Melissa graduated from the University of Sydney in 1990, nominatively destined to become a cat veterinarian. She worked in Adelaide and the UK for a number of years before coming back to Sydney, where she and Randolph started Paddington Cat Hospital in 1997 (their first ‘baby’).
Melissa enjoys all aspects of veterinary practice, and has a particular liking for surgery. She attained her membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 2007 by examination, in Medicine of Cats. Working with cats only is very rewarding as she has an affinity for this species, and it is an exciting area of research and information. She has owned cats since a child, and currently shares her life with Jake (a three legged geriatric ginger boy) and three young siblings- Cricket, Cosmo and Bramble. She and Randolph have two daughters, Elizabeth and Amelia, who share her love of cats, baking and reading.
Randolph graduated from the University of Sydney in 1991. In the first few years of his veterinary career, he worked part-time in Australia and the UK while pursuing a career as a professional triathlete. In 1997, he started Paddington Cat Hospital with his wife, Melissa Catt.
Randolph’s interests in feline practice focus on internal medicine and he achieved Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Medicine of Cats in 2001, and his PhD in 2015. Particular interest areas are biological variation in interpretation of pathology results, the manifestations and causes of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (particularly transient diabetes) and lipid metabolism disorders as well as infectious diseases.
Since 2001 Randolph has been an official consultant on Feline Internal Medicine board of VIN (Veterinary Information Network) a worldwide internet group where veterinarians seek advice and discuss cases.
Randolph is widely published in numerous international veterinary journals and is a co-editor of the definitive feline medicine textbook ‘The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management’ by Susan Little.
Randolph keeps his interests broad by studying French and Polish in his spare time.
Leah graduated from the University of Sydney in 2007. Her love of animals blossomed when she was six and she learned to interact with the neighbour’s dog. This obsession grew over the years, and she started volunteering at clinics at the age of sixteen. It was only when she got into vet school and started working as a kennelhand, however, that she truly discovered the joy of cats.
While she did begin her career treating cats, dogs, and other types of pets, such as birds, mice and rabbits, as well as wildlife, she finds the greatest fulfillment in caring for cats of different shapes and sizes. She particularly enjoys treating the young kittens who are starting out on their journey in life, and the more mature cats who are settling into a sedentary lifestyle. She achieved her Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists for Feline Medicine in 2018.
Outside of work, Leah enjoys spending time with Biscuit her tabby cat and her husband, in that order, and feels that the best things in life come in the tiniest of packages – such as the neat package that is a cat.
Anita graduated from the University of QLD in 1999 and started work in mixed practice in the Hunter Valley. It wasn’t long before midnight calvings lost their appeal however and she headed to England to be a locum and travel through Europe. She even met one of the Queen’s corgis in Windsor.
After returning to Sydney she worked for a few years in Sydney’s Inner West in small animal practice before solely working with cats full time at Paddington cat Hospital.
Anita has three active but beautiful boys and has been working at Paddington Cat Hospital in a part time capacity for the last 14 years. She has two very cheeky tabby cats at home called Percy Jackson and Charlie.
Katherine is your friendly bright haired kiwi, having moved from Christchurch to Wollongong in 2014 for university and a life of no earthquakes. She graduated from the University of Wollongong in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science. But after working in a pathology lab for 6 years, decided it was time for a change and to pursue another interest of hers, animal health and welfare.
Katherine began her studies in February 2020 and 3 weeks into her course, adopted a stray tabby kitten who’d been brought into her placement. 2 years and one pandemic later Katherine and Mina are now living in Sydney and have been joined by a cheeky boy called BT (short for Burnt Toast!). Katherine has finished her studies and is working full time while Mina is living as a queen in their apartment.
In her spare time Katherine enjoys reading fantasy novels and exploring Sydney. Mina enjoys crashing plastic balls and playing fetch with catnip mice.
Victoria is the original Paddington Cat Hospital nurse, having started working with us as a student nurse in early 1997 at the very beginning! She now works with us part time whilst pursuing her other passion of teaching pole dancing.
She shares her house with her two tabby cats Jack and Tilly.
Sarah first started work in a veterinary clinic when she was 14 as a kennel hand. Since then she has completed her training at Unitec in Auckland, and worked in a practice in Auckland for eleven years. She has been working at Paddington Cat Hospital since 2007- full- time, part-time and now filling in when she can around her busy parenting schedule.
Sarah has a special interest in our older kitties, and loves to hear stories of their exploits!
She has two Abyssinian boys which keep the family amused, and two human children to keep her on her toes.
In her spare time she loves to dance, go for walks, do yoga and read stories about…you guessed it, CATS!
Ever since she can remember, Olivia has always loved and wanted to help animals. One of her earliest memories includes trying to nurse an injured blue-tonged lizard back to health after her dad found it on the side of the road (she cried when a wildlife carer came to pick it up).
While she does miss dog cuddles after working in a mixed species vet clinic for the last 7 years, she can’t deny that working with cats is where it’s at.
In her spare time, when she’s not hanging out with her grumpy cat Mushu, she enjoys playing video games and preparing for the next session of her D&D campaign.
Monica is a passionate and qualified Colombian veterinarian who currently works as a veterinary nurse. From a young age, she developed a deep love for animals, inspired by documentaries about veterinarians in Australia. Her passion was evident from a young age, playing with her veterinarian Barbie, bringing animals home in secret, and reading extensively about animals from an encyclopedia that her mother gave her. Although her dream of practicing as a veterinarian in Australia is still in progress, she is dedicated to making it real while working with dedication and care in every interaction with the cats to improve her skills while learning how to master a new language. With an approach rooted in patience, gentleness, and respect for the cats’ space, she ensures care that prioritizes the well-being and comfort of each patient.
Currently, she’s preparing for her Academic English Exam, while continuing her professional development to fully integrate into the Australian veterinary field.
After more than 10 years in the retail industry, Helen decided that Veterinary Nursing was for her and completed her Veterinary Nursing Certificate IV course in 2005. She has been working at Paddington Cat Hospital since 2004, and is widely known for her cat whispering abilities.
She particularly loves looking after our boarding cats and hospital patients, and making the hospital into a second home.
In her spare time Helen enjoys gardening and attending to her cats’ every whim and need. “It’s great working in a cat-only practice. Life is fantastic, I’m surrounded by cats at home and at work.”
Helen currently has six (!) cats, a patient partner John, and son Alexander, who loves cats as much as his mum!
Rebecca has been working at Paddington Cat Hospital since 2016, finishing her vet nursing training in the same year. She hails from the North of England and has retained her distinctive accent! She shares her home with her partner, their two gorgeous boys and their cat, Hank. Rebecca enjoys all aspects of her job, particularly caring for the cats in hospital and making them feel as comfortable as possible.
Bex is helping out when she can manage to get the time away from her busy family!
