“Dr. Mike” grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland, her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech) in 1996, and completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at the University of Missouri-Columbia Veterinary Teaching Hospital (Mizzou) in 1997.

Cat Care of Vinings was designed as a sanctuary for cats---“even the most nervous and anxious of breeds can be attended to here no matter how serious the condition.”  She believes cats require special emotional support in addition to traditional, species-specific medical care.

“As veterinarians, we may have contributed to may misconceptions of cat-specific disease, medical and emotional needs, and nutrition.  We’ve assumed cats are just like any other pet and have educated owners to see them this way...Cat Care of Vinings is a place where cats can be treated and handled with dignity and specific attention to their unique physiology and psyche.

Dr. Mike’s personal interests include working with others to improve the quality of life for feral animals, pets and wildlife around the world through several rescue organizations. Locally she gives her spare time working with women seeking to make changes in their lives. Many of them have suffered severe violence and abuse and seek refuge in destructive forces such as alcohol and drug addiction.

One of her favorite reflections was spoken many years ago by Winston Churchill:

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Dr. Mike is highly committed to community and personal service to others; she feels it is an essential part of a complete and balanced life.