Cat & Nat Unfiltered

This week we’re pulling back the curtain on what really goes down at dance competitions. When the pressure’s on, emotions can run high (like, really high), and suddenly moms become emotional buffers just trying to keep the peace. You're whispering calmly while your kid is spiraling because they haven’t eaten enough and their hair is secured with 37 bobby pins digging into their scalp. One wrong word could send them over the edge. S...

We’re joined by Shannon Lee Simmons — award-winning Certified Financial Planner, speaker, bestselling author, Chartered Investment Manager, founder of the New School of Finance, and personal finance writer for The Globe and Mail and CBC Radio’s Metro Morning money columnist. Her new book, Making Bank, is written specifically for teens and covers everything from managing money earned through part-time jobs and allowances to saving, ...

This week we’re diving into some of the biggest relationship problems couples are facing in 2025 — and Nat shares that one of them is her personal favourite . From mixed signals to financial stress to the slow burn of disconnection, we’re breaking down what’s really going on behind closed doors. And have you heard of “grey divorce”? It’s a new trend on the rise — tune in to hear what it is, why it’s happening, and why it might be m...

Can you actually learn to be happy? We all know that happiness isn't something you can buy, but can money help make you happy? So many of us are living pretty great lives but miss it because we’re busy chasing the next thing, comparing ourselves to everyone else, or feeling like we’re not where we “should” be. If your life doesn’t look exactly like the picture you envisioned, maybe it's time to recalibrate. We’d love to hear your t...

Teen sports are equal parts commitment and carpooling. In this episode, we’re talking about that tricky moment in time when your kid wants to quit sports. Do you let them? Do you push through? Some parents have rules like “one school sport per semester,” but we’re not in the market for forcing our kids to do things they’re miserable doing—because then guess what? It becomes our problem. When to back off, when to encourage, and when...

When we got married, we were young, in love, and willing to compromise a little to make it all work. But now, with a little life experience in the rearview mirror—and peri-menopause messing with our hormones—we have to ask: Would we do it all again, knowing what we know now? In this episode, Nat opens up about one of the biggest compromises in her marriage—something Mark let go of that didn’t seem like a huge deal at the time, but ...

We are back to recap Nat’s big night out with the girls. She went to a dance club ready to relive her glory days and see how many men would hit on her—heels on, hair done, full confidence activated—and left a little… confused. Not one guy tried to pick her up. Not a wink, not even a drink. Was it the wedding ring? The unshakable confidence? We definitely need a do-over, but maybe this time the wedding rings will stay home.

Want ...

There’s helicopter parenting, bulldozer parenting, attachment parenting—and now lighthouse parenting. Honestly, we think we do middle of the road parenting: the do-what-works-best-for-you kind of parenting. It all gets messy when we start judging other people’s choices. We’re doing what works for us, and that doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else. You can love us or hate us, but at the end of the day, we’re just here to share o...

We need to know what really goes down in a beer league locker room. Are people just casually walking around naked?  Are their unspoken rules? Do you compare? We’d love an invite—strictly for observational purposes, of course. We’ll act normal. Eyes up. Promise.

Want our podcasts sent straight to your phone? Text us the word "Podcast" to +1 (917) 540-8715 and we'll text you the new episodes when they're releas...

We started this episode off by discussing the airport theory—the one where you roll up as close to your flight as possible, breeze through security, and avoid wasting precious time browsing overpriced snacks. Basically, it’s how we’ve always done it… and now the internet finally gave it a name. We also shared some pretty funny border crossing stories, including the time Nat got asked if she was in adult entertainment. And we wrappe...

We're not here to pat ourselves on the back, but we do like to keep it pretty real with our kids. Like how open we are about who we were back in the day—what we were like at school, how we handled being students and how we literally tapped out of traditional education at a certain point. We can help our kids with homework but at some point we hit our cap. When we were growing up, there was no ChatGPT—you had to call a friend, compa...

We dive right into the wild ride that is perimenopause—and let’s just say, it’s not a great time to be doing annoying husband things. Perimenopause has a way of turning up the volume on every little habit that used to mildly irritate you, and now you might just lose your mind over everything he does.

Nat gets very real with story after story about the little things she used to let slide. No time for that anymore.

Hormones may be fluc...

Is White Lotus good or are we just hooked on chaos? We did a bit of a deep dive into White Lotus—before the season finale dropped. We're watching rich people spiral in luxury resorts, there’s major tension, awkward conversations, and that constant feeling that something bad is about to happen. It’s somehow so messed up… yet nothing is happening at the same time. Every character feels a little off in the most fascinating way. Subtle...

Teenagehood today looks very different than it used to. Kids are home more and growing up in a world that’s far more supervised and a lot less rebellious. What happened to the sneaking out, the secrets, and the harmless mistakes that turned into life lessons (and great stories)? We grew up making questionable choices, pushing boundaries, and learning the hard way—and somehow, we turned out just fine. These days, even a small act of...

Nat has a boyfriend. He lives down the street. She’s never met him. But she has lusted after him for years and is fully convinced they’d be perfect together… despite knowing absolutely nothing about him—not even his name. And just to keep things balanced, we (aka Cat) come to a shocking realization by the end of this episode that Nat may actually be kind of boring for her own imaginary boyfriend.

Want our podcasts sent straight ...

Watching our daughters compete in dance this past weekend got us thinking about the life lessons they’re learning. They practice endlessly for a routine they only get one shot at, and they’re often really tough on themselves. A lot of people have walked away from dance because of the coaching culture—the yelling, the idea that tough coaching is the only way to make kids listen. If we normalize it and don’t push back, we’re passing ...

Cesalina Gracie is a self-defense expert, entrepreneur, and athlete on a mission to help girls and women navigate life with confidence and strength. A passionate advocate for girls’ education, positive psychology, and women’s rights, she’s traveled across five continents delivering keynotes and workshops that empower women to unlock their inner champion. And trust us—this conversation isn’t just for the girls. It’s one we all need ...

The flu has us in a chokehold, so we’re bringing back one of your favourite episodes! Nat’s mind is in overdrive, spinning a full-blown fantasy with multiple characters—and someone we know just made the cast. She’s playing it out in her head, waiting to see who takes the lead role. It’s basically a novel unfolding in real-time, and we have no idea who the main character will be. Stay tuned, because this is about to get interesting!

We know Tamron Hall as a two-time Emmy Award-winning television host and executive producer, but did you know she’s now a children’s book author too? We’ve shared so many fun moments with Tamron over the years, so getting to sit down with her to chat about Harlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Kid was an absolute blast. Tamron shares how her son’s endless curiosity and sense of wonder inspired Harlem Honey, bringing to life a s...