Every so often, I receive an email that reminds me why I do this work.
A listener named Michael wrote me after hearing a recent episode of Dog Talk (and Kitties, Too) on WLIW.FM, the only NPR station on Long Island (that has carried my show every week since 2005!). Yes, people do still listen to traditional radio! He wanted to check on the title and author I had interviewed about his book -”CAT TALES: a History” by Jerry D. Moore. Michael wanted one copy for himself and another for a founder of a local cat rescue, and on top of that he even planned to make a donation to the radio station to show his appreciation for my show. I was touched by his generosity, but even more by what it represented: how one conversation can ripple outward into connection, kindness, and community.
That is the heart of all my work. Whether it is Dog Talk®, Cat Chat®, or Exotic Pets, every episode begins as a conversation and ends as a connection between experts and pet parents, authors and readers, rescuers and adopters. I have always believed that when we share our experiences with animals, we inevitably find one another.
One of the most joyful examples of that spirit is my ongoing collaboration with Jennifer Mowdy, the visionary founder of The Literary Cat Company. Jennifer has created something truly special: a combination cat café, independent bookstore, and adoption space where every latte, every book purchase, and every cat cuddle supports feline rescue and literacy at once. Going a step further, one of my sponsors of CAT CHAT - Creamy lickables from Catit - has gifted Jennifer with Catit products for the bookstore and now partnered with her giving welcome packages for adopters. I have loved featuring Jennifer on Cat Chat®, where we talk about the magic of combining books and cats, two things that comfort, connect, and make us better humans. Michael had heard my appeal to people to avoid online book buying from the Amazon truck and instead to choose courageous independent bookstores that serve a vital function as a gathering place in their communities. When I e-introduced Michael to Jennifer to make his purchases it felt like closing the circle with listener, author, and bookstore all linked by a shared love of cats and literature..
Listen to my conversations with Jennifer Mowdy:
That same sense of connection comes to life on a grand scale every fall with the NY Dog and Cat Film Festivals, where audiences gather to laugh, cry, and celebrate the human–animal bond together. The festivals are a joyous, in-person extension of what happens on the airwaves: people from many walks of life discovering common ground through their love of pets.
And the impact goes beyond celebration. This year’s New York City premiere benefits Animal Lighthouse Rescue, which saves homeless dogs from Puerto Rico. As the festivals tour the country, a local shelter in each city we visit becomes a beneficiary, turning shared stories into real, boots-on-the-ground support for animals in need.
Join me on October 26th at the Premieres of the:
Whether it is through a radio show, a bookshop full of cats, or a theater filled with laughter and wagging tails, I am reminded every day that our love for animals brings us together and makes the world a kinder place for us all.