Cattitude - Episode 247 Kitties with Cancer- How Breast Cancer Survivor, Jessica Baladad, Handles Her Cat's Cancer Diagnosis

This week Michelle Fern welcomes Dr. Jennifer Conrad, veterinarian and founder and director of The Paw Project, and Todd Bieber, the directory of the documentary, American Cats – The Good, The Bad, The Cuddly. American Cats: The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly, is a documentary that explores our love of cats. But beneath the film’s furry exterior lurks a more serious message: given our collective love of felines, why are we subjecting them to painful and unnecessary surgeries? Find out the truth about de-clawing our precious kitties on this episode of Cattitude! EPISODE NOTES: American Cats – The Good, The Bad, The Cuddly

This week Michelle Fern chat cats… or kittens with Laurie Melo, founder of the nonprofit, all-volunteer kitten rescue in Silicon Valley, California called Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty Rescue. IBOK is dedicated to rescuing orphaned kittens from high kill shelters, and the community, and ensuring their well-being. Our mission extends beyond saving lives; we strive to provide each kitten with a nurturing foster home environment, comprehensive care, and a pathway to a loving forever home. EPISODE NOTES: Two Kittens Are Better Than One!

We're ready to stir up some purr-anormal fun this Halloween! This week Michelle Fern welcomes, Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, board-certified emergency critical care veterinary specialist and toxicologist, and host of ER Vet on Pet Life Radio, to discuss keeping your cats safe during the Halloween season, and upcoming holidays. If you want to avoid a kitty CATastrophe this spooky season, tune in! EPISODE NOTES: Happy Meowloween

What's up with black cats and Halloween? Why are they connected? This week Michelle Fern chats black cats and they're association with this October holiday. Also get some tips and tricks to keeping your cats safe this Halloween as well as fun Halloween treats you can give your cat! EPISODE NOTES: Boo-tiful Black Cats and Their Halloween Hissss-tory

This week Michelle Fern chats cats with Jena Winberry Carr, who along with her husband Matt created the Cool Cat Collective Cat Themed Gallery. Their concept is a totally original one: a hybrid of the "cat cafe" model with a boutique gallery, but it's totally free to visit with the cats and no appointment is needed. The idea is to get more casual visitors in to meet the cats to highly socialize them and get them seen by more potential adopters. Also joining them is Vita Manzoli, co-founder of TippedEars, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose purpose is to combat cat overpopulation through humane TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). EPISODE NOTES: Cool Cat Collective Cat Themed Gallery – Buy Cool Stuff, Help Cool Cats!

Arrrrrrrr you ready to fight pi-rats? In this latest trailer, learn the ropes of pirating as you explore freely from top to bottom! Uncover hidden secrets and face purr-ilous challenges along the way. Engage with quirky characters and mysterious objects – ye never know what surprises await! Michelle Fern welcomes Desmond Wong, one of the creators of Cat Quest! Meow Matey! EPISODE NOTES: Cat Quest III – How to Be a Pirate

Arm & Hammer Cat Litter and its creative agency, Razorfish developed a new AI tool to create AI-generated “Purrsonality Pics” to help shelter cats get adopted. This initiative launched during the ASPCA’s virtual cat adoption event in June and has already made a huge impact. Today Michelle Fern is joined by Ruth Allen, Director, Admissions & Placement, ASPCA Adoption Center, and Julianna Diamond, Senior Brand Associate, Arm & Hammer Pet Care to talk about how the AI “Purrsonality Pics” highlight the unique charm of each cat, making it easier for cat lovers to connect with them at a glance. You won’t want to miss this episode! Wow Meow! EPISODE NOTES: AI-Generated Purrsonality Pics Help Shelter Cats Get Adopted!

Embark on a heartwarming adventure as Michelle Fern welcomes self-proclaimed 'crazy cat lady' and professional cat sitter, Amelia Hendrey, as she delves into the enchanting world of felines in her new book, Ten Cats & One Crazy Cat Lady. Travel with Amelia to Amsterdam, where she finds a peaceful community of cats living on a canal boat, and to Rome, where she explores a cat sanctuary nestled within ancient ruins. Back in the UK, Amelia sips tea at a London cat café and has a close encounter with a Lykoi, the fascinating 'werewolf cat.' You don’t want to miss this heartfelt celebration episode of the unconditional love that cats bring into our lives! EPISODE NOTES: Ten Cats & One Crazy Cat Lady

RIGHT TO PROSPURR: Every pet deserves a good home, good health and good food. "Meow's the time" to find fur-ever families for all shelter pets. BE PAW-SITIVE: Morris envisions a world where anything is paws-ible – even cats and dogs getting along. THE RIGHT CATITUDE: Morris believes in fostering a world of purrrr-fect harmony for all pets. Morris, the legendary 9Lives spokescat, announced he’s once again running for President, and those are just some of his pawlicies! As he spreads his message of paws-itivity, Morris is on the hunt for a running mate. Any cat or dog who shares his belief in The Good Life is invited to apply at www.MorrisforPresident.com. Michelle fern chats with Jen McKnight, senior Director of Marketing at Nine Lives to let you know how you can win a $1,000 cash prize and the chance to choose which animal shelter will receive a $35,000 donation from 9Lives – estimated to provide half a million 9Lives meals. Tune in to cast your vote!! EPISODE NOTES: A Cat for President?! Morris is Running – & Needs a Running Mate!

This week Michelle Fern welcomes Jessica Baladad, five-year cancer survivor, the creator of Feel For Your Life, a free mobile application that provides resources on how to perform self breast exams and when to get screenings, while allowing users to track and monitor their changes and set reminders. An unexpected breast cancer diagnosis at 33 years old empowered Jessica to channel her experience into a mission that is changing the way women advocate for their medical care. It’s the first of its kind created by a breast cancer patient and has been downloaded tens of thousands of times all over the world. About a year ago, Jessica's cat was diagnosed with cancer and Jessica regularly administers chemo to her furry friend. She is a major advocate for better access to pet insurance. Jessica discusses the importance of having a financial plan for your pet...at any age, and what it is like caring for a pet going through Cancer, and how to care for them properly. EPISODE NOTES: Kitties with Cancer- How Breast Cancer Survivor, Jessica Baladad, Handles Her Cat's Cancer Diagnosis