The Community Cats Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Mary Chromek, Neonatal Kitten Foster Jul 13, 2019

Show notes

Stacy chats with Mary Chromek, who has been fostering neonatal (bottle baby) kittens for over 10 years now. A cat person since she was a child, Mary found that cats really helped with her depression and anxiety, and as she got older, she decided to give back by fostering for local organizations. She soon realized there was a real need for bottle baby fosters, and learned everything she could about this specialized area of foster care.

Mary and Stacy discuss some specifics around bottle baby care, including Mary's preferred supplies, and some information on treating fleas on neonates. Mary also offers some great tips on how to determine if kittens found alone outdoors really need help.

One thing Mary has come to believe over her years of fostering is that if more organizations were able to support their foster homes more fully—with all the training and supplies they need—more people would be willing to help, and this, in turn, would save more feline lives. With this in mind, Mary is in the process of starting up her own nonprofit, Foster Purrs, that will specialize in neonates. "I just want to save lives and fully support the fosters so more people are willing," she tells Stacy.

To learn more about Mary's work, you can find Foster Purrs (and their Amazon wishlist) on Facebook and Instagram.

Steve Lawrence, Director of "The Cat Rescuers" Jul 06, 2019

Show notes

Steve Lawrence, an award-winning filmmaker previously interviewed by Stacy on CCP Episode 178, returns to CCP to discuss the documentary film he co-directed, The Cat Rescuers. The film premiered in October 2018 at the Hamptons International Film Festival, where it won an award for "giving voice to the voiceless."

Since then, Steve and his production company have set about making the film available for community screenings that can be used as fundraisers for rescue and TNR groups. This can be done either directly through the filmmakers, or through an online platform called Tugg, which will take care of the logistical details for you.

Steve tells Stacy that his intention with this film was to make something that would help raise awareness about TNR and adoptions. One of the other points of the film was to make the point that much of this work that is being done to help cats is done on a volunteer basis and that the groups around the country need ways to sustain themselves. Steve hopes that the film allows people to raise awareness in their own communities about what it takes to do this kind of work, and also about why and how TNR is effective.

"Our intention was to make a film that would be of use to the rescue community not only in the U.S. but around the world—but we also wanted to make a film that would be emotionally engaging and sufficiently entertaining that it would grab an average viewer who's just looking for a good story, for an interesting story with compelling characters—and I think we've achieved both."

To learn more about The Cat Rescuers, including where/how to attend or host a screening, visit the film's website. To host a screening where the details (like finding a location and ticket sales) are all taken care of for you, go can go through Tugg's online booking interface.

Dr. Sara Pizano, DVM, Team Shelter USA Jun 29, 2019

Show notes

Stacy sits down with Dr. Sara Pizano (a previous CCP guest on Episode 56, Episode 171, and Episodes 246and 247) to discuss Dr. Pizano's new book, The Best Practice Playbook for Animal Shelters. The book is a result of the more than 100 assessments Dr. Pizano has done at shelters around the country as a Team Shelter USA consultant. She realized that the shelters she was working with were all struggling with the same issues. More importantly, she realized that the solutions needed to decrease euthanasia rates were always the same—so she decided to write this playbook so that those solutions can be used by anyone, anywhere.

Dr. Pizano's number one tip, which she shares in this interview with Stacy, is that your shelter space should be used only for animals with no other options. Dr. Pizano discusses with Stacy her belief that there should be no stray hold periods for cats, and her strong belief in Return-to-Field.

She & Stacy go on to discuss the best ways to talk to your elected officials, and what kind of data to focus on. "Get the information," Dr. Pizano says, "present the facts in a very professional way—not emotional—and just educate your elected officials."

Finally, Dr. Pizano talks more about her new book. It is for everyone, no matter what role you play in animal welfare, and it includes lots of success stories. The idea, Dr. Pizano tells Stacy, is to change your perspective and inspire you. "This is about the answers that every single sheltering community has at their fingertips," she says.

The Best Practice Playbook for Animal Shelters is available now through Amazon. To learn more about having an assessment done at your shelter, visit the Team Shelter USA website.

Peter Wolf, Research & Policy Analyst for Best Friends Animal Society Jun 22, 2019

Show notes

Peter Wolf, previously featured on CCP Episode 74, joins Stacy again, this time to discuss a newly released research paper that he and Dan Spehar (CCP Episode 240) have co-authored. The paper, titled "Integrated Return-To-Field and Targeted Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return Programs Result in Reductions of Feline Intake and Euthanasia at Six Municipal Animal Shelters," has been published inFrontiers in Veterinary Science, an online, peer-reviewed journal.

For this paper, Peter and Dan pulled a very large set of data (around 73,000 cats) from six of Best Friends' Community Cat Programs. These programs are staffed by Best Friends and the locations are selected through a highly competitive application process. They all integrate Return-to-Field (RTF) with targeted TNR programs, a combination that Peter feels is vital to success.

Across the board over these programs during the research period, Peter and Dan found a median decrease in feline euthanasia of 83%, a median decrease in feline intake of 32%, and a median reduction in intake of kittens ages eight weeks or under of 41%. All of this data, Peter says, adds to the body of information telling us that community cat programs offer a real benefit to shelters, the community and the cats.

To learn more about Best Friends, their work with community cats, and their upcoming conference, visit their website. You can also contact Peter directly with questions, or read his and Dan Spehar's full paper here.

Scott Giacoppo, Director of National Shelter Outreach, Best Friends Animal Society Jun 15, 2019

Show notes

Scott Giacoppo (previously interviewed by Stacy on CCP Episode 25) has been involved in animal welfare since 1989. Among other roles, he has worked as an animal control officer and a special state police officer for cruelty investigations. He currently serves as the Director of National Shelter Outreach for Best Friends Animal Society.

In this role, Scott oversees the development of life-saving efficacy and sustainability for animal welfare agencies across the United States. He & his team provide support to each of the eight Best Friends regions, working with the regional teams in each area that are working directly with individual shelters to help them accomplish their missions.

Scott's team works mostly with municipal agencies, and he tells Stacy that more & more agencies are recognizing what we've been doing for decades to decrease the community cat population—trap & remove—is just not working, so more and more agencies are now embracing TNR.

Scott sees this as part of a shift toward animal control becoming more of a proactive resource, instead of just a reactive one, as it has so often been in the past. Scott and Stacy also discuss the "best practices" resources he has helped gather, covering everything from how to do managed intake to how to conduct a dangerous dog investigation. All of these resources are available to download for free on the Best Friends website.

In addition, Scott and Stacy talk about some recent policy changes around cats at the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA), including abandoning their support for cat licensing and publicly recognizing that trap and remove does not work to control community cat populations.

To learn more, visit the Best Friends website or email Scott directly. You can find the Community Cats best practices manual here and the Humane Animal Control Manual here.

Jackson Cunningham, Founder of Tuft + Paw Jun 08, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Stacy talks with Jackson Cunningham, founder of Tuft + Paw, a modern cat furniture company. Jackson and his girlfriend and business partner both have had cats all their lives, and describe themselves as obsessed with cats. After a trip to South America in which they observed stray cats being treated like pests, they swore that if a business opportunity came along that allowed them to help the stray cat community, they would jump on it.

Fast forward a few months, and Jackson and his girlfriend had just moved into a beautiful new apartment that they wanted to furnish for both themselves and their cat. The problem was, they couldn't find much in the way of nice, high-quality cat furniture. This was when the idea for Tuft + Paw was born.

Tuft + Paw works with cat behaviorists, veterinarians, and even shelters to design from the ground up. They currently sell both their own products and products made by others, but as they expand their own design and manufacturing, one thing they are very focused on is sustainability. Not only do they try to make sure their products will last for life (or have replaceable parts, like the sisal on cat trees), they are also careful to source materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible, like recycled ocean plastic.

Jackson and Stacy also talk about e-commerce and affiliate programs (and how they can help shelters), as well as the pitfalls of social media in terms of where the best bang for your buck is. Tuft + Paw has recently launched both an affiliate program and a unique referral program benefitting the Stray Cat Alliance in Los Angeles.

To learn more, visit the Tuft + Paw website or follow them on Instagram. Shelters interested in exploring being part of the Tuft + Paw affiliate program, can emailJackson directly.

Sarah Dunsmore, CDE Animal Cages Jun 01, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Stacy is joined by Sarah Dunsmore, who co-owns CDE Animal Cages with her husband. Lifelong animal lovers, Sarah and her husband purchased the thirty-year old company several years ago and decided to shift its focus to helping shelter and rescue groups. As a small, family-owned company, CDE wants to help connect shelters and rescues with caging that helps keep their animals healthier, and helps make their staff's jobs easier.

Sarah and Stacy discuss how changes in cat caging—including the "portalization" of cat cages—have run parallel to the shift from high euthanasia rates saving as many cat lives as possible. CDE cat cages have portals that can connect cages horizontally or vertically, as well as individual panels that can be easily removed, allowing shelters to customize their caging arrangement. In fact, one of Sarah's favorite things is working with individual groups to truly customize their cages so they can get exactly what will work best for their space and their needs.

Another unique offering at CDE is catios. CDE got involved with the Oregon Feral Cat Coalition's "Cats Safe at Home" campaign* a couple years ago, and since then, have really become enthusiastic about catios. Sarah and Stacy talk about how catios benefit cats mentally and physically, and also benefit birds and wildlife by keeping them safe from cats. CDE can cater to whatever individuals or groups have in mind for their catios.

To learn more, visit the CDE Animal Cageswebsite. From there, you can also feel free to call or email. Sarah is always happy to start a conversation about how CDE can help you and your group.

*Stacy interviewed Karen Kraus of the Oregon Feral Cat Coalition, along with Bob Sallinger of the Aubudon Society of Portland, in CCP Episode 262. Check it out to learn more about the Cats Safe at Home campaign.

Christina Ha, Cat Camp & Meow Parlour Cat Café May 25, 2019

Show notes

Christina Ha joins Stacy again (having been interviewed by Stacy in CCP episode 144 and episode 245), this time to discuss the third annual Cat Camp event, to be held this June 1 and 2 in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Christina, who is one of the co-founders of Meow Parlour cat café, founded Cat Camp in 2017 as a resource for the many people who were asking her about how they could help cats and learn more about them. Cat Camp is for anyone who likes cats, whether you're a cat owner who wants to learn more about your pet, a shelter or rescue worker or volunteer, or just someone who thinks Cat Camp sounds interesting. Basically, Christina tells Stacy, "If you love cats, we'll have something for you this weekend." In past years, between 2,000 and 3,000 people have attended Cat Camp each year, and this year looks like it will be just as well attended, with people from 30 states and 9 countries having already purchased tickets. This year's speakers include many previous CCP guests, including Jackson Galaxy, "Kitten Lady" Hannah Shaw, Nikki Martinez, and Dr. Mikel Delgado, plus many more. This year, Cat Camp is really "leaning in" to the "camp" theme, with speakers (aka "camp counselors") also holding small-scale "counseling" sessions on more in-depth topics. Attendees will be able to ask the experts directly about the topics at hand. Understandably, these sessions sold out immediately! Cat Camp will also have tons of vendors this year, with offerings from jewelry to veterinary advice. In addition, Meow Parlour will be setting up an onsite cat café at the event for the first time. Cat Camp has also partnered with ASPCA this year to offer TNR certification during the event. Earning your certification will get you access to free spay/neuter for trapped cats through the ASPCA's program! To learn more or buy your tickets, visit the Cat Camp website—and be sure to stop by the CCP booth at Cat Camp to say hi to Kristen (our technical cat) and get some CCP swag!

Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs, Neighborhood Cats May 18, 2019

Show notes

For the 300thepisode of Community Cats Podcast, Stacy is joined by Bryan Kortis, Director of National Programs for Neighborhood Cats. Previously featured on CCP Episode 13, Episode 127, and Episode 218, Bryan is back to talk about how things are going for community cats in Hawaii, and about the new book he has co-authored. And of course, he and Stacy discuss the ongoing webinar series that CCP and Neighborhood Cats are partnering on.

Bryan, who is now located in Hawaii, reports that Neighborhood Cats has established a great partnership with the Maui Humane Society. MHS has a high-volume spay/neuter clinic that handles community cats, and over the past two years, the shelter has seen live release rates for cats go from around 25% to over 90%! He is also seeing some progress on Oahu as a result of working with humane organizations there.

In general, the wildlife and conservation community is still opposed to TNR in Hawaii, and Bryan reports that Neighborhood Cats' early efforts to sit down with these groups to get on the same page did not meet with success. So they have chosen to focus on the work at hand—how to get the cats under control—rather than on trying to convince the "other side" of the merits of TNR. Bryan feels that people are hungry for practical solutions, so Neighborhood Cats just keeps on doing the work they feel needs to be done. "We don't ignore the concerns," he says, "but we're not going to let the debate stop us from making progress."

Bryan also has a new book out called The Return to Field Handbook, which he co-authored with HSUS's Danielle Bays and two other leaders in the community cat world. The book arose as people were starting to think that Return to Field (RTF) was a good idea, but didn't have a lot of information on how to implement such a program. So the authors decided to put together a handbook to start to build a base of knowledge around RTF.

Stacy and Bryan talk at length about some of the keys to an RTF program, and also some of the sticking points for shelters—particularly dealing with healthy, friendly cats. Bryan cautions against going on an "auto-pilot" or one-size-fits-all approach and notes that each individual cat's circumstances must be examined carefully. He also notes that "TNR and RTF…are two sides of the same coin; they're both parts of a good community cat program."

To learn more or get your copy of The Return to Field Handbook, visit the Neighborhood Cats website's resource section. You can also get a copy of the book, as well as more information on TNR and RTF at the Humane Society of the United States website.

Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals, HSUS May 11, 2019

Show notes

Lindsay Hamrick, Policy Director for Companion Animals at the Humane Society of the United States, works to support local, state and federal policies protecting pets. She holds an M.S. in Animals & Public Policy from Tufts University and was the New Hampshire state director for HSUS prior to her current role. She spent ten years as CEO at three different New Hampshire animal shelters and, like so many of our guests, knew from a very young age that she wanted to work with animals.

In her operational positions, Lindsay came to realize how much policy can affect the work of animal shelters—even though most shelter workers are so busy they often can't pause to think about it until they have to. For Lindsay, one of those "have to" moments was in dealing with the New Hampshire state restriction on adopting out FIV and FeLV+ cats. She worked to change that rule, and she is now trying to take her "on-the-ground" experience in shelter operations and apply it on a national, policy level. Lindsay tells us that it's important not only to make sure that there aren't negative policies affecting the community cat population but that it's also critical to be proactive and progressive about policy.

Lindsay and Stacy speak at length about the incredibly successful Spay-a-Thon for Puerto Rico program, as well as the current state of affairs for animals in Puerto Rico. They also touch on some "hot topics" in legislation affecting community cats around the country right now, including some good bills in the works in the Midwest.

To learn more about HSUS and their work with community cats, you can contact Lindsay directly via email or you can reach out to Danielle Bays, Director of Cat Protection and Policy at HSUS.

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