Podcast
Underfoot is a new podcast about the hidden cat crisis and how we can solve it.
About the Podcast
In this new podcast, we go beyond rescue stories to reveal the systems that created this problem in the first place.
Over six episodes, we’ll explore: What would it take to build a city where no cat is left behind?
New episodes drop every Wednesday.
Listen wherever you find podcasts.
Episode 1:
One Block, Thirty-Five Cats
Every block has a story — and sometimes, it starts with a single cat.
Episode 2:
A City on the Brink
We zoom out from one Brooklyn block to the entire city — tracing how decades of underfunding, housing instability, and broken policies pushed New York’s animal shelter system to the edge.
Episode 3:
The Real Price of Pet Ownership
In this episode, we unpack how affordability, access, and inequality converge to leave more pets at risk, and more cats struggling outside.
Episode 4:
The Cost of Caring
This episode follows caretakers and rescuers waking at dawn to feed dozens of cats, spending their own money on medical care, and experiencing the burnout that comes from doing the city’s work for free.
Episode 5:
Rethinking the Role of Animal Shelters
We investigate why the city has been so slow to act on the cat crisis, and explore what a prevention-first model of animal care could look like for New York and beyond.
Episode 6:
A Vision for Tomorrow
Through conversations with rescuers, policy leaders, and community members, we outline a scalable blueprint: a hopeful vision shaped by the people closest to the problem and to the solution.
Join the Conversation
Have a story to share or a question about the issues we explore on Underfoot? We’d love to hear from you.
Tell us about your neighborhood cats, your rescue story, or what you’d like to learn more about. We may feature your message or question in a future episode of Underfoot or newsletter. Whether you’re a rescuer, a listener, or someone who just noticed the cats in your neighborhood — your voice helps shape this conversation.