stacy, Kristen, and Mike
"We may not all be the same organization, but we all have a very similar goal, and that is a better world for cats ultimately." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Drop Traps: Beginning and Advanced Certification Workshop. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron is joined by Kristen Petrie, Community Cats Central's Technical Tabby, and frequent guest/guest host Mike Phillips of the Urban Cat League in New York City. Rather than a traditional interview, this episode is a candid conversation about the podcast's journey, the evolution of the community cat movement, and what they see on the horizon. Press Play Now For: How the podcast launched with a five-day-a-week release schedule — and why that was, in retrospect, wildly ambitious The evolution from a podcast into a broader educational platform, including the TNR certification workshops that have now certified over 6,000 community cat advocates The Community Cat Pyramid — why it became a turning point for the podcast and the movement, and how it reframes the conversation around owned cats as the upstream source of community cat populations A frank look at the veterinary access crisis: why affordable spay/neuter remains the most critical variable in population management, and what's shifting in the private practice landscape (including the potential move away from corporate ownership back toward independent practices) The Community Cat Clinics in the Atlanta area as a model for independently owned, cat-focused veterinary practices — and how to connect with co-owner Rick DuCharme if you're curious about replicating it The cost equation: why trap-hold-euthanize approaches are far more expensive than upstream spay/neuter investment, and how to make that case clearly to decision-makers Advocacy strategy — including the elevator pitch, tailoring your message to your audience (a politician needs to hear "1,000 voters"; a neighbor who dislikes cats needs to hear about the vacuum effect), and the power of consistent, simple messaging The Georgia Whole Cat Workshop — bringing community cat players together for a full-day hybrid strategic session The Summerlee Sustainable Solutions Grant Program— an eight-week course through the University of the Pacific paired with $4,000–$8,000 in seed funding for pilot projects What the future looks like: less hierarchy, more collaboration, and community members stepping up to answer each other's questions Resources & Links Community Cat Pyramid Community Cat Calculator Paper Collar Template Community Cat Clinic — email stacy@communitycatscentral.com to connect with Rick DuCharme for a virtual or in-person tour Previous CCP episodes with Rick DuCharme: Episode 416 on YouTube | Episode 545 on YouTube Urban Cat League — including the Taming Toolkit with Mike's socializing feral cats video resources Voters for Animal Rights (New York) Summerlee Sustainable Solutions Grant Program — through United Spay Alliance United Spay Alliance
June 9 · 27 min
Ep 668: City Kitties: Inside New York's Bodega Cat Movement, with Dan Rimada, Founder of Bodega Cats of New York and Co-Founder of Cats About Town Tours
"You can both celebrate them and advocate for them at the same time." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Drop Traps: Beginning and Advanced Certification Workshop. Dan Rimada didn't set out to start a movement. He just started noticing cats. During the stillness of COVID, when New York City slowed down enough to actually look around, he began noticing the cats living in the bodegas of his Fort Greene, Brooklyn neighborhood and photographing them on his iPhone. What began as a hyper-local Instagram project quickly grew into something much larger — a citywide archive, an advocacy platform, a walking tour company, and now a forthcoming book. Today, Bodega Cats of New York is the most detailed documentation of working cats in New York City corner stores ever assembled, built on four years of relationship-building across all five boroughs. At the heart of Dan's work is a real tension: bodega cats are beloved New York City cultural icons — neighborhood anchors, pest controllers, familiar faces — and they are technically illegal. Under current New York City Health Code, keeping a live animal in a food establishment can result in fines between $200 and $1,500. Dan's 14,000-signature petition changed that conversation. It led to City Council legislation that would eliminate those fines and fund spay/neuter and vaccinations for bodega cats — with Council Member Frank Morano now carrying the bill forward after Keith Powers was term-limited out. A parallel state-level bill, introduced by Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, goes further, establishing official care standards: designated cat zones, clean water, nutritious food, rest areas, and mandatory spay/neuter. The two bills are designed to work in tandem. Dan also co-founded Cats About Town Tours with cat historian Peggy Gavan, whose blog hatchingcatnyc.com and books on New York City's animal history made her the perfect partner. The tours run through Brooklyn Heights, the Lower East Side, and the Financial District, uncovering the hidden feline history of New York from the 1800s and 1900s — and every ticket sold triggers food donations to a 501(c)(3) cat rescue. His book, Bodega Cats of New York, featuring photography by Gulce Kilkis, arrives from Quarto Publishing in October 2026. Press Play Now For: How a COVID-era iPhone project in Fort Greene grew into New York City's most comprehensive bodega cat archive What a bodega actually is — and why working cats have been part of that culture for generations Why bodega cats are currently illegal under NYC Health Code, and what the legislation would change The two-pronged legislative strategy: the city council bill and the state-level Assembly bill, and how they work together How Dan's $7,400 fundraiser and 14,000-signature petition translated into real legislative action The spay/neuter and vaccination funding mechanism proposed in the city bill — and where the money could come from Why some rescue groups want an outright ban on bodega cats, and Dan's more pragmatic take The story behind Cats About Town Tours and the hidden cat history woven into New York City's streets What to expect from the Bodega Cats of New York book, coming October 2026 Resources & Links Bodega Cats of New York — Dan's archive, advocacy updates, and book waitlist at bodegacatsofnewyork.com @bodegacatsofnewyork on Instagram Cats About Town Tours — NYC's cat history walking tours, running April through November The Hatching Cat of Gotham — Peggy Gavan's blog on the history of cats (and dogs) in New York City
June 2 · 16 min
Ep 667: Building the Prevention Layer Animal Welfare Has Been Missing, with BJ Adkins, Founder and Director of Animal Angels Foundation
"With animal welfare, we're basically waiting till the roof falls in — when the animals are at the shelter, that's the roof falling in. We have to catch them earlier." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and The Kitten Conference. What if the animal welfare system stopped waiting for families to walk through the shelter door — and started showing up before they ever got there? That's the question driving BJ Adkins, disabled veteran and founder of Animal Angels Foundation (AAF), a prevention-first nonprofit serving seven counties in central Alabama. After years of fostering and watching intake numbers refuse to budge, BJ decided to stop patching the system and start rebuilding its missing layer. AAF isn't a rescue organization. It's prevention infrastructure: programs designed to solve the problems that force pet surrender before surrender ever becomes an option. Those programs include SNIP, a spay/neuter assistance initiative with a $100 stipend for income-qualifying owners; The Bridge, which addresses the financial and housing barriers that most often precede surrender; Finder-to-Foster; Adoption Boost; Landlord Partnership; and Sniff and Greet. Connecting it all is the Animal Welfare Resource Network (AWRN) — a shared technology platform that replaces organizational silos with real-time coordination across shelters, rescues, vet clinics, and community partners. Three participation levels and no cost to join means even change-resistant organizations can get on board. To measure what's working, BJ is partnering with a University of Tennessee researcher to build the evidence base for prevention-first animal welfare — while already fielding calls from Colorado, Tennessee, and the Canadian SPCA. The data is being collected. The network is growing. And if BJ has anything to say about it, the roof won't have to fall in anymore. Press Play Now For: Why BJ compares the current animal welfare system to waiting for the roof to fall in — and what "upstream" intervention actually looks like A breakdown of AAF's six core programs and how each one targets a specific point of failure before shelter intake How the Animal Welfare Resource Network (AWRN) replaces organizational silos with a shared, real-time coordination platform The SNIP program's $100 stipend model and why removing financial friction matters for low-income pet owners BJ's strategy for bringing change-resistant organizations into the network — with three levels of participation and no cost to join How AAF is partnering with University of Tennessee researchers to build a data-driven case for prevention programs Practical advice for new nonprofit founders: research first, build relationships, and find the gap nobody else is filling Resources & Links Animal Angels Foundation Website Animal Welfare Resource Network (AWRN) Maddie's Pet Forum (where Stacy and BJ connected)
May 26 · 29 min
Ep 666: Holistic Health for Community Cats - What Nature Already Provides with Angela Ardolino Certified Cannabis & Fungi Clinician and Founder of MycoDog, MycoCat & CBD Dog Health
"Mother Nature provides us with all the food and medicine that we need. Food is medicine — and it is the number one thing you can do for any person or animal to help them stay healthy and help their immune system operate." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and The Kitten Conference. What if the best medicine for your community cats isn't found in a bottle — but in a bowl? In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Angela Ardolino, a certified cannabis and fungi clinician with over 20 years of expertise in holistic pet wellness and founder of MycoDog, MycoCat, and CBD Dog Health. Angela's path to holistic animal care began with her own recovery from rheumatoid arthritis using plants, mushrooms, and diet — which led her to discover that every animal shares an endocannabinoid system, the body's master regulatory system. With no quality animal products on the market, she spent two years formulating and testing full-spectrum hemp extract and medicinal mushroom tinctures at her rescue farm before bringing them to the public. Stacy and Angela dig into the real cost of kibble — not just financially, but biologically — and make the case for real food, even in small increments, for both owned cats and colony cats. Angela also offers practical guidance on supporting senior and geriatric cats with full-spectrum hemp extract, how to spot trustworthy supplements (look for a COA), and why the endocannabinoid system is the key to keeping cats healthy from the inside out. Press Play Now For: Why kibble is the wrong foundation for feline health — and practical, budget-friendly alternatives for pet owners and colony caregivers alike How the endocannabinoid system works in all animals and why supporting it is key to preventing disease How to administer full-spectrum hemp extract to cats you can touch — and cats you can't Why 85% of supplements on the market (for pets and humans alike) aren't worth buying, and how to identify the ones that are When a cat becomes a "senior" vs. a "geriatric" — and why that distinction matters for their care The feline grimace scale, telehealth options, and emerging tools that help caregivers monitor cats without a vet visit A vision for mobile veterinary care that extends to colony sites, not just indoor pets Resources & Links Angela Ardolino's Website CBD Dog Health MycoDog Your Natural Dog Podcast Follow Angela on Instagram Follow Angela on Facebook Follow Your Natural Dog on Instagram
May 19 · 24 min
Ep 665: From One to Many: Building a Neighborhood-Based Community Cat Program with Tonya Cook, Community Cat Program Manager at Ohio Alleycat Resource
"When we look at things on a neighborhood level and we're noticing patterns, noticing new colonies — when something's predictable, it's preventable." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and The Kitten Conference. What does it look like to build a community cat program from scratch — not just logistically, but with real intention about how change happens in a neighborhood? In this episode, Stacy LeBaron speaks with Tonya Cook, Community Cat Program Manager at Ohio Alleycat Resource (OAR) in Cincinnati, about her remarkable journey from neonatal kitten foster to full-time community cat advocate, and what she's learned about scaling impact when you're a team of one. Tonya's path into animal welfare began in 2020 when she started fostering neonatal kittens with Cincinnati Animal CARE. Night feedings and fragile lives gave her a front-row seat to how many kittens were being born outside — and how few resources existed to stop the cycle at the source. That question drove her toward TNR and, ultimately, toward a complete career change. In 2022, she left behind 15 years as a professional photographer to pursue animal welfare full-time, gaining hands-on experience at UCAN and Cincinnati Animal CARE before joining OAR in 2025 to build its community cat program from the ground up. In its pilot year, that program has facilitated the TNR of over 400 cats — most of them trapped by Tonya herself, two days a week, before she recognized the limits of that approach. When burnout began to set in, she did something harder than trapping: she stepped back. That decision led to the creation of OAR's Neighborhood Cat Ambassador Program, which embeds trained volunteers directly into high-need zip codes identified through shelter and rescue data. Ambassadors walk their streets, distribute flyers with QR codes linking to a community cat census, connect caregivers to resources, mediate neighbor disputes, and trap for those who can't. The result is a program that feels less like a service and more like a movement — and one that's bringing neighbors together in the process. Tonya also shares an inspiring story from a mobile home park 20 miles outside Cincinnati, where she spent last spring trapping 58 cats. Earlier this year, the park reached back out — not to ask for help, but to learn how to do it themselves. They've since purchased their own traps, gone door to door, posted on social media, and started bringing cats in weekly. That's the long game Tonya is playing: not just TNR, but teaching communities to sustain the work themselves. Press Play Now For: How fostering neonatal kittens led Tonya to TNR — and a complete career change Why Tonya insisted on doing the work herself first before bringing in volunteers, and what she learned from that approach. The story of Sonny, the neighborhood cat who introduced a whole street of strangers to each other How OAR's Neighborhood Cat Ambassador Program works, who it recruits, and why ambassadors stay engaged longer than traditional trapping volunteers A mobile home park success story: from one organization doing the work to a community sustaining TNR on their own Why "when something's predictable, it's preventable" is the mindset shift that defines neighborhood-based cat management How to find common ground with neighbors who hate cats and neighbors who love them Resources & Links Ohio Alleycat Resource (OAR) — Website OAR Community Cat Program OAR on Instagram (@ohioalleycat) OAR on Facebook Tonya Cook on Instagram (@cincycatlady)
May 12 · 27 min
Ep 664: When the Uh-Oh Happens: Pet First Aid and CPR for Every Cat Caregiver with Arden Moore, America's Pet Health and Safety Coach
"If you wanna have a real superpower, learn cat first aid." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Strategies to Reunite Lost Cats with Families Certification Workshop and Increasing Your Impact With Targeted TNR Certification Workshop. Cats are both predator and prey — and that dual nature means they respond to emergencies unlike any other animal. They have five weapons of mass destruction, a flexible spine, and no apologies. When the uh-oh happens, are you ready? In this episode, Stacy sits down with Arden Moore, bestselling author, host of the longest-running pet podcast on the planet, and founder of Pet First Aid 4 U, to talk about what every cat caregiver — whether you're a TNR volunteer, a shelter worker, a foster, or a pet parent — needs to know when a cat is in crisis. Arden draws on 15 years as a master certified pet first aid and CPR instructor to break down how to safely approach an injured or unconscious cat, the right way to perform two-handed CPR (and yes, even kitten CPR), how to transport an injured cat without spiking their fear and stress, and what to keep in your car and home to be truly safety-ready. Stacy and Arden also talk about why community cats present a unique challenge — and how many of the same skills transfer directly to TNR work in the field. You'll also hear about the surprising void in veterinary education around pet first aid, why even vets have frozen during a pet emergency, and how Arden's famous sidekick, Pet Safety Cat Casey — a shelter alum from San Diego Humane Society who stole the show at the Virginia Cat Festival with over 350 people in the room — makes learning these life-saving skills both practical and fun. Stacy and Arden are proud partners through the Community Cats Central e-learning platform, where group packages allow organizations to get their entire teams certified together. If your group of 10 wants to watch, learn, and get individually certified, this is the course for you. Less than 5% of pet owners have ever taken a pet first aid class. That's a big void — and this episode is your invitation to fill it. Press Play Now For: Why cats in emergencies are nothing like small dogs — and how to adjust your approach for their unique physiology and stress responses How to perform one- and two-handed CPR on a cat, including two-finger CPR for neonatal kittens The kitty Heimlich, safe towel-wrapping technique, and the right way to use a top-loading carrier for transport What to keep in your car and home for a pet first aid kit — and when to check it (hint: sync it with clock changes) Why TNR caregivers are uniquely positioned to respond to field emergencies, and why a transfer cage may be better than a carrier The ASPCA Poison Control and Pet Poison Helpline as 24/7 resources for toxic ingestions Why you should always call ahead to the vet — and put your hazards on during transport How Arden's "Arden's Army" of 500+ certified instructors is spreading life-saving skills across shelters, rescues, vet clinics, and beyond How to become a certified pet first aid instructor yourself through the ProPet Hero instructor program How the Community Cat Central / Pet First Aid 4 U partnership works, including group certification packages Resources & Links Pet First Aid 4 U Arden Moore's Website Oh Behave! Podcast on Pet Life Radio ProPet Hero Instructor Training Arden Moore on YouTube Arden Moore on Instagram Arden Moore on Facebook ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435, available 24/7 Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661, available 24/7
May 5 · 33 min
Ep 663: Kitten Season Is Coming: What the Data Says and What to Do About It with Tori Fugate, Director of SAC Communications for the ASPCA
"If we all came together to solve the problem, to solve the issue, and work together — those are the areas that we would see the most improvement." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and Strategies to Reunite Lost Cats with Families Certification Workshop and Increasing Your Impact With Targeted TNR Certification Workshop. The kittens are coming. We know it every spring, but this year, Shelter Animals Count has the data to prove exactly how big the wave will be — and which organizations will feel it hardest. If your shelter or rescue isn't already ramping up fosters, supplies, and community outreach, this episode is your signal to start today. Tori Fugate is the Director of Communications for Shelter Animals Count — now a program of the ASPCA — and she has spent more than a decade at the intersection of animal welfare and strategic communications. Before joining SAC, she was Chief Communications Officer at KC Pet Project, where she helped transform one of the country's most visible municipal shelters into a national model for innovative, lifesaving work. Tori joins host Stacy LeBaron to unpack the latest findings from SAC's 2025 Annual Data Report — including the striking reality that 59% of all cats entering shelters in 2025 were kittens under five months of age. They dig into how to use zip-code-level intake data to target foster recruitment and community outreach before the floodgates open, and why creative thinking — think paper collars with QR codes to crowdfund spay/neuter costs — may be just as important as resources and policy. They also tackle one of the industry's most alarming trends: only 23% of cats entering shelters in 2025 arrived already spayed or neutered, nearly 3% below pre-pandemic levels. Tori explains how SAC's groundbreaking Altered Status at Intake Report is helping organizations understand where access-to-care gaps are widest — and what shelter communicators can do right now to start closing them. Press Play Now For: Why cats and kittens are just as marketable as dogs — and why the most ridiculous cat names often drive the most adoptions The significance of 59% of all 2025 cat shelter intake being kittens under five months of age How government shelters and contract shelters are seeing disproportionately higher intake of kittens under eight weeks Why only 23% of cats entering shelters in 2025 were already spayed or neutered — and what that means for resource allocation SAC's Altered Status at Intake Report: five years of data showing a nearly 3% decline from 2019 pre-pandemic levels Creative approaches to community spay/neuter funding, including paper collar QR codes to crowdfund costs How shelters can use zip-code-level intake data to target outreach, neighborhood meetings, and foster recruitment Practical kitten season communication strategies: media outreach, foster spotlights, and targeted Amazon wishlists The importance of flexible, dynamic thinking when managing kitten surges — and how to support community members who can't bring kittens in right away SAC's publicly available dashboards including the National Animal Welfare Statistics Dashboard (10 years of data!) and state-level breakdowns Resources & Links Shelter Animals Count SAC 2025 Annual Data Report SAC Data Reports SAC Altered Status at Intake Report KC Pet Project PetHelpFinder.org Pets.FindHelp.com United Spay Alliance United Spay Alliance Spay/Neuter Locator Community Cats Central
April 28 · 31 min
Ep 662: Scaling Spay/Neuter, Systems Thinking, and the Future of Urban Animal Welfare with Will Zweigart, Executive Director of Flatbush Cats
"Rescue and adoption actually don't scale. It doesn't matter how many you do—you're not preventing more from showing up." This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, OcuTrap, and The Community Cat Clinic. In this compelling episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacey LeBaron sits down with Will Zweigart, the visionary behind Flatbush Cats and creator of the investigative podcast Underfoot. Together, they unpack the "hidden cat crisis" affecting urban communities—particularly in New York City—and explore why traditional approaches to rescue and adoption fall short of creating lasting change. Will shares how his background in strategy and communications shaped a systems-level approach to animal welfare, leading to a bold realization: rescue alone doesn't scale. Instead, sustainable impact lies in increasing access to affordable veterinary care, particularly high-volume spay/neuter services. The conversation dives into the evolution from grassroots rescue work to launching a full-scale clinic, Flatbush Vet, which performed over 7,000 surgeries in a single year. This episode goes beyond storytelling—it's a blueprint for change. From addressing volunteer burnout to building scalable teams, advocating for municipal accountability, and reimagining the role of cities in animal welfare, Will outlines a transformative vision for 2035. Listeners will gain insight into how policy, funding, and public awareness intersect—and why nonprofits must often lead the charge in both service delivery and media storytelling. Whether you're a seasoned rescuer, nonprofit leader, or passionate advocate, this episode challenges you to think bigger, act strategically, and embrace solutions that create lasting impact for cats and communities alike. Press Play Now For: Why rescue and adoption alone cannot solve cat overpopulation The concept of the "hidden cat crisis" and why it lacks media coverage How scaling spay/neuter services creates measurable, long-term impact The transition from volunteer rescue work to building a veterinary clinic Practical strategies to prevent volunteer burnout through delegation and systems The role of municipalities—and why policy inaction is a key barrier A bold 2035 vision for animal welfare infrastructure in major cities How storytelling and media can drive awareness and systemic change Resources & Links Flatbush Cats Flatbush on Instagram Flatbush on Facebook Flatbush on TikTok Flatbush on YouTube Underfoot Flatbush Vet
April 21 · 22 min
Ep 661: From Stray Streets to Smart Shelters: Transforming Cat Welfare in Greece with Julie Kelley, Founder of Let's Be S.M.A.R.T.
"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, philanthropist, and founder of Let's Be Smart Greece—to explore how one vision is reshaping feline welfare across borders. Julie shares the story behind her move from the United States to Greece and how witnessing widespread stray populations sparked a mission rooted in education, community collaboration, and sustainable solutions. Through Let's Be Smart, Julie has developed a multifaceted model that blends Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), municipality partnerships, and innovative "Smart Yards" to create safer, more structured environments for community cats. Listeners will get an inside look at Julie's unique shelter concept—a home-like villa where cats live freely alongside volunteers from around the world. This approach not only improves feline well-being but also accelerates socialization and adoption success. Julie also discusses the organization's growing "adoption vacation" initiative, helping tourists responsibly bring Greek cats home after proper medical preparation. The conversation dives into recent legislative progress in Greece, the importance of youth education, and the evolving role of municipalities in animal welfare. Julie's long-term vision? A global shift toward more humane, integrated shelter models that treat animals as family—not inventory. Whether you're involved in rescue, advocacy, or simply love cats, this episode offers a powerful reminder: meaningful change happens when compassion meets strategy. Press Play Now For: How Let's Be Smart Greece is tackling the stray cat crisis through education and community partnerships The concept of "Smart Yards" and why structured feeding stations matter A behind-the-scenes look at a villa-style, home-based cat shelter model How international volunteers contribute to animal welfare efforts in Greece The rise of "adoption vacations" and how tourists can responsibly adopt abroad Why municipalities play a critical role in scaling TNR and veterinary access Julie Kelley's long-term vision for transforming global shelter standards Resources & Links Let's Be Smart Greece Julie Kelley at the Online Cat Conference 2022 Workaway Volunteer Program Nine Lives Greece (Acropolis Cat Initiative)
April 14 · 36 min
Ep 660: From Skeptics to Advocates: Launching TNR in an Underserved Rural Community with TyAnn Sumpter, Manager of Shelter Support at Charleston Animal Society
"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 of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with TyAnn Sumpter, Manager of Shelter Support at Charleston Animal Society, to walk through one of the most compelling TNR success stories in recent memory. TyAnn came to animal welfare from the business world, and it was that entrepreneurial mindset that helped her see past the resistance and build something lasting in Florence County, South Carolina. TyAnn shares how she designed and launched the region's first TNR initiative using existing call log data, enthusiastic volunteers, and animal control officers who already knew which neighborhoods needed help. What started as a one-year, grant-funded pilot ended up spaying and neutering 1,700 cats in year one alone. By year two, the shelter that had previously taken in roughly a thousand cats annually had dropped its intake to just 73. The ripple effects are just as remarkable. Neighboring Darlington County started calling to ask why they didn't have a program, and TyAnn helped them get set up. Florence County eventually hired its own dedicated community cat coordinator, purchased its own transport van, and secured permanent budget funding — all things that would have seemed unimaginable when TyAnn first walked through that shelter door. She also makes a compelling case for using complaint call reductions and cost savings to win over skeptical municipal administrators. Press Play Now For: How TyAnn built Florence County's first TNR program with no roadmap and no buy-in Why mining call log data was the key to finding the community's hidden cat advocates The dramatic shelter intake drop — from 1,000 cats per year to just 73 How the program expanded into neighboring counties and became permanently self-funded The role animal control officers played in identifying colonies and building community trust Making the financial case to county administrators using complaint call metrics How Charleston Animal Society handles high-volume TNR surgeries two hours away Why a nonjudgmental, community-first approach is the most powerful tool in TNR The unexpected expansions: pet pantries, low-cost owned-cat spay/neuter, and more Resources & Links: Charleston Animal Society TyAnn Sumpter on LinkedIn Best Friends Animal Society United Spay Alliance
April 7 · 26 min
Ep 656: Bridging the Gap in Access to Care with Claire Schuch, Associate Director of Research for University of Tennessee, Knoxville Center for Pet Family Well-Being
"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 Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with researcher Claire Shuch, PhD, to unpack the latest findings from a groundbreaking national study on barriers to veterinary care. Drawing from her work with the University of Tennessee Knoxville's Program for Pet Health Equity, Claire shares insights from the updated Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Insights from Pet Families report. This research builds on the foundational 2018 study and reveals how economic pressures, workforce shortages, and lingering pandemic effects continue to shape how—and whether—families can care for their pets. Listeners will discover surprising truths about who struggles to access care (hint: it's not just low-income households), why many cats remain unspayed or unvaccinated, and how logistical challenges like scheduling and clinic availability play a major role. The conversation also explores the broader "One Health" framework, highlighting how human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. For community cat advocates, this episode offers valuable context on intake trends, stray adoption patterns, and opportunities for intervention through education and accessible services. Claire also paints a compelling vision of a more integrated future—where human and animal healthcare services are co-located or mobile, reaching underserved communities more effectively. Whether you're a rescuer, veterinarian, policymaker, or passionate cat lover, this episode provides both data-driven insights and hopeful possibilities for improving care access nationwide. Press Play Now For: Key findings from the latest national veterinary care access study Why affordability is only part of the access problem Insights into cat ownership trends and stray intake patterns The real reasons cats aren't always spayed or neutered How COVID-19 reshaped pet ownership and care challenges The growing impact of veterinary workforce shortages A practical introduction to the "One Health" model Innovative ideas for co-located and mobile care services How community programs can better support both pets and people Resources & Links Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers and Insights from Pet Families University of Tennessee Knoxville – Program for Pet Health Equity (PPHE) One Health Community Forum (Maddie's Fund) Original 2018 Access to Veterinary Care Study (AVCC) Episode Update! Since the recording of this episode, The Program for Pet Health Equity (PPHE) is now the Center for Pet Family Well-Being (CPFW). The links listed above and mentioned in the episode should forward you to the new, relevant information, but you can check out this article for all the details about the change.
March 31 · 33 min
Ep 658: The Cat Health Breakthrough No One Thought Was Possible with Steve Dale, Pet Journalist and Renowned Advocate
"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 expert and advocate Steve Dale to explore groundbreaking advancements in feline health that are changing—and saving—lives. Steve shares the deeply personal story of his cat Ricky, whose diagnosis with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) sparked a decades-long mission to fund critical research through the EveryCat Health Foundation. What began as heartbreak has led to hope, including the development of a promising drug that can reverse heart enlargement in cats when caught early. The conversation then turns to one of the most historically devastating feline diseases: FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). Once considered a death sentence, FIP is now treatable thanks to years of persistence, research funding, and global collaboration. Steve walks us through the science, the setbacks, and the stunning breakthrough that has saved countless kittens—and even contributed to antiviral treatments used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the science, this episode highlights the evolving human-cat bond, the importance of understanding feline behavior, and why we are truly living in the "era of the cat." Whether you're a shelter professional, foster caregiver, or devoted cat owner, this conversation will leave you informed, inspired, and hopeful about the future of feline welfare. Press Play Now For: The surprising origin story of a piano-playing cat that changed everything How one cat's diagnosis led to life-saving HCM research A clear, accessible explanation of FIP and why it was once always fatal The breakthrough antiviral treatments now curing FIP in kittens How feline research contributed to human COVID-19 treatment Why understanding animal behavior can prevent bites and build trust The growing momentum behind "The Year (and Decade) of the Cat" Resources & Links EveryCat Health Foundation Steve Dale's Blog & Newsletter Ask the Dog by Steve Dale FIP Warriors Zen By Cat
March 24 · 35 min
Ep 657: Feline Leukemia Explained: What Every Cat Lover Needs to Know About FeLV with Margaret Tompkins, Feline Leukemia Expert & Advocate
"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 episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes feline leukemia advocate and expert Margaret Tompkins to break down the myths, realities, and latest advancements surrounding this complex virus. Margaret shares her personal journey into the world of FeLV advocacy, sparked by a group of rescue kittens that changed her life. From there, she dives into the science behind feline leukemia, explaining how it differs from FIV, how it spreads, and why today's understanding of the disease is far more hopeful than it was just a few decades ago. Listeners will gain clarity on key topics such as progressive vs. regressive infections, the importance of spay/neuter in disease prevention, and whether testing is always necessary—especially in TNR (trap-neuter-return) programs. Margaret also tackles one of the most emotional questions caregivers face: what to do when a cat tests positive, and why euthanasia should not be the default response. The conversation also explores managing mixed households, vaccine advancements (including promising new mRNA technology), and how strong immune systems play a critical role in outcomes for FeLV-positive cats. Whether you're a rescuer, foster, veterinarian, or cat lover, this episode offers practical guidance, science-backed insights, and a much-needed shift in perspective. Feline leukemia is no longer a guaranteed death sentence—and with education, compassion, and proactive care, these cats can live meaningful, happy lives. Press Play Now For: The critical difference between FeLV and FIV—and why it matters How feline leukemia is actually transmitted (and common misconceptions) Why spay/neuter is the most powerful tool for disease prevention When testing is essential—and when it's not worth the cost Understanding progressive vs. regressive FeLV infections What to do if your vet suggests euthanasia after a positive test How to safely manage mixed households with FeLV-positive cats The latest breakthroughs in FeLV vaccines, including mRNA technology Why many FeLV-positive cats can live long, healthy lives Resources & Links Community Cats Podcast YouTube Library (FeLV Playlist) FIV/FeLV Positive Cats Facebook Group
March 17 · 29 min
Ep 656: Building a Culture of TNR with Chelsea Winter, Community Cat Program Manager at Street Cat Hub
"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 neighborhoods? In this episode, Stacy LeBaron sits down with Chelsea Winter, Community Cat Program Manager at Street Cat Hub in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to explore how targeted, whole-colony TNR is driving measurable impact — including a 30% drop in kitten intake at the local shelter. Chelsea shares how her journey from bottle-feeding neonatal kittens led her to a deeper question: What's causing this constant flood of kittens? That curiosity turned into a strategic, data-driven approach to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), focused on empowering community caretakers to trap entire colonies at once — not piecemeal. With more than 50,000 cats sterilized in the organization's history and 6,000 cats fixed annually, Street Cat Hub combines municipal contracts, mapping technology, community education, and high-volume clinic capacity to create sustainable change. Instead of working strictly from a first-come, first-served waitlist, the team targets "hot pockets" identified through shelter intake data, DOA mapping, and caretaker requests — maximizing impact in concentrated areas. Chelsea also shares practical insights on managing waitlists, engaging reluctant feeders, navigating mixed colonies, and building a culture where TNR becomes a shared community responsibility. If you're looking for a scalable, collaborative model that reduces kitten intake and improves live outcomes, this episode delivers both inspiration and a tactical roadmap. Press Play Now For: How Street Cat Hub reached 50,000 sterilizations Why whole-colony trapping is more effective than piecemeal TNR The strategy behind 3-day mass trapping events How mapping shelter intakes and DOAs guides targeted intervention What to do when caretakers won't pull food Managing an 800-colony waitlist without burning out How municipal contracts support sustainable TNR programs Why affordable spay/neuter for owned cats is essential Proof that focused TNR reduces kitten intake by 30% Resources & Links: Street Cat Hub Street Cat Hub on Facebook

The Community Cats Podcast

Ep 675: Cats Pick Their People: Inside Florida's First Cat Cafe Franchise with Sandra Cagan Founder & CEO of the Orlando Cat Cafe

Ep 674: From One Alley Cat to 700 Spay/Neuter Surgeries a Year with Debra Magaldi, Director of CatPAWS

Ep 673: The 42-Point Gap Between Loving Your Cat and Getting It to the Vet with Gina Fortunato, Executive Director of the CATalyst Council with Kristin Wuhrman

Ep 672: How Mumbai's Feline Foundation Is Systematically Tackling a Million-Cat City with Pallavi Kamath, Executive Director of The Feline Foundation, Mumbai, India

Ep 671: Saving the African Wildcat: The Race Against Hybridization in South Africa with Louise Holton, President & Founder, and Debbie Holzer, Development & Fundraising Manager, Alley Cat Rescue

Ep 670: Bridging the Gap Between Vets and Community Cat Caregivers with Dr. Kevin Lynch, DVM, Veterinarian, Author, and Founder of The Moriches Hospital for Animals

Ep 669: 10 Years of Community Cats Podcast: A Conversation with Stacy, Kristen, and Mike

Ep 668: City Kitties: Inside New York's Bodega Cat Movement, with Dan Rimada, Founder of Bodega Cats of New York and Co-Founder of Cats About Town Tours

Ep 667: Building the Prevention Layer Animal Welfare Has Been Missing, with BJ Adkins, Founder and Director of Animal Angels Foundation

Ep 666: Holistic Health for Community Cats - What Nature Already Provides with Angela Ardolino Certified Cannabis & Fungi Clinician and Founder of MycoDog, MycoCat & CBD Dog Health

Ep 665: From One to Many: Building a Neighborhood-Based Community Cat Program with Tonya Cook, Community Cat Program Manager at Ohio Alleycat Resource

Ep 664: When the Uh-Oh Happens: Pet First Aid and CPR for Every Cat Caregiver with Arden Moore, America's Pet Health and Safety Coach

Ep 663: Kitten Season Is Coming: What the Data Says and What to Do About It with Tori Fugate, Director of SAC Communications for the ASPCA

Ep 662: Scaling Spay/Neuter, Systems Thinking, and the Future of Urban Animal Welfare with Will Zweigart, Executive Director of Flatbush Cats

Ep 661: From Stray Streets to Smart Shelters: Transforming Cat Welfare in Greece with Julie Kelley, Founder of Let's Be S.M.A.R.T.

Ep 660: From Skeptics to Advocates: Launching TNR in an Underserved Rural Community with TyAnn Sumpter, Manager of Shelter Support at Charleston Animal Society

Ep 656: Bridging the Gap in Access to Care with Claire Schuch, Associate Director of Research for University of Tennessee, Knoxville Center for Pet Family Well-Being

Ep 658: The Cat Health Breakthrough No One Thought Was Possible with Steve Dale, Pet Journalist and Renowned Advocate

Ep 657: Feline Leukemia Explained: What Every Cat Lover Needs to Know About FeLV with Margaret Tompkins, Feline Leukemia Expert & Advocate

Ep 656: Building a Culture of TNR with Chelsea Winter, Community Cat Program Manager at Street Cat Hub