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About the Summit:
The Cat & Advocate Wellbeing Summit is a free, virtual gathering for cat and animal wellbeing/welfare advocates, animal care and veterinary professionals, staff, volunteers, and caregivers to explore the future of feline wellbeing. Through authentic, panel-led conversations, we’ll explore the deeper systems, stories, and cultural shifts that shape how we care for cats, for each other, and for the communities we serve. No slides, no lectures — just honest, community-rooted dialogue.
Registration:
Register here-- it's free to attend! This is a volunteer-led event, and I’m covering Zoom costs to keep it accessible. If you’d like to support the summit, you can Buy Me a Coffee to help me offset tech expenses. Thank you!
**Can't attend live? All registrants will receive a recording to watch at their convenience for two weeks after the live event.
Summit Goals:
Thoughtful conversation about how cat wellbeing can be supported more proactively
A deeper understanding of the systems that shape how people care for cats
Insight into how messaging impacts empathy, trust, and belonging in cat welfare
Honest discussion about burnout, distress, and sustainability in advocacy spaces
Summit Schedule:
Saturday, February 7th : 10am - 1pm EST
❖ 10:00–11:15 AM – Proactive Cat Wellbeing & Behavior Care
❖ 11:30 AM–1:00 PM – Barriers to Care, Not to Love
Sunday, February 8th : 10am - 1pm EST
❖ 10:00–11:15 AM – Shame Doesn't Save Cats
❖ 11:30 AM–1:00 PM – The Culture is the Crisis
The Panel Discussions:
Proactive Cat Wellbeing & Behavior Care
This panel explores why cat behavior and emotional wellbeing should be part of the foundation of animal welfare — not an afterthought once problems arise. We’ll talk about the frustrations of seeing behavior support excluded from core services, and how animal welfare systems can better integrate this care from the start. Together, we’ll explore how centering wellbeing early helps adopters feel more prepared, keeps more cats in homes, and strengthens the human-animal bond. Panelists: TBA
Barriers to Care, Not to Love
This panel unpacks the bigger picture — how systemic challenges like housing insecurity, financial hardship, immigration status, and lack of access to veterinary care shape who can care for cats, and how. We’ll explore how cat advocacy intersects with social justice and why naming these barriers is essential to building more inclusive, compassionate support. Panelists: TBA
Shame Doesn't Save Cats
How we talk about cat care shapes whether people feel they can turn to us for support or whether they feel alienated and judged. Messaging that shames or oversimplifies care can create fear, guilt, and silence. This panel explores how public messaging impacts dignity, trust, and access — and how reframing narratives can reduce shame and help more people feel supported. Panelists: TBA
The Culture is the Crisis
This panel centers the people behind the work — and why so many are exhausted, overwhelmed, or quietly stepping away. We’ll talk about where things are breaking: unrealistic expectations, toxic team dynamics, lack of safety, and the pressure to care without support. Together, we’ll explore why caring for cats must include building systems where advocates feel safe, valued, and able to stay. Panelists: TBA
Join a Panel!
We’re currently accepting applications for panelists — and you’re warmly invited to apply. These aren’t expert panels or presentations. They’re conversations. If you’ve volunteered with cats, worked in animal welfare, fostered, advocated, worked in a shelter, shared cat care education, or simply have lived experience and ideas to explore, we’d love to hear from you!
Your Host:
Stephanie Merlin CFTBS, FFCP (she/her)
Certified Cat Behavior Specialist & Educator
Feline behavior specialist, educator, and founder of The Fulfilled Feline, Stephanie is passionate about bridging the gap between cat behavior, caregiver support, and systemic change in animal welfare. She’s been leading advocacy conversations that center empathy, equity, and emotional sustainability in the field.
Your Panelists: TBA
