The Shelter Cats Podcast

Filmmaker Mye Hoang joins The Shelter Cats Podcast to take us behind the scenes of her powerful documentary, 25 Cats from Qatar!About the Director: Mye Hoang is a Los Angeles-based producer/director and Texas native. Her acclaimed documentary Cat Daddies won numerous honors—including Tallgrass Film Festival’s Excellence in the Art of Film, Newport Beach Film Festival’s Outstanding Achievement in Documentary, and the Dallas International Film Festival Audience Award—before receiving worldwide distribution across over a dozen territories. Most recently, Hoang produced Ashima (DOC NYC 2023), Lynn Chen’s narrative feature I Will Make You Mine (SXSW 2020), and the award-winning noir thriller Man from Reno (Best Feature at the LA Film Festival and Spirit Award nominee). Her debut narrative feature, Viette, toured film festivals nationwide in 2012.In Mye's Words on 25 Cats from Qatar:"When I was touring with my previous documentary Cat Daddies, I met a cat café owner in Milwaukee and learned about her international rescue work. As a lifelong cat owner, I was aware of the efforts to help pets from abroad find homes in the US—some came from conflict areas or natural disasters. But moving cats 7,000 miles seemed extreme.This curiosity set me on my new film 25 Cats from Qatar, to discover the country and its culture, and why animal rescuers there have reached a breaking point. They are literally unable to solicit support from within and feel they have no choice but to turn outside, to the UK and US.To immerse the audience, I focused on all the nuts and bolts of this unsanctioned rescue mission that rapidly unfolded in 4 days. I knew that witnessing the tedious preparation and the selection process of 25 cats in all its totality would be ultimately moving. Being able to document this grand act of love for cats has been a truly rewarding experience that I hope will inspire audiences worldwide."Film Links & Info:Watch the Trailer & Learn More: 25catsfromqatar.comThe Shelter Cats Podcast Links & Resources:Official Website & Merch: sheltercatspod.comShelter Cat Resources: sheltercatspod.com/resourcesFollow Us on Social Media: Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and your favorite podcast platforms!Follow Michelle on TikTok: @michellenielsen076Hosted by: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven" Producer: Dan Trachtenberg Graphics and Merch Designs: Michelle Nielsen Edited by: Jacob HaleyContact Us:[email protected]@gmail.comAll clips and images courtesy Mye Hoang

Running an animal rescue is heroic work, but behind every adoption is an overwhelming mountain of logistics, coordination, and administrative burnout. In this episode, Dan and Michelle sit down with leaders from across the rescue spectrum to discuss how purpose-built technology and passionate grassroots efforts come together to save more lives.Guests Featured in This Episode:Jim Oliva – Entrepreneur, Animal Rescuer & Founder of One Click RescueAfter decades in tech, Jim stepped into hands-on rescue by helping create Catpurrccinos cat café in Huntington, NY. Experiencing the daily operational hurdles firsthand inspired him to launch One Click Rescue—building software tools tailored specifically to ease the administrative load on rescue organizations.Learn more: oneclickrescue.comAmber & Andrew – Cattyshack Cat Cafe (Fort Myers, FL)The duo behind Cattyshack Cat Cafe discusses the highs and hurdles of running an adoption-centered cafe, managing rescue partnerships, and creating spaces where adoptable cats thrive.Learn more: cattyshackcafe.comChloe Lawrence – Director, Dogs Without Borders (Los Angeles, CA)Leading boots-on-the-ground rescue in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan hubs, Chloe shares the reality of coordinating fosters, volunteers, adoptions, and medical care—and why modern organizational tools are crucial for frontline longevity.Learn more: dogswithoutborders.orgThe Shelter Cats Podcast Links & Resources:Official Website & Merch: sheltercatspod.comRescue & TNR Resources: sheltercatspod.com/resourcesFollow Michelle on TikTok: @michellenielsen076Credits & Contact:Hosted by: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"Producer: Dan TrachtenbergGraphics & Merch Design: Michelle NielsenAudio Editing: Jacob HaleyGet in Touch: [email protected] | [email protected]

For Episode 83, we’re joined by DJ Bornschein, founder of Catsbury Park and the mastermind behind the world-famous Catsbury Park Cat Convention!Catsbury Park started back in July 2016 right out of DJ’s Jersey Shore home as a small foster-based rescue caring for a handful of kittens. From opening New Jersey's first-ever cat café in 2017 to launching the massive Catsbury Park Cat Convention in 2018, DJ has dedicated his life to creating safe havens for rescue cats and connecting passionate animal lovers. DJ joins hosts Dan and Michelle to talk about grassroots rescue work, navigating the transition through the pandemic, and what to expect this weekend as the Catsbury Park Cat Convention returns on October 10 & 11, 2026 at Bell Works!Connect with Catsbury Park & Get Convention Tickets:Catsbury Park Official Site: catsburypark.comCatsbury Park Cat Convention (Details & Tickets): catsburyconvention.comThe Shelter Cats Podcast Links & Resources:Official Website & Merch: sheltercatspod.comShelter Cat Resources: sheltercatspod.com/resourcesFollow Us on Social Media: Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and your favorite podcast platforms!Follow Michelle on TikTok: @michellenielsen076Hosted by: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"Producer: Dan Trachtenberg Graphics and Merch Designs: Michelle Nielsen Edited by: Jacob HaleyContact Us:[email protected]@gmail.com

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 & ResourcesEpisode Resources: sheltercatspod.com/resources💖 Support the Show & Connect👕 Official Merch: sheltercatspod.com📱 Follow Michelle: @michellenielsen076 on TikTok🎬 Production TeamHosts: 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 IslandCat Amazing/Brook FountainsDr. Mary Manspeaker, DVM, MSUrban Cat LeagueHannah Shaw (The Kitten Lady)Duane Hook (Get Meowta Here)Hard Hat Cats: Sheila MasseyAmy Dudley from Weruva🔗 Guest Links & ResourcesFind 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 TeamHosts: 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 ShowOfficial Merch: Grab your gear at sheltercatspod.com.Follow Michelle: Keep up with the Meow Maven's journey on TikTok!🎬 The TeamHosts: 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] 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.comSupport 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 HaleyQuestions 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 HaleyQuestions 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 HaleyQuestions 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 hereThe TeamHosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven"Executive Producer: Stephen Quandt (catbehaviorhelp.com)Editor: Jacob HaleyQuestions or Comments? Email us: [email protected] | [email protected]