The Community Cats Podcast

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/.

Episodes

September 23, 2025 26 mins

"What we do in Mexico is my dream for Minnesota. We provide free spay neuter to both owned and street animals every single week."

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and The Community Cat Clinic.

In this international perspective episode, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with Maia Rumpho, founder of Pet Project Rescue, who turned a chance encounter with a street dog in Mexico into a binational animal welfare organi...

  • Mark as Played

    "A cat that is well socialized is highly adoptable. A cat that is not well socialized sits in the shelter. It's an important part of your fostering responsibility to get them ready to live outside. Before it was just saving their lives. But now we know better.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and The Community Cat Clinic.

    In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Marnie Russ, founder of National ...

  • Mark as Played

    "We want to turn cat haters into cat toleraters, and that has worked so well. Even the people who say 'I hate cats.' Okay, that's fine if you hate cats. But don't wish them dead. We're gonna work to keep them out of your yard."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and 6 Degrees of Cats.

    In this inspiring episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Joy Smith, founder of FieldHaven Feline Center in Lincoln, California...

  • Mark as Played

    "A community cat program does not just help cats. You think you're going in there to help cats and you turn out really having more impact on the people in that community."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and 6 Degrees of Cats.

    In this insightful episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes back Elizabeth Finch, an impact-driven leader who has been transforming community cat programming since 2015. Elizabeth's jo...

  • Mark as Played

    "If you love cats, you should be concerned about trying to help bring those numbers down so animals don't suffer because this is why we do this. We don't want animals suffering, having unwanted litters of cats and having to have them suffer."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and 6 Degrees of Cats.

    In this powerful episode, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Cathy Bissell, founder of Bissell Pet Foundation,...

  • Mark as Played

    "I envision Horn Lake being the hub of North Mississippi when it comes to animal welfare. I want my animal shelter to be the place that people model their strategies after.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    In this episode, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Glen Andrews, Director of the Horn Lake Animal Shelter in North Mississippi. With over two decades in anima...

    Mark as Played

    “You have to earn a cat’s love and respect—and when you do, you have it forever.” – Dr. Nicole Liebman

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    In this inspiring episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Dr. Nicole Liebman and Ron Coughlin, the passionate duo behind PAD Home Pet Services—a pioneering in-home pet care company dedicated to ma...

    Mark as Played

    “Whether it's a pet cat, a feral cat, or a wildcat—they all deserve care and respect. TNVR isn't just about controlling populations; it's about preserving a legacy.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    In this compelling episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron speaks with Lara Semple, field team member of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s ...

    Mark as Played

    “I’ve always just had a goal of helping as many animals as possible.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    For passionate individuals and grassroots organizations working tirelessly in the world of animal welfare, financial logistics and nonprofit administration can feel like insurmountable hurdles. In this episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron we...

    Mark as Played

    "I'm giving people the really good traps now. The ones that make their lives easier—because the cats shouldn’t be the ones who suffer when we don’t have our act together."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    In this episode, Stacy sits down with KerryAnn May, founder of Animal Outreach of Shelby County, to talk about what it really takes to build a successful TNR pr...

    Mark as Played

    “They’re not homeless. They know exactly where their home is, and they’ve chosen to be there. We’re literally returning them home—vaccinated and spayed—so it’s a win for the cat, the shelter, and the neighborhood.” - Karen Little

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    In this special on-location episode of the Community Cats Podcast, Stacy LeBaron brings you to the bus...

    Mark as Played

    “My biggest challenge is making sure the welfare of these cats is taken care of. I’ll never desert these cats. Never.” - Gloria Murli

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Rescue Cleaners and Disinfectants.

    What happens when a prison island becomes a refuge for hundreds of community cats? In this powerful episode, host Stacy LeBaron sits down with Gloria Murli, retired Rikers Island captain, and Mike P...

    Mark as Played

    "Every single cat was easily trained to go into a drop trap with a roof on it. It’s just about giving them time.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Community Cat Clinic.

    Picking up where we left off in Part 1, Bryan Kortis dives into the advanced techniques that helped his team trap the final 20% of cats in Maui’s wildfire burn zone—arguably the most elusive cats of all. From drop traps outfitted w...

    Mark as Played

    "Sometimes the best tip is just not skipping the basics.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund and the Community Cat Clinic.

    In the first half of this special two-part webinar replay, Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats walks us through the foundational and intermediate techniques that can make or break a successful Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) effort. Drawing from decades of field experience, Bryan shares tried-an...

    Mark as Played

    “Outdoor cats don’t have behavior problems—they just have behavior. It’s when we bring them inside that we need to understand how to meet their needs.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    In this enlightening and heartwarming conversation, feline behaviorist Stephen Quandt joins Stacy LeBaron to explore the intersection of empathy, education, and enrichment in the feline world. With over 20 years of experie...

    Mark as Played

    "Everybody has a role, and if we open up the conversation just a little more, we can help change the numbers—and the lives of these animals."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    In this powerful and emotionally resonant episode, host Stacy LeBaron welcomes Brandi Winkleman, President and Executive Director of A HOPE Inc., an animal welfare organization based in Milton, Florida. Brandi shares the raw, eye-op...

    Mark as Played

    “Vaccinating community cats creates a barrier to disease between wildlife, domestic animals, and people.”

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    In this special webinar replay edition of the Community Cats Podcast, Brianna Lovell Myers of United Spay Alliance is joined by Dr. Bob Weedon, a leading expert in high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter and public health. Together, they delve into the synergistic relat...

    Mark as Played

    "You're not trying to make the situation perfect. You're just trying to improve it."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    Part 2 of "From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement" dives into the operational tactics that sustain and grow a Trap-Neuter-Return program. In this recorded webinar, Bryan Kortis shifts from early movement-building to the nuts and bolts of long-term implementation, cov...

    Mark as Played

    "Success attracts donors and grantors, and just provides that foundation for expanding into the wider community."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    In Part 1 of this recorded webinar, "From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement," Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director for Neighborhood Cats, presents a compelling behind-the-scenes look at how one of the nation's most impactful TNR (Trap...

    Mark as Played

    "Stop treating cats like dogs—when we see them for who they really are, the right solutions start to emerge."

    This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie’s Fund.

    In this dynamic episode of the Community Cats Podcast, host Stacy LeBaron is joined by two passionate advocates making waves in Miami’s cat welfare scene: Tia Williams, Director of Cat Solutions 305, and Dr. Matt Tano, Executive Director and Chief of Surgery at St...

    Mark as Played

    Popular Podcasts

      I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

      Stuff You Should Know

      If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

      The Joe Rogan Experience

      The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

      True Crime Tonight

      If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.

      The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

      The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    Advertise With Us
    Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

    Connect

    © 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.