← The Dr. Laura Podcast
The Dr. Laura Podcast
Be a Floëf Advocate!
00:20:17
"Be a Floëf Advocate!" - Listen to my Morning Monologue: I’m sharing my take on pressing issues, enlightening research on human behavior, answering questions I get by email, and my favorite, most instructive interactions with callers. Everything you’ll hear is designed to help you become a better spouse, parent, family member, co-worker, friend, and human being. It’s the free therapy you need! Got a dilemma? Call 1-800-DR-LAURA / 1-800-375-2872 or make an appointment at DrLaura.com - Listen to The Dr. Laura Program daily on SiriusXM Triumph 123.
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- [00:01]
LinkedIn Hiring Pro Announcer
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- [00:31]
Walmart Pharmacy Announcer
look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them. Transfer your scripts, refill them and have them delivered straight to you. Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology derma delivered Ding dong. Is that your pizza? Nope. Walmart Pharmacy delivery with a refill. Switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now new delivery not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply.
- [01:01]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Thank you for listening to my morning monologue brought to you by Golden Crest Metals. Helping everyday investors protect what they've worked so hard to build by adding gold and silver to retirement portfolios. Learn more@goldencrestmetals.com Protect Remember, you can hear my radio program daily on Sirius XM Triumph and connect with me 24 7@drlaura.com I have as our guest the Director of HR at Activision Blizzard and president and founder of Floof. Floof Tracy Schlessinger, my daughter in law, Floof. How did you and Derek come up with that name and what does it mean?
- [01:53]
Tracy Schlessinger
So we came up with Floof because we love to make songs about our cats and at one point last year we had some really fluffy kittens and we made up a song about them. Are we going to sing it together?
- [02:12]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
You started. I'll come. I'll come in. Go ahead.
- [02:17]
Tracy Schlessinger
Okay, so it goes S L O E oof F L O E oof F L O E oof and it just sort of repeats and repeats on but you know, ended up being really catchy.
- [02:31]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
I got it.
- [02:33]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yes. And you know, that was the gist of it. So when we, we decided that we wanted to make a bigger impact on saving animals lives. So when we decided to start a nonprofit animal rescue, it felt natural for us to use something that we found catchy and that really resonated with us. So that's how we ended up with Sleuth Society. And of course it has to have a special spelling that nobody can remember,
- [03:01]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
which is not good when I'm going to be giving out the email address.
- [03:06]
Tracy Schlessinger
But hopefully you remember the song. Yes, yes.
- [03:10]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Just sing it into your phone. That's it. Siri. Flight. So when did you start this? Since I've known you two, you've both been nuts about cats. But. And that's something you've always had in common. I mean, you two are really nuts about cat. I remember the three of us would be walking and two miles away, one of you would see a cat, and we had to walk the two miles to say hi to the cat. I remember all of this.
- [03:36]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yeah, we. You know, I've always had cats growing up, so I've always had a love for them. Derek, you know, he always had the dogs. But I think, you know, the nonprofit started last year after we had been fostering animals for. For about six years. We had cats and kittens that people would bring to us, knowing that we loved them so deeply. But last year is when we officially started the nonprofit because there was just such an overwhelming demand and seeing day in and day out, witnessing how easily stray cats are overlooked and cats are brought into shelters or euthanized, you know, not because they're unlovable, but because the system is overwhelmed. And there is just honestly such a problem in Los Angeles especially, but I think all over the country, but here, you know, we live in Santa Monica, so we wanted to make a real impact. So that's how the nonprofit started is wanting to do something to help these cats that we found out were being euthanized. And honestly, we had no idea. I always thought that LA was no kill, because that's a tagline that we often hear is no kill la. But that is not true at all. There's a couple shelters in LA where cats and dogs were being euthanized daily. And that just made me sick to my stomach because they would get killed for something as simple as a cold. And honestly, it makes me a little sad just talking about it. I'm getting a little broken up because I just love them so much and they don't deserve it.
- [05:15]
LinkedIn Hiring Pro Announcer
The new LinkedIn hiring pro can't clone you, but it can streamline your hiring workflow. From posting jobs to shortlisting candidates to interviewing, LinkedIn Hiring Pro is the hiring partner you need so you can focus on connecting with the right talent. In fact, small businesses report saving over six hours per week. So hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Post a free job today at LinkedIn.com Pandora
- [05:46]
Home Depot Announcer
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- [06:15]
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- [06:46]
Walmart Pharmacy Announcer
Look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them, transfer your scripts, refill them, and have them delivered straight to you. Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology, derma delivered Ding dong. Is that your pizza? Nope. Walmart Pharmacy delivery with a refill. Switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now new delivery not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply. Oh, could this vintage store be any cuter?
- [07:19]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Right? And the best part?
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LinkedIn Hiring Pro Announcer
They accept Discover.
- [07:22]
Walmart Pharmacy Announcer
Except Discover in a little place like this? I don't think so. Jennifer.
- [07:26]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Oh yeah, huh? Discover is accepted where I like to shop. Come on, baby, get with the times.
- [07:32]
Walmart Pharmacy Announcer
Right. So we shouldn't get the parachute pants.
- [07:35]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
These are making a comeback, I think.
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Discover/Geico Announcer
Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide, based on the February 2025 Nielsen report.
- [07:51]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
As an example, the picture you showed me of the cat with one red eyeball. Something out of a Stephen King book. Tell me how you got to that cat. Now that would have been Euthanas. So how did you save it? Tell me.
- [08:04]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yes. Yeah. So that, that is our baby Jinx. He ended up being a foster fail. So that's the headline of the story is he was brought to us because the shelter was going to euthanize him. So actually one of the partners that worked with was able to pull him and we said we will absolutely foster this calf. And we had another kitten that came along with him that was also very sick, but because he had a severe upper respiratory infection, his is easily treatable though, so it just took some antibiotics. Some love Some care. And we had him, we took care of him. But, you know, Jinx is a black cat. And so that's another something else that happens is black cats often are the most neglected or brought into the shelters because people don't have this sentiment that black cats are bad luck or they don't.
- [08:59]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Kidding me. Outside of Halloween, I can't believe it.
- [09:04]
Tracy Schlessinger
Well, on Halloween, actually, like, people like, okay, one thing that happens on Halloween is we don't adopt black cats out because there's actually really sick people out there that perform rituals with black cats. And yes, it's. It's sick. There's a lot of.
- [09:19]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
In the United States of America. Oh, yeah, well, we.
- [09:22]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yeah, yes.
- [09:23]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Never mind that comment.
- [09:24]
Tracy Schlessinger
I'm serious.
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Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Okay. Now.
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Tracy Schlessinger
Yes.
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Dr. Laura Schlessinger
How does this foundation work? Because I ended up fostering a dog because you sent me a cute picture of a puppy and I said, I'll watch him until somebody wants him. Okay. Now, I'd shoot anybody who tried to take them away. But moving right along from that, I got the food and I got a leash and I got pads. I mean, I got a cage. So the foundation provides all of this when you rescue a cat?
- [10:00]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yes. Well, ours does. Yeah. Flu society does. So what we do, if you decide to foster a cat or adopt a cat, we provide you with, with everything that you need. So the supplies, which includes, you know, food, litter, litter box, a cute cat bed, you know, in the case of dogs, everything as well. Pads, you know, because he's a puppy and needs to be potty trained. But we want to take all the stress out of fostering. I think there's a lot of people don't know what it means to foster an animal. They think that it's going to be overwhelming or too costly. So we provide all of that as part of the nonprofit.
- [10:41]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
And the vet bill. And the vet bill.
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Tracy Schlessinger
And the vet bills. Yeah. Which are the most.
- [10:45]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
I mean, Bear came with his original shots. I was really blown out. That was. I thought that was particularly amazing. So I'd like people to call in and talk to you, Tracy. So people who have thought about fostering, but I don't know, I don't know, is it exactly expensive? What happens if.
- [11:05]
Tracy Schlessinger
Blah, blah, blah, blah.
- [11:07]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
So give us a call here at 1-800- talk to Tracy, 1-800. You can ask her what it's like to have me as a mother in law, but that's not relevant to the subject. 1-800-375-2872. Oh, I thought that story you told me was very funny. You Were at a meeting or something and a fellow said, oh, that's. I know the name Schlesinger. That's Dr. Laura. And you said, that's my mother in law. And he just got.
- [11:38]
Tracy Schlessinger
He thought I was kidding.
- [11:40]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Yeah.
- [11:42]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yep. Yeah. He was like, well, whenever I see your last name, I think of Dr. Laura. I was like, yeah, that's my mother in law. He's like, oh. He just kind of looked at me for a minute and oh, my God, you're serious. I'm like, yeah, totally. It's true.
- [12:00]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
All right, folks, give us a call. Hurry up. I want her to give you any help you need in getting in the mode of either donating, because as I told you, they do all the vet bills and all the stuff you need to take care of a cat, and you're only fostering. I mean, I've never heard. I've never heard of another fostering foundation. Do that. Provide everything you need. How did you guys come to do that?
- [12:27]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yeah, you know, a lot of the agencies don't do that. There are some that do, but I really wanted to take any stress out of people wanting to open up their home to an animal. And I think the biggest issue for people is the supplies and, you know, just the medical expenses. But, you know, one thing that I do want to caveat is if people decide that they do want to eventually adopt, like, animals can be expensive to care for. So that's, I think, another consideration. But if you're just fostering and you're opening up your home and giving love, we provide everything. So I want to take the stress and the pressure off of people thinking that they have to figure that out on their own. And what we really want to do is provide that support, which we certainly do.
- [13:18]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
How many. What percentage, if you have this number of people who foster, fail at fostering because they end up adopting like me,
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Tracy Schlessinger
you know, I would say about 50%.
- [13:31]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Oh, well, that's nice. And how. How is the work done to find a final, you know, a forever home? How is that done?
- [13:42]
Tracy Schlessinger
So we have adoption events that really, we get the most animals adopted at adoption events. So I've actually, I've. I'm really lucky to be working where I work at, at Activision Blizzard because they are all animal lovers. So I've been able to have a couple adoption events on campus where people can meet the cats live, and then I have everything with me at the events. The carrier, the litter boxes, everything. So if they decide to adopt a cat, that all goes home with them right when they get to leave for work. So that's one way that we have been able. Yes. Yeah, we've actually. There's a lot of people that I work with, my co workers that have adopted cats from us, which is great because then I get to keep tabs on them. But otherwise, you know, we rely heavily on word of mouth or social media. We have, you know, an adoption process, an interview that you have to go through to make sure that your home is set up and you're ready to take on the commitment of an animal. Because cats live, you know, for up to 20 years. So it's a long time to be able to have something and to care for it and to give it love. So we want to make sure that people are set up for that.
- [14:54]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Well, quite frankly, cats are really easy as opposed to a dog. I mean, dogs don't do litter boxes.
- [15:04]
Tracy Schlessinger
Absolutely. Well, yeah. That's how we ended up with. We have five at our house right now.
- [15:09]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
I know.
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Tracy Schlessinger
I saw it's a lot.
- [15:12]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Every corner, there was another cat cuddled up. Well, Mochi still remembers me. Mochi still remembers you?
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Tracy Schlessinger
He loves you.
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Dr. Laura Schlessinger
He wanted to chew on the back of my neck. He's so cute. And he got pretty sick. And you nursed him back to health. Yeah, Always taking care of me. I like it. All right. Now, on the uglier side, have you ever had to remove cats after you had somebody foster or adopt them? And how do you know what's going on with the cats? And what kinds of things do you have to do to rescue the cats?
- [15:47]
Tracy Schlessinger
Oh, gosh. Yeah. So recently, just in the past couple of weeks, we actually had a foster. And this was, you know, we didn't know exactly what was going on. So we have since put a lot of different protocols in place to make sure that this isn't happening going forward. But we had somebody that was, you know, kind of hoarding cats. So she had five foster cats in addition to her own animals at her house, and she was keeping them in a room. The room didn't have any sort of softness for the cats to lay on. It was dirty. It was gross.
- [16:24]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
So how are you informed of that? How did you know what was. How do you find out?
- [16:32]
Tracy Schlessinger
So I had somebody go over there to check on the cats, and they are the ones that informed me that, you know, this situation is not good. So immediately, you know, we jumped into action to get the cats out of there. They were able to take video, so I was able to see live that this is not a situation that these cats should be in, you know, and instances like that, it gets really tough because, like, animal control or the police, they're not going to do anything with that. They're. They're busy with a million other things. So Derek and I had to kind of handle it on our own and go over there personally to get all of the animals out of this place. And unfortunately, they were all, like, really unsocialized and feral, and it was just a really bad situation. But they're with us now. They're healing, and I think they're going to be great working cats at a winery in Santa Barbara, which is totally fine. Another outcome of saving cats. That can happen.
- [17:33]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
So they run around the huge winery and take care of small rodents. Is that the issue?
- [17:40]
Tracy Schlessinger
Exactly. Yes. Yep. They are able to catch mice and rodents and be free on the winery. And at night, then they come back into the house where they are offered a safe place to be at night, because, of course, we don't want them to get eaten by coyotes or anything else. But no, it's a really great option for cats that do not like people.
- [18:13]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
I'm trying to work on fostering an adoption. Don't throw that in again. That's so funny. Yeah. But even cats who don't like people seem to like the two of you. How does that work out?
- [18:33]
Tracy Schlessinger
You know, a lot of patience. Honestly, I think a lot of cats have been in bad situations, and they just need some time to decompress and learn to trust humans. So we've had cats, you know, we've had one foster that's been with us for six months, and it took her a good two to three months to come out of her shell and realize that when I approached her, I wasn't going to. You know, I don't know what happened to her before, but she would flinch and she would run away. But now, you know, after six months, she will come up to me and get love and rub up against me, and she sleeps on me. But it's taken a really long time. So I think we, you know, we know that. And we treat each cat with love and patience and lots of treats. And that's, you know, all of that works, but each cut is different.
- [19:26]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
So tell me in terms of making donations, because you guys take care of all the expenses. So to help a person foster, where do people contact you? How do we do this?
- [19:40]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yeah, so we have. We have a website, which is fleussociety.com. so there you're gonna have.
- [19:48]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Spell that, sweetheart. You're gonna have to spell that.
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Tracy Schlessinger
Well, I'll sing it. F L o e f society.com f
- [19:59]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
l o E F I did promise I'd sing it with you and the same thing for the email. It is in the email.
- [20:09]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yeah, yeah.
- [20:10]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
@fluffsociety.com F L O E F D F L O E F I got it. O E F L O E F. All right. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing the flip foundation T shirt right now and you told me.
- [20:24]
Tracy Schlessinger
Yes.
- [20:26]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
You're the super artist. I thought you had done this, but. All right, all right.
- [20:30]
Tracy Schlessinger
Derek is very creative. Yeah, he came up.
- [20:33]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Oh, yeah, he is.
- [20:34]
Tracy Schlessinger
He came up. Oh, he is. Yes, he is very creative. He loves drawing. So he came up with the logo. But yes. Yeah, we have. You know, feel free to email us or go on to our Instagram or website. There's lots of different ways that, that people can reach out to connect with us. Either to inquire about fostering or adopting or to do a donation. We love chatting with people and I think, you know, my co workers are probably sick of hearing me talk about the crisis in la, but I think the more people that are informed, the better.
- [21:09]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Yes. And I want to thank you so much, Tracy, for coming on and talking about this. And I hope this conversation and Floefsociety.com resonates with enough people to get involved. They don't even have to like cats. They just have to have a good heart. By the way, for people who are wondering what the art is, it shows an adorable cat reaching up a paw towards a heart. I think that was so cute. All right, I'm wearing it. All right. It's 90 degrees here, so I'm also sweating in it. Anyway, Tracy, love you. Thanks so much for coming on.
- [21:46]
Tracy Schlessinger
Love you. Love you too. All right, thanks. Bye.
- [21:50]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Bye, sweetie. All right. That's my daughter in law. Very sweet. I was down there visiting because as you know, my best friend of 30 years passed. I'm going to the funeral tomorrow. And I was down there visiting the family and my family. And when I got back, I had to get back into a car because nobody seems to like me driving at night. I don't know what the problem is other than I'm always terrified. That's probably the problem because people drive crazy and I don't know what to do half the time when it's dark. So I was in a. I was being driven and she made sure I was warm enough. It was so sweet. Yeah. Okay. If you're interested in talking to Tracy or Derek about this, you need to go on to infoffleflowsociety.com and if you're interested in donating, I hope you do. And if you're interested in fostering, I hope you do. And accidentally somebody sent him a picture picture of a few puppies that were rescued from behind Walmart in San Bernardino that were in a kill shelter and I ended up with bear. I went on the air with it and the other two siblings ended up in homes too. So I hope that bringing these things to your attention spark you to have a buddy and I must say, dog lover that I am, there are times I think cats are so much easier. Most of the time they want you to bug off. 1-800-375-2872 if you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast. Of course, I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media media platform.
- [23:49]
Discover/Geico Announcer
We've all been there. You hold on to a coupon, hoping to cash it in at the store, but then you forget about it and suddenly you've got a mountain of useless expired coupons.
- [23:57]
LabCorp Announcer
Do you think this one's still good?
- [23:59]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Free milk?
- [24:00]
Discover/Geico Announcer
Oh mate, that expired in 1993.
- [24:02]
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Dang it.
- [24:03]
Discover/Geico Announcer
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- [24:11]
LabCorp Announcer
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Discover/Geico Announcer
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- [24:16]
LabCorp Announcer
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