Madi R. Hawkins, Director of Habersham County Animal Care & Control in Georgia, loves cats. She especially loves being in charge of a shelter that’s committed to saving them — even though it hasn’t always been that way. “The polices in place when I first started, especially in regards to feral cats, were heartbreaking,” she… Learn More
“Every cat counts.” That’s the motto of our funded Million Cat Challenge, and it’s one Maddie’s Fund® wholeheartedly believes in. That’s why, from April 29 to May 31, 2016, we gave 596 grants totaling $617,500 to shelters that joined the Challenge, and to Challenge shelters that referred new participants. The Million Cat Challenge was launched… Learn More
It was an ordinary day as Stacy LeBaron was driving down the road, listening to one of her favorite podcasts about business and financials. Then it struck her – an Aha! Moment, out of nowhere. Her realization? There should be a podcast for community cats. LeBaron had been looking for a way to enhance the… Learn More
Community cats: If you’ve got them, Best Friends wants to help. They’ve written a book covering everything from the ABCs to the rocket science of community cat management, and they’re giving it away as a free download! Topics covered include: The history of the TNR movement The importance of leadership Who in your community is… Learn More
A guest post from Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida professor and Million Cat Challenge co-founder Dr. Julie Levy on rabies vaccination issues in TNR and return-to-field programs. How does your shelter respond to the concern about rabies vaccination and duration of immunity/booster vaccine requirements in your TNR/RTF programs? Here is some… Learn More
A flurry of media articles broke out last year, associating cat ownership and exposure to human mental health problems including schizophrenia, and attributed it to cats as carriers of toxoplasma gondii, a parasitic protozoan. Was the hype justified? No, writes Best Friends Animal Society’s Peter Wolf on Vox Felina, citing an article about a paper… Learn More
The best way to help any cat entering an animal shelter will depend on the cat. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for many shelter workers to tell the difference between a cat who is a social animal, used to humans, but severely stressed out or afraid, and a truly feral cat. Sara L. Bennett, DVM,… Learn More
Ever feel incredibly frustrated at the picture anti-cat advocates are trying to paint of cats? So is Peter Wolf, and he’s dedicated his life to doing something about it. He first created a blog called Vox Felina, where he methodically deconstructs misleading media narratives and bad science. He’s now added the position of Cat Initiatives… Learn More
What neuter-return practices actually reduce cat populations and protect wildlife? Results from a new study offer guidelines.
Can busy municipal animal control agencies dramatically reduce the number of cats entering their shelters as well as euthanasia rates? A recent study suggests they can.