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Veterinarians
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Dr Richard Gowan
BVSc (Hons) MACVSc (Feline Medicine)
Feline Veterinarian/Owner
Richard graduated from the University of Queensland Veterinary School in 1998. He worked for one year in a large companion animal hospital in Canberra. Following this he moved back to Brisbane to pursue his ideal of working in a cat-only hospital at the Creek Road Cat Clinic. This is Australia’s largest and most respected cat-only hospital and home of Australia’s only Kidney transplant unit for cats. Over 5 years, he has had a fantastic opportunity to work in a team of cat-loving Vets and nurses under the tutelage of Dr. Vic Menrath, a specialist in Feline Medicine. He attained Membership of the Feline Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2003.
His professional qualifications and post-graduate training include:
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) UQ 1998
Post graduate Distance Education course (Feline Medicine) 2000
Membership of the Australian College of Vet Scientists in Feline Medicine in 2003
He regularly presents lectures on feline medicine at Veterinary conferences and is actively involved in continuing eduction in all areas of feline health and medicine. He is a member of the American Board of Feline Practitioners, the Melbourne and Sydney Feline Practitioners Group, and the Cornell Feline Health Centre. Richard is also a committee member on the Melbourne Metropolitan Practitioners board and the Victorian branch of the AVA.
In his words “I love all animals, cats just have that something special - plus playing with cats all day can hardly be called work?” Working at the Creek Road and Paddington cat clinics in Brisbane convinced him that Melbourne’s Cat lovers would benefit from a similar type of service. His aim at The Cat Clinic is to provide high quality compassionate care exclusively for cats, as well as providing the most up to date and optimal choices for your cat’s health. Richard consults closely with Specialists in all aspects of Veterinary Medicine and surgery. Richard has a particular interest in cardiac medicine, ultrasonography and geriatric feline medicine.
Richard has two awesome cats of his own, a big goofy street moggy called Gordon and Harper, a spunky little Tonkinese. In his spare time, you might find him kayaking on the Yarra, chasing a small white ball around a golf course or in any café that serves great coffee.
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Dr Amy Lingard
BVSc (Hons) MACVSc (Feline Medicine)
Feline Veterinarian
Amy graduated from the University of Queensland Veterinary School in 2001. After spending a year at a busy small animal hospital and emergency centre in Melbourne, she decided to pursue her passion for feline medicine and returned to Brisbane to work at the Creek Road Cat Clinic (where she first met Richard). Here she had the pleasure of working alongside Dr Vic Menrath (the first Feline Specialist in Australia) & Dr Marcus Gunew, 2 of Australia’s foremost feline veterinarians.
Amy commenced a Feline Medicine Residency at the University of Sydney Valentine Charlton Cat Centre in 2005 under the guidance of Dr Vanessa Barrs and Dr Julia Beatty, both renowned Feline Medicine Specialists. During her time at the University of Sydney Veterinary Centre, Amy completed a two-year Fellowship training program and accepted the position of Feline Medicine Registrar. Having completed her training, Amy moved to Melbourne to work with her partner Richard Gowan at The Cat Clinic Prahran.
Amy attained Membership of the Feline Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2006 and intends to attain Fellowship in 2009 and become a registered Feline Medicine Specialist. She has presented at many veterinary scientific conferences and written articles for publication in peer-reviewed feline medicine journals.
Amy is lucky enough to share her life with an eccentric oriental cat named “Sabi”, a wool-eating Tonkinese named “Soy” and Richard’s two cats, a bid goofy street moggy named “Gordon” and a spunky little Tonkinese named “Harper”… and Richard of course.
Amy’s professional qualifications and post-graduate training include:
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (First degree honours) at University of Queensland - 2001
Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Feline Medicine - 2006
Feline Medicine Residency at University of Sydney Valentine Charlton Cat Centre- 2006
Feline Medicine Registrar at University of Sydney Valentine Charlton Cat Centre – 2007
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Dr. Carolyn O’Brien
BVSc (Hons) MVetClinStud, FACVS (Feline Medicine)
Registered Feline Specialist
Carolyn O’Brien is a registered specialist in Feline Medicine. She graduated from the University of Melbourne 1994 and worked in private practice both in Melbourne and the UK for the first five years of her veterinary career. Carolyn then commenced a residency in small animal medicine at the University of Sydney in 2000. She concurrently completed a Masters in veterinary clinical studies in the epidemiology and treatment of cryptococcosis in cats and dogs. After her residency she stayed on at the University of Sydney as a Senior Registrar for a year then moved to the Veterinary Specialist Centre in North Ryde.
Carolyn gained her fellowship qualifications in 2004 and worked as a Senior Registrar in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and Hospital for 3 years. She loves all areas of feline medicine, but is particularly interested in critical care of feline patients, infectious diseases and cardiology where she has published many papers and regularly presents at seminars and conferences in Australia and overseas.
Carolyn has also established ‘The Melbourne Feline Practitioners Group’ for veterinarians interested in feline medicine and is a co-founder and part owner of The Cat Clinic. She has taken timeout from clinical work to start a family and is currently undertaking a research PhD in mycobacteria infectious disease in human medicine. She acts as a mentor and consultant at the Cat Clinic. She has 2 troublesome Burmese, Kits and Murphy.
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Nursing Support Team
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Faye Mitchell - Head Nurse
Faye has been working as a Veterinary Nurse for 7 years. Her previous experience includes working at a small animal practice where she developed a love for cats and their unique nature. She has a Diploma in Applied Science – Natural Resource Management and is involved in environmental education.
Faye has two cats, Gucci a Birman and Mac a domestic cat. Her first cat Gucci has taught her a lot about cats and their behaviour. He is a loving cat and likes to sleep on her pillow or under the covers late into the morning. He has a calming influence. Mac however is the opposite. He spends most of his time in the cat run keeping an eye on his property. He is always in the mood to play and is high energy. A great balance of cat personalities.
In her spare time Faye enjoys, kung fu, yoga, reading, camping and hiking. She loves cats, and the Cat Clinic has provided her with a great opportunity to harness her interest and fondness for cats.
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Georgia Puttock – Vet Nurse
Georgia’s love of cats began in the crib, which she happily shared with a cranky adopted black & white domestic named Meowchic. Growing up with the surname “Katz”, cemented what became an obsession of sorts.
Georgia began volunteering with the cats at the ‘Save a dog scheme’ and realized that working with animals (specifically cats) was what she was meant to do with her life. After bringing her cats to the Cat Clinic for the past 3 years, her persistence paid off with a job as a vet nurse. She is currently studying her certificates 2 & 4 in veterinary nursing.
Georgia has 3 ‘children’ with her husband Tobie, Rupert and Bellatrix the beautiful ragdolls, and Ari a precocious lilac Burmese.
In her spare time Georgia loves to read, spend time with her friends and devise new ways of convincing Tobie to let her add to their family.
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Chinta Pandji – Vet Nurse
Chinta’s love of animals has always been apparent to anyone who knows her, she is always on the lookout for new animals to befriend while on her many walks.
Chinta has in the past shared her home with 9 kittens and their mother, having found homes for all but one of them she continued living with “Louie” the beautiful tabby boy, Sadly Louie left home at age 4 and was not to be seen again.
Chinta now has a cheeky tabby torti girl called “Hati”. After first bringing Hati to The Cat Clinic in 2005 and getting her allergies under control she is now a happy, healthy girl once more. Having started at the Cat clinic as a cattery attendant last year, Chinta is now a trainee vet nurse and is currently studying for her certificate 4 in veterinary nursing.
In her spare time Chinta loves to Dance, read many books, go to the movies and take walks in beautiful gardens and say hello to any curious kitties.
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Kim McMillan – Vet Nurse
Kim is the newest addition to our team. Kim joined the Cat Clinic as a full time veterinary nurse in January. Kim has completed her certificate 2 in veterinary nursing and has been working as a veterinary nurse for four years, both in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Her distinct Scottish accent will not go unnoticed! Kim has two feline friends, Marcellus and Hedwig, named after the infamous Pulp Fiction and Harry Potter characters!
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Melissa Mathieson - Cattery Attendant
Melissa started at the Cat clinic just after it opened in 2005. She mostly tasked with looking after the boarding cats over the weekends. Melissa recently completed her Animal Science degree at Deakin University and has just started her honours course studying the behaviour of Lyre birds. She absolutely loves cats and has 4 cats – but they live with her parents. So, at this point she shares her life with a cute little black & white girl called Isobelle.
Melissa has a very keen interest in feline behaviour and would like to continue further studies in animal behaviour. If your cat comes home from the cattery looking content & even more beautiful, it is due to Melissa’s dedication to ensuring the cats don’t miss out on their regular brushing and grooming whilst on holidays.
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Rachel Mentha - Cattery Attendant
Rachel has always had a deep love of cats, as is clear by her dedication to her sometimes beloved Miss Billy who sadly passed away last year. Rachel started bringing Miss Billy to the Cat Clinic just after it opened in 2005. At the time, MB had uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled hyperthyroid disease, pancreatic problems and many more niggles. After a good deal of work & 2 involved surgeries we managed to control MB’s problems.
This involved Rachel learning how to administer insulin, give multiple medications and then also how to collect blood samples to monitor MB’s blood sugar levels at home. All of this convinced Rachel to enrol in an introductory veterinary nursing course which she completed last year. Rachel now shares her home with Ted, a rambunctious little red head girl with loads of personality.
If you visit the cattery, you will hear Rachel talking and singing to all the cats that stay with us on holidays. She really gives extra love and attention to all the boarders, as if they were her own really.
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