5 Best Podcasts for Cat Parents | Pt 2
You’re back! Hello, friend :)
In Alex Trebek style, let’s dive right into Part Two of podcast recommendations for cat people! In case you missed it, here’s Part One.
(Sidenote: Junipurr, Favorite Parent, and I have been binge-watching Jeopardy! … and Junipurr is, by consensus, the genius of the family 😸)
Host: Stacy LeBaron, 20+ year cat rescue veteran (president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society and mentor to 80+ TNR organizations)
Why You Should Listen: Judging by the strength and conviction of her voice alone, host Stacy LeBaron is not someone you want to let down. She conjures to mind Professor Minerva McGonagall (#HarryPotterTheBooks), your dissertation adviser, and your loving grandma who makes the best dumplings + is everyone’s badass role model. So, when she says her goal is to “inspire you to turn your passion for cats into action,” ye mobilize! As its name implies, The Community Cats Podcast is focused on community cats, i.e. “un-owned cats [who] live outdoors in the community. They may be feral or friendly, may have been born into the wild, or may be lost or abandoned pets,” per the Animal Humane Society, though there is also phenomenal content on homed cats. Appropriately, the podcast’s bold and beautiful vision is to create a humane environment for all cats -- a vision I trust all of us cat parents are eager to support. Each episode is an interview with a seasoned animal rescue professional who has unique insight about cat care and rescue. Stacy’s approach to her Coolest Humans Ever rolodex of interview guests is like (friendly) tennis: she doesn’t miss a beat, her questions are insight-provoking and analytical, and the listener walks away with action-oriented tips and resources. Also, like a good game of tennis, you relax afterwards and find your heart filled with gladness and fresh hope that community cats have a champion like Stacy. P.s. The Community Cats Podcast also hosts virtual events, including a monthly virtual Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification workshop.
Species focus: Cats!
Start here: If you want to learn about cutting-edge research in feline medicine & why TNR should actually be TNVR, ep. 383 interview with Dr. Bob Weedon is a MUST listen. If you want to learn about a POC-founded cat rescue that helps people experiencing homelessness care for their beloved companion animals, check out ep. 396 interview with Paw Salvation.
Podcast A Vet: Stories, Support & Community From Leaders In The Veterinary Field
Host: Dr. John Arnold, DVM
Why You Should Listen: When I was in 6th grade, an embarrassingly old age for the story I’m about to tell you, I had a core-shaking realization after running into my math teacher at the mall: Teachers have lives outside of the classroom. They try on clothes, they eat mall pretzels, they are… full-scope humans. Alas, I did not learn that lesson once and for all on that day, because when I discovered Podcast A Vet last year, I was shook that veterinarians also have hopes and concerns beyond what meets the clients’ eye. They ponder about finding their calling and niche, they grapple with work-life balance, they navigate burnout and mental health challenges, etc. While not every pet parent wants to get as nosey about the full humanity of our furbabies’ veterinarian team, every pet parent could benefit from listening to an episode or two of this podcast to build a deeper appreciation of the very special type of person who chose to go into such a richly challenging field. Just think: heavy science and medicine nerdiness + patients with whom the language barrier is real + human clients who are often even more difficult than the patient. P.s. As a feminist cat parent, I also particularly appreciate this podcast’s conscious exploration of diversity and inclusion in the veterinary field, such as in Ep 65 The Importance of empowering female leaders and Ep 64 The importance of promoting diversity in the vet community.
Species focus: Mostly companion and farmed animals
Start here: How to become an expert in a specialized veterinary field with Dr. Myra Barrett or The life lessons to be learned from wild animals with Becca Miceli, and Ep 88 How to be more cancer aware with your pet is a part of an excellent series on pet oncology.
Honorable Mention: VetFolio Podcast with Dr. Cassi
If it’s not already evident to you by this point how much I love being a fly on the wall during veterinarian conversations, let me just hit the nail in the coffin with this honorable mention :) Each episode of VetFolio explores one pet health topic, such as recent advances in senior pet care and managing stress in cats and dogs. One thing to note: VetFolio does have some sponsored content. In addition to the “new product” focused episodes, the interviewee on some episodes represent a corporate perspective, such as the Hill’s Pet Nutrition communications specialist featured in the episode on communicating nutritional truths. It’s helpful to hear all perspectives - and know their subjective context, right? Start here: Preparing for Disasters or Optimizing client communication during an uncertain time.
What are your favorite cat/animal welfare podcasts?
P.s. You may also like 10 Creative & Safe Ways To Help Animals During Covid
