The Shelter Cats Podcast

Dan Trachtenberg
  • 5.0 (8)
  • PETS & ANIMALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Shelter Cats Podcast brings attention to all those wonderful people who have, in some way or another, helped the lives of cats. Without them (the people and the cats), who knows where we’d be today. If you’re a cat person or cat curious or are just looking for a fun way to pass some time, please give our podcast a listen or a watch. Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" Trachtenberg Michelle "The Meow Maven" Nielsen Stephen "Mister Producer " Quandt of catbehaviorhelp.com Head to our website to learn more about The Shelter Cats Podcast, get all our links, and buy official merch! https://www.sheltercatspod.com

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 78: Finding Purpose For Non-Socialized Cats With Sheila Massey Of Hard Hat Cats

    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: dan@tylerthecat.com | sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com

    1h 2m

  2. MAR 17

    Episode 77: Get Meowta Here: Treetop Cat Rescues With Duane Hook

    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 Haley Questions or Comments? Email us at: dan@tylerthecat.com or sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com.

    1h 6m

  3. MAR 3

    Episode 76: Tiny But Mighty: Hannah Shaw, Kitten Lady

    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 here The Team Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" & Michelle "The Meow Maven" Executive Producer: Stephen Quandt (catbehaviorhelp.com) Editor: Jacob Haley Questions or Comments? Email us: dan@tylerthecat.com | sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com

    58 min

  4. FEB 17

    Episode 75: Why do we love cats?

    In our 75th episode, we check in with Michelle to see how she is faring on her breast cancer journey, and we also read your responses that we posed on our social media to the question: Why do we love cats? Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have an all-new website! https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠⁠ Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links! The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program! Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help shttps://urbancatleague.orgupport the podcast. Thank you, Chewy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso... Podcast hosts: Dan The Cat Man.  Michelle The Meow Maven. Editor: Jacob Haley Have a question or comment? Send us an email! dan@tylerthecat.com sheltercatspod@gmail.com sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com

    36 min

  5. FEB 3

    Episode 74: Urban Cat League

    Mike Phillips is the president of Urban Cat League which he co-founded in 2003. In 2010, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association named Mike recipient of its award, “BEST FRIEND TO FERAL CATS.” In 2014, he was recruited to be the founding Senior Supervisor of the ASPCA’s Neonatal Kitten Nursery after having formerly served as the Vet Tech Supervisor of their NYC Adoption Center and having worked on the A’s mobile Spay/Neuter clinics even before graduating Vet Tech school.   Thousands have attended Mike’s workshops for Community Cats on numerous topics including Taming Feral Kittens, Advanced TNR Trapping Techniques, Feral Cat-Shelter Building, TNR Community Relations and Bottle Feeding Neonatal Kittens.  Offered in-person around the US and Canada, the workshops are now available on the Urban Cat League YouTube Channel. When President of Neighborhood Cats in 1999, Mike taught at the very first TNR Certification Workshop, which Neighborhood Cats continues monthly online to this day, having trained tens of thousands of people in TNR best practices.  Before leaving Show-biz entirely to focus on working for cats, Mike’s alter ego worked in theater as a director, choreographer and performer for over 40 years including 20 years at the New York City Opera. Learn more about Urban Cat League here: https://urbancatleague.org Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have an all-new website! ⁠⁠https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠⁠ Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links! The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program! Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast. Thank you, Chewy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso... Podcast hosts: Dan The Cat Man.  Michelle The Meow Maven. Stephen Quandt, Executive Producer: ⁠https://catbehaviorhelp.com/⁠ Editor: Jacob Haley Have a question or comment? Send us an email! dan@tylerthecat.com sheltercatspod@gmail.com sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com

    58 min

  6. JAN 20

    Episode 73: Dr. Mary Manspeaker, DVM, MS

    We finally get to interview a veterinarian! Dr. Mary Manspeaker, DVM, MS is a small animal veterinarian with experience in both shelter and general medicine. A 2002 graduate, she earned her doctorate at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She also earned a master’s degree in veterinary forensic science and a graduate certificate in shelter medicine through the University of Florida. She has practiced in Florida, New York, Connecticut and Tennessee. Prior to returning full-time to general practice, she spent years working for non-profit organizations such as the ASPCA, Memphis Animal Services, and the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. She volunteers for a local non-profit, All 4s Rescue League, a wonderful organization that helps pets in the underserved community of Shelby County, Tennessee.  In her spare time she enjoys painting, singing, spending time with family and playing with her 4 cats and 2 dogs.  If you are in the Memphis, Tennessee area and would like to book an appointment with Dr. Mary, you can find her here: https://www.petvaxah.com/site/contact-cordova Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have an all-new website! ⁠https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠ Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links! The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program! Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast. Thank you, Chewy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...⁠ Podcast hosts: Dan The Cat Man.  Michelle The Meow Maven. Stephen Quandt, Executive Producer: https://catbehaviorhelp.com/ Editor: Jacob Haley Have a question or comment? Send us an email! dan@tylerthecat.com sheltercatspod@gmail.com sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com Shout out to Shelly Bettancourt for her amazing questions for Dr. Mary! Find out more about Shelly's rescue at her link tree: https://linktr.ee/SCARLI?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=3270f293-2d8c-44ca-bdaa-f3073ed62ff9

    59 min

  7. JAN 6

    Episode 72: Cat Amazing/Brook Fountains!

    Meet the CEO of Cat Amazing and Brook Fountains! Andrey Grigoryev is the founder and CEO (Cat Entertainment Officer) of Cat Amazing, which specializes in enrichment for indoor cats and was featured on ABC's Shark Tank. More recently, Andrey is also the founder of Brook Fountains – the first all-glass cat water fountain – the most hygienic and functional hydration station for thirsty felines! Andrey has collaborated with the NYC ACC to create specialized toys that go into each of the kennels to provide enrichment for cats awaiting adoption – and two of his own cats came from ACC! Our listeners get a special discount! Use the promo code SHELTERCATS10  to get 10% off any purchase on Cat Amazing or Brook Fountains! https://catamazing.com/ https://brookfountains.com/products/brook?variant=42249091252317 https://catamazing.com/blogs/cat-amazing-blog/tagged/cat-amazing Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have an all-new website! ⁠https://www.sheltercatspod.com⁠ Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Learn more about Dan, Michelle, Stephen, and Jake and get links! The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program! Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast. Thank you, Chewy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...⁠ Podcast hosts: Dan The Cat Man.  Michelle The Meow Maven. Stephen Quandt, Executive Producer: https://catbehaviorhelp.com/ Editor: Jacob Haley Have a question or comment? Send us an email! dan@tylerthecat.com sheltercatspod@gmail.coms sheltercatspodcast@gmail.com Meow!

    51 min

  8. 12/23/2025

    Episode 71: Holiday Episode!

    It's that time of year! Holiday time! You know what that means.....our annual holiday episode! Joining hosts Dan and Michelle for this year's holiday episode are Caitlin and Anne Marie Buonomo from Rescue Advocates of Long Island to discuss their 2025 Holiday Drive for Homeless Pets! You can find Rescue Advocates of Long Island on the web, and donate at: https://www.rescueadvocatesli.org/ Follow Michelle The Meow Maven on her personal TikTok for updates on her journey:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/42m1R8r⁠⁠⁠⁠We have an all-new website! https://www.sheltercatspod.com Visit our shop for Shelter Cats Podcast MERCH! Use the promo code FREESHIP50 for FREE SHIPPING on all orders $50 and above now through December 31st!The Shelter Cats Podcast is part of the Chewy Shelter and Rescue Affiliate Program!Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy is passionate about supporting animals and making a positive impact in communities across the country. Local shelters and rescues often serve as a first home or provide continued support to pets. That is why Chewy is committed to supporting organizations that benefit the overall health, safety, and well-being of shelter and rescue animals. Please click the link below to make your Chewy purchases! You’ll not only be helping your local shelter, but you’ll also help support the podcast.Thank you, Chewy!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chewy.com/g/give-back?mso...Podcast hosts:Dan The Cat Man. Michelle The Meow Maven.Editor: Jacob HaleyHave a question or comment?Send us an email!dan@tylerthecat.comsheltercatspod@gmail.comsheltercatspodcast@gmail.com HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

    32 min
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About

The Shelter Cats Podcast brings attention to all those wonderful people who have, in some way or another, helped the lives of cats. Without them (the people and the cats), who knows where we’d be today. If you’re a cat person or cat curious or are just looking for a fun way to pass some time, please give our podcast a listen or a watch. Hosts: Dan "The Cat Man" Trachtenberg Michelle "The Meow Maven" Nielsen Stephen "Mister Producer " Quandt of catbehaviorhelp.com Head to our website to learn more about The Shelter Cats Podcast, get all our links, and buy official merch! https://www.sheltercatspod.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Trachtenberg
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dan Trachtenberg
  • Show Website
    The Shelter Cats Podcast

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