Melissa Catt BVSc MACVSc (feline) 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.  Working with cats only is very rewarding as she has an affinity for this species, and it is a relatively new area of research and information. She has owned cats since a child, and currently shares her life with Pushkin, Jake and Peg (as well as 4 goldfish). 

Her other (human) children are Elizabeth and Amelia, who have inherited their love of animals, and cats in particular, from both their parents. In her rare spare time, Melissa loves to read, cook and attend ballet class.

Melissa is our media representative.  She answers question from the public in each issue of 'Urban Animal'  and has appeared on 'Creature Feature' and 'Playschool' on ABC television.

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Randolph Baral BVSc MACVSc (feline) graduated from the University of Sydney in 1991. In the first few years of his veterinary career, he worked part-time 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 for feline medicine in 2001. Particular interest areas are the manifestations and causes of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (particularly transient diabetes) and lipid metabolism disorders as well as infectious diseases.

For the last four years, 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.

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She is now the proud owner of a small apartment, several pairs of cat earrings and a boyfriend. In turn, she is owned by her gorgeous ginger DMH boy, who thinks that it's his right to be fed every 30 minutes, even if food doesn't materialise.

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Anita Comyn BVSc (hons) graduated from the University of Queensland in 1999. She started work in a large mixed practice in the Hunter Valley. After two and a half years, the prospect of more midnight calvings lost its allure so she headed to England for 2 years. She travelled through a lot of Europe and worked in a number of small animal practices in London, Leeds and Basingstoke. She even met one of the Queens Corgis in Windsor!

Anita returned home to Sydney where she worked with dogs and cats in the Inner West for a few years before following her heart to feline practice.  She commenced at Paddington Cat Hospital in March 2007

Anita and her husband have three fur children: “Oscar”, “Calvin” and “Jake”, all moggies of around 8 years of age, with very different personalities. She is kept fairly busy treating their urinary issues, inflammatory bowel disease and aggression.

Anita has just completed a Post Graduate course in Feline medicine with the University of Sydney and is now studying towards Memebrship of the Australian College for feline medicine. Anita enjoys travelling, adventure sports and yoga.

Anita had a beautiful boy, Benjamin, in June 2008 and is currently working intermittently around motherhood.

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Sarah Currie - Nurse - 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. At her previous clinic they treated all sorts of animals, cats, dogs, ferrets, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and even the odd sheep!

Sarah has moved to Sydney to be with her partner and is busily making Sydney her home!

She had three cats and a dog that now live with her mother in New Zealand as they don’t like to travel. A very special 18 year old called Smidgen, a gorgeous Siamese called Roger, a super Whippet named Wobble and a very naughty Oriental called Judas!! She is looking forward to finding some new pussycat friends to live with her here.

Sarah has a special interest in our older kitties, and loves to hear stories of their exploits!

In her spare time she loves to dance, go for walks, do yoga and read stories about…you guessed it, CATS!

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Helen Ligonis - Nurse -  is owned by her three cats: Urga, a 7 year old male blue point Himalayan; May, a 2 year old Female naughty tortie; and Cheeky Teddy, a 10 month old male tabby whom she adopted from the Cat Adoption program run by Paddington Cat Hospital.

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.

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 had a gorgeous boy, Alexander, in July 2008 and is currently enjoying extended maternity leave.

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Victoria Owen – Nurse -   Paddington Cat Hospital’s first nurse, Victoria joined the hospital in December 1996. Working as a full time vet nurse for about 8 years, she left to pursue a different interest. However, she couldn’t stay away, and returned in 2007 to be a part time nurse.

Her life is currently being controlled by her two cats, Elsa and Theo Montgomery. Elsa is very independent and stays out of trouble, but Theo keeps Victoria busy with his various ailments.

In what little spare time she has, Victoria makes sure that the clinic cats are comfortable and sits in the sun with them.

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Britt-Louise Carlsson - Vet Student -  is originally from Sweden and has been in and out of Australia since 1994 "when I first discovered Australia and decided that I have to come back". Animals have always been a large part of her life so her choice to study Zoology at the University of New South Wales was easy. She subsequently obtained a Masters of Science in Zoology in Sweden and is currently is pursuing a PhD in Dingo genetics, again at UNSW.

“Even though I’m studying Dingos, my favourite animal is and always has been cats. So, working at the Paddington Cat Hospital is great! I get to spend a lot of time with cats, and I learn more about them every day.”

Her two cats, Fras-Jamas and Tiger-Animales have also travelled with her to and from Sweden.

When not caring for cats or analysing DNA she trains and competes in a martial art called Taido for which she represented Australia at the World Championships….in Sweden!

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Maddie Brady - Vet Student -  spends most of her time at the University of Sydney studying about animals, and her weekends at work, handling animals. She grew up in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, and her interests include baking and sharing her culinary delights with workmates, as well as sewing outfits; her sewing prowess will come in handy for surgery when she becomes a vet!

Outside of university and work, her life is controlled by three cats, Nellie, the matriach, who spends most of her time outdoors, reaping the rewards of 17 years of service, Blaze, an eight year old with middle child syndrome and Uno, a cheeky kitten from the Cat Adoption program at the clinic, who now terrorizes Maddie.

Aside from letting her cats make her decisions for her, Maddie also enjoys reading, shopping and watching rugby.