Kerry Fost, DVM, Senior Associate

Graduated magna cum laude from Boise State University with aBS in Biology, 1980
Graduated cum laude from Washington State University Veterinary School, DVM, 1985

Senior DVM, Kerry Fost, says, "I never met a cat I didn't like – even the ones that wanted to bite me." She practiced small animal medicine from 1985 until 1998, when she decided to make felines her principal focus. Dr. Fost believes a feline only practice is important because it takes years of dedicated observation and study to truly feel at one with cats. Cats are unique, true carnivores, with enzyme systems and behavioral adaptations that make them distinct, interesting and challenging. Her favorite part about working with cats is their individual personalities, facial expressions, likes and dislikes. Dr. Fost is especially interested in feline geriatrics, internal medicine and ophthalmology. She is particularly fond of orange cats and finds the Burmese to be a fascinating breed. As far as she's concerned, anyone who says they don't like cats hasn't met enough of them. Dr. Fost strives to be the most knowledgeable, compassionate veterinarian she can be, a loving, patient and fun wife and mother, a good steward of the earth's resources, and an advocate for the humane treatment of all animals.

Tara Koble, DVM, Associate

Graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in Zoology/Minor in Microbiology, 1992
Graduated from Pierce Community College with an Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology, 1995
Graduated from Washington State University Veterinary School, DVM, 1999
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Chi Institute, Reddick, Florida, 2009

Known for her ability to maintain and restore the special bond between cats and their "people," Dr. Tara Koble has been feline-exclusive for the majority of her career. She joined The Cat Doctor team in 2001, after practicing small-animal medicine in Spokane, Washington. She believes cats are one of the most intelligent, independent creatures in existence. When it comes to illness, however, they can be difficult to interpret due to their subtle nature. Having someone who truly knows and understands cats can be very beneficial. Dr. Koble's feline-related interests include nutrition, geriatrics and holistic medicine. Her goal is to offer clients a blend of both modern medicine and holistic medicine in order to enhance the success rate and minimize the side effects of treatment. She was recently certified as a veterinary acupuncturist and is enjoying the rewards of that endeavor in her practice. She cherishes all types of cats, but says brown tabbies hold a special place in her heart. Her devotion to the feline species is evident in her volunteer efforts as a medical advisor for Northwest Animal Companions (NAC) since 2005, but, more personally, in her belief that "there is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."

Linda Lobb, DVM, Associate

Graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in Microbiology, 1983
Graduated from Oregon State University and Washington State University Veterinary Schools (combined program), DVM, 1987

After more than two decades of practicing only on cats, Dr. Linda Lobb says she thinks it is clear that cat owners want and need someone who loves and understands cats. A 17-year veteran of a feline only clinic in Vancouver, Washington, she joined The Cat Doctor team in 2004. She continues to be surprised that although cats can be the number one pet in the nation, their breed specific needs are often overlooked, with many cats being handled physically, emotionally, nutritionally and medically like small dogs. Cats are beautiful, independent (though surprisingly devoted), unique individuals, and she admires their agility, sense of humor, and "sometimes subtle/sometimes blatant" communication style. Dr. Lobb loves the variety of specialties she gets to cover in any given week, from geriatrics to neonatology. Every case is a challenge and a chance to learn and grow. Although she does not have any particular favorite breed or color of cat, she does make it a goal to help and understand fearful cats that may resist medical care and attention. Dr. Lobb truly loves her profession – feline medicine and surgery, the people, and, of course, the cats. She believes that "a person who cannot love an animal, accepting them as they are with admiration, is missing a truly wonderful experience. "She also aspires to be a good mother, wife, daughter, and sister, and to be a participant in a healthy future for our world.

Rebecca Douglass, CVT, Medical Director

Medical Director, Rebecca Douglass, sought Dr. Higdon out before The Cat Doctor opened in 1997. She was extremely excited to have an opportunity to work at a feline-only hospital because she adored cats and felt rewarded when she could contribute to their health and well-being. When she met Dr. Higdon, she "saw a reflection of those same feelings, and I knew this was where I belonged. "She was the first person hired at The Cat Doctor. Rebecca believes she understands and interprets cats well. While she thoroughly enjoys playing with the little kittens and getting purrs from the sweet ones, her greatest satisfaction comes from handling the feisty and scared kitties with care and respect, creating calmness for even the most timid and anxious. She also enjoys counseling clients on the best methods for taking care of their wonderful felines.

Rebecca began her career in 1994, spending five years in emergency and critical care. She has been a LevelII Technician with the Idaho Veterinary Emergency Response Team since 2004. She earned her Certified Veterinary Technician status in 2002 and founded the Treasure Valley Chapter of the Idaho Veterinary Technician Society in 2003. She served as chairperson of the local Chapter for the following four years, and as President of the State organization from 2007-2008. She received the Idaho State Technician of the Year Award from the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association in 2003. On a personal note, Rebecca's passion for the sport of billiards led her to an Idaho State Championship in 2004. She is also married and the proud mother of a daughter and son, and shares her home with a variety of pets.

Rebecca's position as Medical Director at The Cat Doctor has allowed her to gather a team "committed to providing the most compassionate care to our patients. "Her philosophy, and that of The Cat Doctor, is to treat our patients as if they are "members of our own family," as the "special and divine creatures" they are, and to be "honored to care for them and bestow our affection upon them. "It is her hope that such dedication will ultimately provide our patients with the best medical care possible and our clients with true customer satisfaction.

Lory Sansinena, CVPM, Business Administrator

Business Administrator, Lory Sansinena, knew she wanted to manage a feline only veterinary practice from the time she first learned about them while working for a mixed animal practice in high school. When The Cat Doctor opened in Boise, Lory and her asthmatic cat, Boots, were referred to Dr. Higdon, and she was extremely impressed with the facility and the quality of care offered by the entire staff. During The Cat Doctor's second year of business, the timing was right, and she came aboard as a Receptionist. Since then, she has held the positions of Senior Receptionist, Office Manager, Administrative Assistant and Business Administrator. Lory's work background prepared her well for her current position, having spent time as a bookkeeper and kennel attendant at a mixed animal practice, managing a pizza delivery store, selling auto parts and doing books for a retail department store while in college, with three years at a small animal practice before joining The Cat Doctor in 1998. After years of preparation, she earned the designation of Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) by successfully passing the certification exam offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) in September 2009. VHMA's certification program measures the knowledge and experience necessary to successfully manage the ever-changing business environment of today's veterinary practices and requires a continued commitment to further improvement through continuing education. The CVPM designation is VHMA's highest professional distinction.

Although getting to know the veterinary business from top to bottom may sound like all work and no play for Lory, she has managed to work part-time as a baker off and on over the last nine years, and enjoys cooking, gardening, canning produce, keeping chickens, reading, music, and sharing food and fun with family and friends. Lory says she finds it "calming and comforting to share my workspace with cats and can always find a purr when I need one. "She finds all cats intriguing and wonderful, but does have a soft spot for calico and tortoise shell cats because "they are sweet and sassy at the same time, and I love how they keep me guessing!"

Cheyenne Stamp, Client Care Manager
Cheyenne, Stamp

Like most little girls, our Client Care Manager, Cheyenne Stamp, wanted to work with animals when she grew up. She was so happy to join The Cat Doctor team in 2002 – "it was like fulfilling that dream!"Feline medicine was fascinating to her, and she could not believe that the doctors just saw cats. Now she realizes how special and important it is, and that what we do here is not only different, but it also makes a difference in our clients' and patients' lives every day. Cheyenne feels as though she has been provided an education that cannot be duplicated. Between the medical information shared by the doctors, veterinary management conferences and personal experiences, she feels well equipped to work with people and their cats. She enjoys learning about all the different personalities of the cats and their owners. "Cat People" are a special breed, and "we are here because we understand them. "Her favorite type of cat is the orange tabby, because they tend to have an easy-going nature and love attention. Her orange tabby boy at home insists on sitting on every visitor's lap, whether they like it or not. With regards to her experience at The Cat Doctor, she says she loves that her workplace "provides continued education to both our staff and clients – the more we know, the better we can be!" Cheyenne loves summer and fall because she can be outside more, and enjoys camping, yard work and gardening in her spare time.

Susan Hamilton, CVT, Sr. Technician

Senior Technician, Susan Hamilton, finds feline medicine fascinating, but it's the "rewards of purrs" that have ultimately kept her working with cats at The Cat Doctor. Graduating top of her class in 1996 from Yuba College, Susan realized that cats were her main interest and was attracted to the idea of a feline-only practice. She came on board in 1998 and went on to receive her certification from the State of Idaho in 2001. She has grown into a variety of positions of responsibility with us over the years and says she cannot see herself working anywhere else. If asked, Susan would say that shorthaired brown or black tabbies are her favorite, because "everywhere you look on the coat, you see something new!"Besides cats, Susan's loves in life are being a grandma, gardening, crocheting, photography, and camping with good friends.

Melissa McIlwain, CVT
Our Certified Veterinary Technician, Melissa McIlwain, loves the many and varied personalities she has met in the cat world. Perhaps that's because she has quite a personality of her own. A lover of life and adventures in general, Melissa's enthusiasm is felt throughout the hospital.

A graduate of Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in 2004, she was a six-year veteran of a dog/cat practice in Idaho Falls when the idea of a feline-only practice in Boise was just too enticing to ignore. She joined The Cat Doctor team in March of 2008. Melissa shares her life with a variety of unique feline friends. She also enjoys outdoor activities and sports, music, movies, dancing and cooking.

Kim Hall

Kimberly Hall, Veterinary Technician
Veterinary Technician, Kimberly Hall, says her two years at The Cat Doctor have been her "dream job!"She is a full-time public health employee as well, and was attracted to The Cat Doctor because she loves cats. She was also impressed with the quality of health care provided and the quality of team members employed. Kim enjoys working with cats because of their unique and individual personalities, and she also enjoys providing health care for our furry friends. Kim is especially fond of tabbies of all shapes, sizes and colors. She says, "Pets are family members and deserve our respect and love."

Brenda Johnson, Veterinary Assistant

Veterinary Assistant, Brenda Johnson, joined The Cat Doctor team in 2002. She had worked for five years previously in veterinary medicine, but was attracted to The Cat Doctor because of her fondness for the first pets she had known as a child. Brenda especially loves how beautiful they are and what interesting personalities they have. Her favorite cat is the Burmese, because of its beautiful brown color and small size.

Brenda and her husband have worked with greyhound rescue groups for over 12 years, and have personally adopted five and are currently living with two special canine friends. Brenda loves to cook, volunteer and support animal welfare groups, and to go hiking with her husband, greyhounds and friends. Of her experience at The Cat Doctor, she says, "I have learned so much about these amazing creatures we call ‘Cats'!"

Lexi Berthold, Veterinary Assistant
Lexi Berthold's sweet and gentle manner has made her a natural with the patients of The Cat Doctor since February 2008. She enjoys working with all cats, finding them cute, cuddly and very unpredictable. Her favorites are the shorthaired gray kitties, and she has two sweet, loving, beautiful ones of her own.

Lexi loves outdoor activities of all kinds, including snowboarding, boating, dirt biking and skydiving. She says she also loves working as a Veterinary Assistant at The Cat Doctor – "fun staff, exciting work, great job!"

Cindy Winterholler, Receptionist

Having been employed in the legal field for 28 years, Receptionist, Cindy Winterholler, decided she needed a challenge and a change of pace. After moving to Boise to be with herdaughter in the fall of 2005, she saw The Cat Doctor sign and knew she had found not only her cat's new veterinarian, but her new career, as well!She was drawn immediately to the professional-yet-comfortable management style, the emphasis on teamwork, and exceptional customer service. Cindy loves working in an environment with like-minded individuals, who provide an important service to their clients and the community. She also enjoys observing how much power and control cats have over their owners, having been "owned" by a variety of sly felines in the past. Cindy is fond of theatre, music and the arts, and operated a community musical theatre group for many years in the Magic Valley. Of The Cat Doctor, she says, "It's so easy to come to work at a place whose motto is ‘Cat Care by Cat People. 'I feel like I'm home. "

Thresa Cliff, Receptionist

"Pure luck," says, Receptionist, Thresa Cliff, is what brought her to The Cat Doctor. She applied for an opening in August of 2007 and got it, and has been comfortable with cats and the wonderful people who work here ever since. Not only is Thresa an animal lover, but she is also a talented artist. She attended the University of Idaho as an Art Major and participated in a Disney World Internship for Animation in Orlando, Florida. Thresa enjoys drawing cats and other pets for their owners. She seems to always have an art project in the works for someone. Thresa enjoys watching a good movie and spending time with friends and her feline family. All cats are her favorites. "Not one of them is the same. "

Debora Bruen, Receptionist
Originally from New York, Receptionist, Debora Bruen, joined The Cat Doctor front desk team in January of 2008. She and her kitty, Jasmine, had visited as client and patient, and Debora was impressed with the"great way the doctors and staff treated my cat. "She and her husband previously spent 12 years as missionaries for the Turkana Tribe in Northwest Kenya. Debora says she likes being able to "meet great people and kitties" here at The Cat Doctor. She enjoys cooking, decorating, martial arts, and partaking of good food and spirits with friends in her free time.

Chris Buschmann, Caretaker & Veterinary Assistant
With over 20 years experience working with police dogs, Caretaker and Veterinary Assistant, Chris Buschmann found The Cat Doctor in 2002, just when she was making a career change and wanting to pursue her first love – felines. She was attracted to the "homey" feeling that you don't see in regular veterinary clinics, plus the staff was very knowledgeable and well trained in their profession. Besides assisting in the hospital, Chris has also holds a caretaking position in the hotel, where she has been able to enjoy the independent and unique personalities of a variety of visitors.. Her favorite breed of cat would be the Applehead and Snoshoe Siamese for their sweet and lovable personalities. Chris has five wonderful rescued kitties at home, and a German Shepherd, who is a medical service dog for her partner, Bruce. Chris says, "I wouldn't take my ‘kids' anywhere else but The Cat Doctor."

D. J. Gay, Caretaker
DJ Gay

DJ has been with our team since August of 2007. She loves working with people who love animals as much as she does. She has many special relationships with our boarding kitties, and has been known to sing to a few of them to calm them down. DJ's feline family, Milo and Sadie, keep her busy at home, along with a niece and nephew she simply adores. DJ finds keeping up with the on-going changes in boarding a challenge, and says there is "never a dull moment at The Cat Doctor because I'm always learning a new technique" for taking excellent care of our very special visitors. In her spare time, DJ enjoys music, movies and having fun.

Kimmy Young, Caretaker

A cat lover through and through, Caretaker, Kimmy Young, was attracted to The Cat Doctor because of "the tight knit feel about it, and the fact that they work with cats only. "She had worked at The Cat Doctor for a short time in high school, and only recently rejoined the crew in the fall of 2009. She received a BS in Animal Science from the University of Idaho, working as a calf feeder and, eventually, Assistant Manager at the college dairy. She also had the opportunity to do an internship at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park for four months as a caretaker. She plans to start volunteering at the Boise Zoo in the spring. Kimmy enjoys all the individual feline personalities she sees in our boarding facility, and says "they all know how to be cuter than anything, when they want to be. "She particularly loves orange and grey tabbies, as they are very personable and tend to be outgoing and devoted. Kimmy says, "The staff and cats are my family away from home. I love coming to work!"

Genevieve Bruen, Caretaker
Genevieve became a member of our caretaking department in the spring of 2009. Her own love of cats and all the friendly people working at The Cat Doctor drew her in. She enjoys working with cats because of the love and kisses they give. She is especially fond of orange cats and has created their own special category: Luscious Orange Kitties (LOK). Genevieve is from Kenya, and her interests include cooking, singing and traveling. She hopes to further her education in either the health care or veterinary health care areas. Speaking of The Cat Doctor, Genevieve says, "What's better for a cat than a dog-free environment. We're one big family with a bunch of furry and fluffy friends."