Looking back on my experience, I feel like I was taken advantage of as a first time cat owner. When you adopt from the Humane Society, they give you a list of vets where your first visit is free. I've adopted from them before so I know that it is true on their end. Cat Care Clinic on the other hand, made sure that didn't happen. This place was closest to my house so I decided to go. The woman who set up my appointment told me if I want them to test my cat's stool, bring a sample in. I wasn't told that they'd be charging me for that until the day I walked in. Anyway, I had appointment with Dr Dolores Shine things were going smoothly. When I adopted my cat, I was told she had no health issues so the check up was going as expected. She performed the physical exam and i'm thinking the appointment is coming to an end. She tells me that she's just going to swab my cats ears to "make sure everything's normal." I didn't question anything cuz I figured that was part of the routine exam. I remember her asking if my cat had been shaking her head or scratching her ears at all and I told her no. She then proceeds to pull UNSTERALIZED swabs out of her pocket that weren't wrapped in any type of plastic and she swabs my cats ears and quickly leaves without saying anything. She then comes back and says my cat has ear mites which is apparently common in cats who come from shelters but that she needs medication. I wasn't familiar with that and was more concerned about my cat so I didn't question her. I was given two different medications, and was told that they were sample medications. She never mentioned a follow up appointment or after care to make sure that the ear mites were gone or anything about paying. But I headed out, saying goodbye to the woman at the front desk (thinking I was good to go) and she stops me to tell me that I have to pay $60 for the medication and for the ear swabs. I was thoroughly confused because the doctor never asked me if I wanted this done to begin with and she never mentioned that i'd have to pay. I don't know if she looked under a microscope or ran a test she just did it and left the room as quickly as she came back in. Seems they have a habit of not mentioning the cost of services until after they either trick you or just force the service upon you. Oh and coincidentally, right after I leave my appointment, my cat is all of a sudden shaking her head like crazy and scratching her ears. AND one of the medications I was given, said "for otic use in dogs only" on the side of the box and their prescription label just so happened to be covering that part. By far the shadiest vet experience I've ever had and I've been a dog owner for 10+ years.
Jun 2024
Here's why the Cat Care Clinic is great: clean, specialized to cats so no barking or dog smells, fantastic front-desk staff, and last but most important: Vet Tech Megan is amazing at what she does and Dr. Dolores Shine was friendly, efficient, and answered all the questions I had. Best vet appt experience I've had by far. I'd highly recommend.
May 2024
This rating is specifically regarding Dr. Kathryn Christensen. I took my sweet cat to The Cat Doctor some years go for her regular care, and I was generally happy with the visits and procedures. Unfortunately my cat got cancer and it eventually came time to put her to sleep. Dr. Christiansen came to my house to perform the procedure. She had me hold my cat for her, which was fine, but she couldn't find a vein. Little did I know that her plan B was to stab my cat with the needle directly into her heart, which is what she did! My cat was biting my fingers as hard as she could - it was HORRIBLE and TRAUMATIC for me and my sweet kitty. It was so bad. I've since learned that the technique she used for euthanizing my cat was intra-cardiac euthanasia. It is widely thought of as painful and barbaric. My sweet cat suffered greatly in her last moments and so did I. I have never forgotten that horrible ending - my cat deserved so much better, a goodbye filled with peace and love, not horror. I don't know if Dr. Christiansen practices any more, but if she does, please consider seeing someone else.
Looking back on my experience, I feel like I was taken advantage of as a first time cat owner. When you adopt from the Humane Society, they give you a list of vets where your first visit is free. I've adopted from them before so I know that it is true on their end. Cat Care Clinic on the other hand, made sure that didn't happen. This place was closest to my house so I decided to go. The woman who set up my appointment told me if I want them to test my cat's stool, bring a sample in. I wasn't told that they'd be charging me for that until the day I walked in. Anyway, I had appointment with Dr Dolores Shine things were going smoothly. When I adopted my cat, I was told she had no health issues so the check up was going as expected. She performed the physical exam and i'm thinking the appointment is coming to an end. She tells me that she's just going to swab my cats ears to "make sure everything's normal." I didn't question anything cuz I figured that was part of the routine exam. I remember her asking if my cat had been shaking her head or scratching her ears at all and I told her no. She then proceeds to pull UNSTERALIZED swabs out of her pocket that weren't wrapped in any type of plastic and she swabs my cats ears and quickly leaves without saying anything. She then comes back and says my cat has ear mites which is apparently common in cats who come from shelters but that she needs medication. I wasn't familiar with that and was more concerned about my cat so I didn't question her. I was given two different medications, and was told that they were sample medications. She never mentioned a follow up appointment or after care to make sure that the ear mites were gone or anything about paying. But I headed out, saying goodbye to the woman at the front desk (thinking I was good to go) and she stops me to tell me that I have to pay $60 for the medication and for the ear swabs. I was thoroughly confused because the doctor never asked me if I wanted this done to begin with and she never mentioned that i'd have to pay. I don't know if she looked under a microscope or ran a test she just did it and left the room as quickly as she came back in. Seems they have a habit of not mentioning the cost of services until after they either trick you or just force the service upon you. Oh and coincidentally, right after I leave my appointment, my cat is all of a sudden shaking her head like crazy and scratching her ears. AND one of the medications I was given, said "for otic use in dogs only" on the side of the box and their prescription label just so happened to be covering that part. By far the shadiest vet experience I've ever had and I've been a dog owner for 10+ years.
Here's why the Cat Care Clinic is great: clean, specialized to cats so no barking or dog smells, fantastic front-desk staff, and last but most important: Vet Tech Megan is amazing at what she does and Dr. Dolores Shine was friendly, efficient, and answered all the questions I had. Best vet appt experience I've had by far. I'd highly recommend.
This rating is specifically regarding Dr. Kathryn Christensen. I took my sweet cat to The Cat Doctor some years go for her regular care, and I was generally happy with the visits and procedures. Unfortunately my cat got cancer and it eventually came time to put her to sleep. Dr. Christiansen came to my house to perform the procedure. She had me hold my cat for her, which was fine, but she couldn't find a vein. Little did I know that her plan B was to stab my cat with the needle directly into her heart, which is what she did! My cat was biting my fingers as hard as she could - it was HORRIBLE and TRAUMATIC for me and my sweet kitty. It was so bad. I've since learned that the technique she used for euthanizing my cat was intra-cardiac euthanasia. It is widely thought of as painful and barbaric. My sweet cat suffered greatly in her last moments and so did I. I have never forgotten that horrible ending - my cat deserved so much better, a goodbye filled with peace and love, not horror. I don't know if Dr. Christiansen practices any more, but if she does, please consider seeing someone else.