The Shelter Cats Podcast

The “TrapKing” himself, Sterling Davis, joins us as our special Season 5 premiere guest!

Sterling “TrapKing” Davis is a well-traveled, ex-military, music and cat enthusiast who has always loved entertaining and connecting with people. Growing up, he was often the only guy in his neighborhood championing a love for cats. While taking a hiatus from touring with his rap group, Sterling spotted a job opening cleaning litter boxes at his local shelter. Looking for a meaningful way to spend his time, he applied—and the trajectory of his life changed completely.

Sterling quickly fell in love with shelter work and was promoted to an outreach role centered on Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)—the proven, humane method for managing community cat populations. Recognizing his true calling, he stepped away from the music industry full-time to devote his life to feline advocacy.

In 2017, he founded the nonprofit Trapking Humane Cat Solutions, dedicated to hands-on TNR, community cat management, and grassroots education. Sterling’s mission breaks through barriers: shattering outdated stereotypes around men in animal rescue and bridging vital communication gaps between Black communities and predominantly white animal welfare spaces. He lives and breathes his defining motto: You don’t lose cool points for compassion.

Today, Sterling is an internationally sought-after speaker, headlining major events like CatCon, Cat Camp, and Meow DC, while championing grassroots shelters across the nation. Tune in as we kick off Season 5 with an inspiring conversation on reframing rescue culture, community outreach, and saving lives through TNR.

Find out more about Sterling “TrapKing” Davis:

• Website: trapkinghumane.org

🔗 Guest Links & Resources

• Episode Resources: sheltercatspod.com/resources

💖 Support the Show & Connect

• 👕 Official Merch: sheltercatspod.com

• 📱 Follow Michelle: @michellenielsen076 on TikTok

🎬 Production Team

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"

• Editor: Jacob Haley

📩 Get in Touch & Submit Your Photos!

• Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

  
  

  
  

We made it through Season 4, and we’re celebrating with our first-ever "Best Of" compilation episode!

Whether you’re catching up or re-living the highlights, Dan and Michelle and editor Jake have pulled together the absolute best moments, advice, and laughs from an incredible run of guests. From legendary feline advocates to vet care experts and inspiring rescue stories, this episode is stacked with the heart of our community.

🌈 A Special Note from the Team Sending our deepest love and condolences to our editor, Jacob Haley, on the passing of his beloved dog, Gus. Rest in peace, sweet boy. You are so loved. 🐾

🌟 Featuring Highlights From:

• Jackson Galaxy (The Cat Daddy himself!)
• Rescue Advocates Of Long Island
• Cat Amazing/Brook Fountains
• Dr. Mary Manspeaker, DVM, MS
• Urban Cat League
• Hannah Shaw (The Kitten Lady)
• Duane Hook (Get Meowta Here)
• Hard Hat Cats: Sheila Massey
• Amy Dudley from Weruva

🔗 Guest Links & Resources

Find all links, websites, and socials for every guest featured in this episode on our official resource page:

👉 sheltercatspod.com/resources

💖 Support the Show & Connect

• 👕 Official Merch: Grab your gear at sheltercatspod.com
• 📱 Follow Michelle: Keep up with the Meow Maven’s journey on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@michellenielsen076
  

🎬 The Team

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"

• Editor: Jacob Haley

📩 Questions, Comments, or Photo Submissions?

Drop us a line anytime—we’d love to hear from you!

• Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

It’s the Season 4 finale, and Dan "The Cat Man" and Michelle "The Meow Maven" are bringing you a jam-packed episode to close out an incredible season!

In this episode, we share an important update on Michelle’s breast cancer journey, issue our first-ever official show “clarification,” and dive into YOUR stories. We asked you on social media: Who was the first cat you ever adopted? and you did not disappoint. We’re reading some of our absolute favorite listener responses on air!

📸 Share Your First Furbaby!

If you have pictures of the very first cat you ever brought home, we want to see them! We'll be featuring listener photos on our official website.

• How to share: Send your photos to our email (below).
• What to include: Please make sure to include your name and your cat's name!

Thank you all so much for your incredible support, follows, and listens throughout Season 4. We couldn't do this without this amazing community. Have a wonderful break, and we will be back very soon for Season 5!

💖 Support the Show

• Official Merch: Grab your gear at sheltercatspod.com.
• Follow Michelle: Keep up with the Meow Maven's journey on TikTok!

🎬 The Team

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"
• Editor: Jacob Haley

📩 Questions, Comments, or Photo Submissions?

Drop us a line anytime!

• Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

Theme song created on Suno.

Amy Dudley, community manager from Weruva, joins the show to discuss how Weruva is making an impact on the quality of cat food!

Amy has been involved in the pet industry in some way or another since 2003 and she recently became Certified as a Pet Nutrition Coach. Perched in Queens, NY, she has two small rescue dogs and one senior cat, and volunteers with rescues whenever she can. Amy has an unhealthy obsession with Taco Bell and hot dogs, and you can often hear her asking "What do you feed your cat?" in the line for the bus. She loves chatting about Weruva, her pets, and making people laugh. “You’re never fully dressed without a little pet hair.”

Weruva is a family-owned pet food brand founded in 2006 by David and Stacie Forman, specializing in high-quality, hydrating wet foods for cats and dogs. Known for "human-style" recipes, they use recognizable, high-quality ingredients like boneless, skinless chicken breast and fish loins, produced in human-food facilities.

Learn More About Weruva:

• Website: weruva.com

Support the Show:

• Official Merch: Get your Shelter Cats Podcast gear at sheltercatspod.com.
• Follow Michelle (The Meow Maven): Catch her journey on TikTok.

The Team:

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"
• Editor: Jacob Haley

Questions or Comments? Email us at [email protected] or [email protected].

What happens to the cats that aren’t looking for a lap to curl up in? In this episode, we sit down with Sheila Massey, the founder of Hard Hat Cats®.

After a black kitten named Sadie changed her life in 2008, Sheila began performing TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) in some of the most unique corners of New York City—from prisons to landmark mansions. She quickly realized that saving cats required more than just traps; it required "Neighborhood Relations." In 2019, she launched Hard Hat Cats to give "unadoptable" feral cats a professional purpose: providing non-toxic rodent control for breweries, hotels, and shops.

In This Episode:

• The "Job" Market: How feral cats adapt to life as "employees" in NYC businesses.
• Neighborhood Diplomacy: The art of gaining community acceptance for TNR programs.
• From Fraud to Felines: How Sheila’s background as a corporate investigator and her MBA shaped her approach to animal welfare.
• The Sadie Legacy: How one kitten sparked a movement that now protects cats across the five boroughs.

Connect with Our Guest:

• Hard Hat Cats: hardhatcats.org — Check out photos of these amazing working cats in action!

Support the Show:

• Official Merch: Get your Shelter Cats Podcast gear at sheltercatspod.com.
• Follow Michelle (The Meow Maven): Catch her journey on TikTok.

The Team:

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"
• Executive Producer: Stephen Quandt (catbehaviorhelp.com)
• Editor: Jacob Haley

Questions or Comments? Email us: [email protected] | [email protected]

What do you do when a cat climbs higher than a ladder—or a fire truck—can reach?

In this episode, we’re joined by Duane Hook, a professional tree climber and founder of Cat In A Tree Rescue. Since 2010, Duane has been combining expert arborist techniques with a deep love for animals to bring stranded cats back to solid ground.

Duane walks us through the high-pressure world of canopy rescues, from managing "indoor-only" escape artists to handling senior and feral cats in dense woods. We dive into the specialized safety gear and low-stress techniques required to keep everyone safe when the stakes (and the branches) are high.

In This Episode:

• ​The Art of the Rescue: How Duane uses modern ropes and safety gear to protect the cat and the tree.
• ​Calm in the Canopy: Techniques for reducing fear and stress for animals trapped in high-altitude environments.
• ​Treetop Stories: From backyard maples to "unclimbable" city trees, Duane shares his most memorable missions.

Connect with Duane Hook:

• ​Cat In A Tree Rescue getmeowtahere.com
• ​To donate to Duane: venmo.com/u/getmeowtahere

Support the Show:

• ​Official Merch: Shop Shelter Cats Podcast gear at sheltercatspod.com.
• ​Chewy Affiliate: Help support local shelters and this podcast by making your pet purchases through our Chewy Give Back link.
• ​Follow Michelle (The Meow Maven): Catch her journey on TikTok.

The Team:

• ​Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"
• ​Executive Producer: Stephen Quandt (catbehaviorhelp.com)
• ​Editor: Jacob Haley

Questions or Comments? Email us at: [email protected] or [email protected].

Hannah Shaw is an award-winning kitten rescuer, humane educator, and New York Times bestselling author who has dedicated her life to innovating kitten care and protecting the most vulnerable felines.

Through her project, Kitten Lady, she provides educational media, training resources, and instructional workshops that help individuals and animal shelters save the lives of kittens—all in a fun and engaging format. With a social media following of over 4 million, her educational videos serve as a vital training resource for rescues and foster parents across the globe.

Hannah is the author of several acclaimed books, including:

• Tiny But Mighty (2019)

• Cats of the World (2024)

• Cat Got Your Tongue? (2025)

• The Adventures in Fosterland chapter book series (2021-2025)

She is also the founder of Orphan Kitten Club, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has provided over $4 million in funding to help shelters build innovative programs for neonatal kittens. She lives in California with her husband Andrew Marttila, their cats, and an endless rotation of foster kittens.

Connect with Hannah: 🌐 KittenLady.org 🐾 OrphanKittenClub.org

🛍️ Shop Our Merch: sheltercatspod.com Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast gear and learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake!

📱 Follow Michelle (The Meow Maven): TikTok Updates

🥫 Shop Chewy & Give Back: We are proud members of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program. Use our link for your pet needs to support both local shelters and the podcast! 👉 Support us on Chewy here

The Team

• Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"

• Executive Producer: Stephen Quandt (catbehaviorhelp.com)

• Editor: Jacob Haley

Questions or Comments? Email us: [email protected] | [email protected]

In our 75th episode, we check in with Michelle to see how she is faring on her breast cancer journey, and we also read your responses that we posed on our social media to the question:

Why do we love cats?

Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We have an all-new website!

https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠⁠

Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links!

The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program!

Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help shttps://urbancatleague.orgupport the podcast.

Thank you, Chewy!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...

Podcast hosts:

Dan The Cat Man. 

Michelle The Meow Maven.

Editor: Jacob Haley

Have a question or comment?

Send us an email!

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Mike Phillips is the president of Urban Cat League which he co-founded in 2003.

In 2010, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association named Mike recipient of its award, “BEST FRIEND TO FERAL CATS.”

In 2014, he was recruited to be the founding Senior Supervisor of the ASPCA’s Neonatal Kitten Nursery after having formerly served as the Vet Tech Supervisor of their NYC Adoption Center and having worked on the A’s mobile Spay/Neuter clinics even before graduating Vet Tech school.  

Thousands have attended Mike’s workshops for Community Cats on numerous topics including Taming Feral Kittens, Advanced TNR Trapping Techniques, Feral Cat-Shelter Building, TNR Community Relations and Bottle Feeding Neonatal Kittens. 

Offered in-person around the US and Canada, the workshops are now available on the Urban Cat League YouTube Channel.

When President of Neighborhood Cats in 1999, Mike taught at the very first TNR Certification Workshop, which Neighborhood Cats continues monthly online to this day, having trained tens of thousands of people in TNR best practices. 

Before leaving Show-biz entirely to focus on working for cats, Mike’s alter ego worked in theater as a director, choreographer and performer for over 40 years including 20 years at the New York City Opera.

Learn more about Urban Cat League here:

https://urbancatleague.org

Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We have an all-new website!

⁠⁠https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠⁠

Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links!

The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program!

Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast.

Thank you, Chewy!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...

Podcast hosts:

Dan The Cat Man. 

Michelle The Meow Maven.

Stephen Quandt, Executive Producer:

⁠https://catbehaviorhelp.com/⁠

Editor: Jacob Haley

Have a question or comment?

Send us an email!

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

We finally get to interview a veterinarian!

Dr. Mary Manspeaker, DVM, MS is a small animal veterinarian with experience in both shelter and general medicine.

A 2002 graduate, she earned her doctorate at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She also earned a master’s degree in veterinary forensic science and a graduate certificate in shelter medicine through the University of Florida.

She has practiced in Florida, New York, Connecticut and Tennessee.

Prior to returning full-time to general practice, she spent years working for non-profit organizations such as the ASPCA, Memphis Animal Services, and the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. She volunteers for a local non-profit, All 4s Rescue League, a wonderful organization that helps pets in the underserved community of Shelby County, Tennessee. 

In her spare time she enjoys painting, singing, spending time with family and playing with her 4 cats and 2 dogs. 

If you are in the Memphis, Tennessee area and would like to book an appointment with Dr. Mary, you can find her here:

https://www.petvaxah.com/site/contact-cordova

Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We have an all-new website!

⁠https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠

Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links!

The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program!

Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast.

Thank you, Chewy!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...⁠

Podcast hosts:

Dan The Cat Man. 

Michelle The Meow Maven.

Stephen Quandt, Executive Producer:

https://catbehaviorhelp.com/

Editor: Jacob Haley

Have a question or comment?

Send us an email!

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Shout out to Shelly Bettancourt for her amazing questions for Dr. Mary! Find out more about Shelly's rescue at her link tree:

https://linktr.ee/SCARLI?utm_source=linktree_profile_share