The Community Cats Podcast

"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

"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

"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 goal is really to do the maximum good. Not bring in kittens who don't need to be there today, but make sure we have a plan for the future … and importantly that we have a plan to return and sterilize everyone…"

his episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Workshop, and The Community Cat Clinic.

What if the key to saving more kittens isn't working harder — but working smarter?

In this powerful return to the show, Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw, humane educator and founder of Orphan Kitten Club, joins Stacy LeBaron to unpack the biggest shifts in kitten welfare over the past decade. Celebrating 10 years of impact, Hannah shares compelling national data showing a 35% drop in kitten non-live outcomes — and explains why foster programs, community education, and strategic data use are driving real change.

But the conversation doesn't stop there.

Hannah breaks down the "CASA" method — a practical, field-ready framework for deciding when to intervene (and when not to) if you find kittens outdoors. She dives deep into "Full Circle TNR," a strategic approach that turns every kitten intake into an opportunity to identify and sterilize entire colonies — addressing the source, not just the symptom.

You'll also hear insights from the 2025 Hill's State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report, including surprising trends around foster participation, generational differences, fear of attachment, and misconceptions about cost. If your organization struggles with foster recruitment or retention, this episode is a must-listen.

As kitten season approaches, Hannah shares exactly how shelters can prepare now — from staffing and supply planning to smarter data tracking and community messaging.

This is a masterclass in kitten strategy, sustainability, and compassion.

Press Play Now For:

• The 35% national decrease in kitten non-live outcomes — and what's driving it
• Why 80% of pre-adoption age kittens come from outdoors
• The CASA method for deciding when to intervene with outdoor kittens
• How "Full Circle TNR" turns kitten intake into colony sterilization
• Why foster participation is dropping — even as awareness rises
• The real story behind foster affordability (and why messaging matters)
• How to improve foster retention by improving access to care
• The one data metric every shelter should track before kitten season
• Strategic March planning tips to prepare for peak kitten volume

Resources & Links:

• Orphan Kitten Club
• Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw)
• Hill's State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report

"The board should govern, and the executive director should lead the day-to-day operations. When those lines blur, that's when things get messy."

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Workshop, and The Community Cat Clinic.

Strong missions save lives but strong governance sustains them.

In this essential episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Tim Crum, CEO and founder of Animal Shelter

Services, for a deep dive into nonprofit board governance. If you've ever wondered what a board of directors should be doing (versus what they often end up doing), this conversation is for you.

Tim breaks down the core purpose of a nonprofit board: governance, not operations. From fiduciary responsibility to strategic planning, he outlines the three legal duties every board member must understand—duty of loyalty, duty of care, and duty of obedience (think "LOCO" to remember them). He also shares real-world examples of common governance missteps, including conflicts of interest, related board members, executive directors serving as voting board members, and the risks of poorly documented board minutes.

For growing animal welfare organizations—especially those transitioning from all-volunteer to staffed operations—this episode offers practical guidance on when to hire an executive director, how to structure bylaws and policies, and why board composition matters. Tim also addresses board giving requirements, succession planning, and how to recruit skilled board members by first getting your "house in order."

Whether you're a founder wearing too many hats, a seasoned board member, or stepping into governance for the first time, this episode provides clear, actionable insights to help your organization grow responsibly, ethically, and sustainably.

Good governance isn't just paperwork…it's the foundation for saving more lives.

Press Play Now For:

• The three legal duties of nonprofit board members—and why most people don't know they have them
• What Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance actually protects
• Real-life examples of governance "missteps" and how to avoid them
• Why accurate board minutes are your organization's legal safety net
• The difference between bylaws, policies, and standard operating procedures
• When (and how) to hire an executive director
• Why related board members can create major conflicts of interest
• The ideal board size for animal welfare organizations
• Whether board members should have a financial giving requirement
• Practical strategies for recruiting strong, skilled board members

Resources & Links:

• An Animal Shelter's Guide to Board Governance by Tim Crum Available at https://animalshelterguide.com
• Animal Shelter Services
• Tim's Previous Podcast Appearance: Community Cats Podcast Episode 611

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Trapper's Tips & Tricks Certification Workshop, and The Community Cat Clinic.

In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Cheryl McCormick, CEO of the Athens Area Humane Society, for an energetic and inspiring conversation on scaling high-impact, humane strategies for managing community cats. Drawing on her rich background in wildlife ecology and nonprofit leadership, Cheryl shares how her visit to Operation Catnip in Florida sparked a major shift in her organization's approach—resulting in a game-changing, high-volume spay/neuter initiative dubbed "Snip & Tip."

Listeners will hear how Cheryl and her team implemented this model in Georgia, overcoming scorching summer heat, logistical hurdles, and community challenges to sterilize 166 cats in just two days. She outlines the lean-staff, volunteer-driven model powered by professional trappers, strategic scheduling, and strong partnerships with funders. The episode is filled with practical strategies, insights into vet school partnerships, and tips for leveraging data and geography to reduce feline overpopulation—especially in underserved rural areas.

If you're looking for ways to improve cat welfare, build collaborative rescue models, or create sustainable TNR programs, this episode is a masterclass in innovation and impact at scale.

Press Play Now For:

• How a visit to Operation Catnip inspired a major organizational pivot
• Strategies for high-volume, low-cost sterilization events in rural areas
• Why Cheryl believes cat care is a powerful public health initiative
• Building sustainable vet pipelines through early student engagement
• The magic of "stone soup" funding models for humane programs
• Tips on starting community-based "cat action teams" and local satellite support

Resources & Links:

• Athens Area Humane Society
• Operation Catnip
• RedRover
• Shelter Animals Count
• Fix Georgia Pets
• BISSELL Pet Foundation - Fix the Future
• Georgia Pet Foundation

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Underfoot Podcast, and The Community Cat Clinic.

When a pet emergency nearly cost him both his beloved dog and thousands of dollars, Pietro Kabeya decided enough was enough. In this compelling episode, Stacy LeBaron chats with Pietro, the founder of Farevet, an app designed to bring price transparency and affordability to veterinary care.

Pietro shares the emotional story of his dog King, whose medical emergency revealed an alarming disparity in vet costs—from a $5,000 quote to the same procedure for $1,500 just miles apart. This experience sparked his mission to build a platform where pet parents can compare vet prices in real time, crowdsource cost estimates, and avoid unnecessary financial stress during moments of crisis.

Listeners will discover how FareVet works, why price transparency matters, and how the veterinary care landscape varies across regions. Pietro also introduces their upcoming AI chatbot, which aims to simplify the vet search process and help users budget for their pet's care more accurately. Whether you're rescuing community cats or navigating your own pet's health journey, this conversation is a must-hear for anyone seeking to turn compassion into action—and save money doing it.

Press Play Now For:

• The origin story behind FairVet and the emergency that changed everything
• How massive price discrepancies in vet care sparked a tech revolution
• A look at how crowdsourced data powers the FairVet platform
• Why itemized vet bills confuse pet parents—and how to decode them
• An inside scoop on FairVet's AI assistant and its budgeting potential
• Advice for pet parents navigating emergency care and economic euthanasia

Resources & Links:

• FareVet.com

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, The Underfoot Podcast, and The Community Cat Clinic.

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Angie Krause, a holistic small-animal veterinarian from Boulder, Colorado, and her veterinary nurse, JoJo Smith. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of feline veterinary care, community cat welfare, and the powerful human-animal bond that fuels it all.

Dr. Angie shares her lifelong love for cats and how her holistic approach—combined with home visits and mobile vet care—provides a less stressful, more authentic picture of feline health. JoJo opens up about the unique emotional richness of end-of-life care and the urgent need to advocate for underserved cats with the same passion and grace we afford to dogs.

From discussing consent in feline handling to championing spay/neuter accessibility and the nuances of community cat caregiving, this conversation will leave you both inspired and informed. You'll also learn about their podcast, Tails of Truth: The Truth About Veterinary Medicine, which dives deeper into these topics.

Whether you're a cat parent, TNR advocate, or simply feline curious, this episode is your invitation to better understand and uplift the cats in your life and community.

Press Play Now For:

• Why consent matters in feline veterinary care
• The unique value of in-home visits for understanding cats
• How Colorado's spay/neuter infrastructure impacts cat populations
• The emotional depth of end-of-life decisions for cats
• Strategies to approach vet visits with grace and empathy
• The role of language in reshaping perceptions about "feral" cats
• How to advocate for cats—even if you don't have one at home

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Angie Krause's website: boulderholisticvet.com
• Podcast: Tails of Truth: The Truth About Veterinary Medicine (available on all major platforms + YouTube)
• Community Cats Central Paper Collar Template
• Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society

"The cat was telling me—I was just the one writing it down."

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, and The Underfoot Podcast.

What if there were a scientifically validated system to help shy, fearful, or traumatized cats become adoptable and happy? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jacklyn Ellis, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Director of Behavior at the Toronto Humane Society, sits down with host Stacy LeBaron to share her groundbreaking work in feline behavior and welfare. With a PhD in animal welfare and a passion ignited in second grade, Dr. Ellis has built a career helping cats communicate their needs through data-driven insights.

At the heart of the conversation is Dr. Ellis's revolutionary ordinal rating scale system, used to assess behaviors like food intake, response to petting, and play participation. She explains how this simple yet powerful tool not only improves individual case outcomes but also transforms how shelters approach feline care on a larger scale. Hear about whimsical enrichment rooms sponsored by brands, the unique challenges of conflict aggression, and why indoor-only cats need enrichment just as much as their outdoor counterparts.

If you're working with "in-betweener" cats—those that sit on the fence between adoptable and feral—this episode is packed with tools, inspiration, and insights to turn passion into meaningful outcomes.

Press Play Now For:

• The backstory behind Dr. Ellis's career in feline behavior
• How the Toronto Humane Society tracks and improves cat welfare
• The power of data in managing behavioral interventions
• Creative enrichment solutions that benefit both cats and adopters
• The truth about barn cat programs and their perception in urban areas
• Dealing with tough cases like conflict aggression and "dive bombing" cats
• How to help indoor-only cats live their best lives

Resources & Links:

• Feline Behavioral Ordinal Rating Scale Training (Free Course)
• Toronto Humane Society
• Dr. Ellis's research publications

Follow & Review:

We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then share a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

"No matter what's going on out there, there's always hope."

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund, The Animal Rights Foundation, and The Underfoot Podcast.

What happens to cats deemed unadoptable due to behavioral challenges? In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Mary Scott, Director of the ASAP Working Cats Program in Santa Barbara, California. With over 17 years of animal welfare experience, Mary sheds light on the complex and often misunderstood issue of behavioral euthanasia in shelters—and offers a powerful alternative.

Mary shares how her Working Cats program provides safe, fulfilling lives for semi-social and non-social cats who might otherwise face euthanasia. By partnering with cat-savvy caretakers and relocating these felines to barns, sheds, or outbuildings, the program offers these cats a chance to thrive in an environment aligned with their needs. Through structured acclimation, sound matching, and supportive protocols, Mary and her team have achieved a remarkable 95% live release rate and a 67%+ retention rate for placed cats.

This candid and inspiring conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about finding innovative solutions to shelter overpopulation, reducing euthanasia rates, and celebrating every cat's right to a dignified life.

Press Play Now For:

• A clear definition of behavioral euthanasia and how it impacts shelter cats
• How Working Cats programs provide life-saving alternatives
• The step-by-step relocation process for cats in the program
• Tips for matching cats with suitable caretakers and environments
• The role of shelters, resources, and flexibility in saving lives
• National stats on cat euthanasia and reasons for hope
• Real-life success stories like DeLorean and Wobble

Resources & Links:

• ASAP Cats Working Cats Program
• Community Cats Central
• Shelter Animals Count

Follow & Review

We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then share a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.