The Cat Practice

Great cat vet, very informative and had all the answers to my questions. I felt a lot more comfortable with Dr. Eric than any other vet in the city. Will definitely be back

Dr. Dougherty is extremely compassionate. Always goes above and beyond. He took care of our 16 yr old cat and now our new kitten. Would easily recommend to anyone.

Best vet for cats in NYC. The staff clearly love cats and are so anxious to put your cat (and you) at ease. Highly recommended.

Both we and our 13 year old cat, a Ragdoll named Fred, love Dr Dougherty and The Cat Practice. Dr Dougherty is compassionate, thorough, honest and flawless in his care of Fred. We trust Dr Dougherty intrinsically with Fred’s health and well-​being and would never go elsewhere. The Cat Practice is a clean and sterile animal hospital for appointments and boarding. You can absolutely trust your cat to receive excellent care here. The staff loves animals and treats them with the care and respect you would expect. Look no further for a Veterinarian; Dr Dougherty is your cat’s best friend.

BEST VET EVER.
Getting my cat to the vet is a traumatic experience… the moment you walk in this place they make you feel comfortable, informed and empowered to make whatever decision you feel is best for your cat.
Unfortunately, I moved.
Otherwise this would be it forever.

VERY sorry I subjected my kitten to this place! I used to go the the old Cat Practice with Dr. Skip, where it was clean and well-​staffed. The current office felt grungy. There was no staff, just an intern the first time, and the second time there appeared to be no one else there. I was left waiting for about 20 minutes by myself. No evidence of hand washing or cleaning the exam area. My kitten had just been to a vet when I got her with a clean bill of health, but needed a vaccination. Dr. Dougherty was out of it (a very common vaccine) so I had to go back the next week. (Then he was out of the stickers that everyone uses to update forms.) He found an ear infection which may or may not have been real. When I returned for her vaccination, he said the ear medicine didn’t work, she needed something special, and that he would have a pharmacist call (they never did.) Meanwhile in that week, she suddenly developed a skin fungus! I showed him the bump when we returned and he said it was nothing. That «nothing» spread over her body, infected our other cat and I caught it, too. With new vet bills, my doctor bill, dry cleaning and rug cleaning bills, I figured I should warn others.

The biggest compliment for Dr. Dougherty is that he’s not at all like a stuffy New York City doctor. From the way he knows your cat by name and his attentive demeanor and friendly and hilarious manner you would think he’s your down-​the-​street neighborhood vet! You never feel like one of the masses at The Cat Practice.
Dr. Dougherty is truly a godsend. In the four years or so my cat has been going there my cat frequently has encountered one minor issue or another and even on little notice Dr. D makes time to see my lil guy and is always patient and knowledgeable and thorough I always leave with both my cat feeling better and me feeling so relieved!
Of course someone that chooses to only care for cats would genuinely like cats but it is always so comforting the care and sincere love he gives both my cat and the cats in the waiting room. As my cat gets older its so nice to have the peace of mind to have a vet in our lives that knows my cat’s history and his quirks. And of course, the ability to board your cat with your trusted veterinarian? You can’t even put a price on it. I really feel so lucky to have Dr. D as our vet.

We have been taking our cats to Dr. Dougherty for almost three years now, and we are always pleased with the care. He is a fantastic vet, and he truly cares about all of the cats. He knows our cats’ medical history without consulting the file, and he consistently takes excellent care of them. Even though we have moved, making the Cat Practice less convenient, we will not consider taking them to another vet when we have Dr. Dougherty as an option.

We love the Cat Practice and are delighted that Dr. Dougherty seems to be settled there; there had been a steady stream of short-​term vets until Dr. Sullivan retired. My cat is about 15 (who really knows with rescued cats?) and is in renal failure and the Cat Practice has been kind and patient; we elected to keep her treatment to a minimum and they have respected our decision and continue to board her when we go out of town. We always get her back in peak condition! They are patient, gentle with the cats and warm and friendly to my cat and our family. The office is less convenient for me than the 5^th Ave. location was but they are worth it.

I’m a 30+ year veteran of the Cat Practice. It has changed locations, but still has a mission to tend to felines only. And Dr. Dougherty has a passion for cats I’ve rarely seen anywhere. He demonstrates it with clarity and compassion. As soon as you see him interact with felines, you know you’re in the right place. Meanwhile, Toons (former lobby cat) is no longer there, but now Larry is the lobby cat. Larry, whose owner passed on, was never going to be adopted; he has heart problems and needs to have fluids removed from his lungs on a regular basis — this is the kitty Dr. Dougherty took on. Larry is mellow (and huge!) Larry is happy and so are we! Oh, the place is also clean and efficient. Highest recommendations!

Perhaps she’s not there anymore but I left this vet after going there for years, because of nasty receptionist. She was rude to me and very indifferent about the welfare of my cat. The attitude seemed to spread to the rest of the staff too. And at prices that are waaay up there, I expected more. I wish I had known I could post on Unilocal then (during the Dr. Sullivan time) because he really seemed oblivious to what this woman was like and her utter lack of interest in cats and their welfare. They also insisted on reams of unnecessary (and expensive) vaccinations in the years that I went there. And because of what seemed like a not-​pleasant climate for the boarded cats, I never left my cat there overnight when I was a client either. I always took the cat home, brought her back if necessary. Then I finally found a better vet. Also, the new vet pointed out a misdiagnosis that this vet had overlooked for years. Hopefully things have changed, however I would never go back.

Dr. Dougherty and his staff are truly wonderful to deal with. They offer a level of compassion and professionalism that I’ve never experienced with another vet center, and were quick to respond when my elderly cat became ill. Dr. Doughterty took the time to ensure we were well educated on the diagnosis, the risks and the costs associated with any procedures. Unfortunately our dear cat has passed on, but I will most certainly take my new kittens to him in the future. Highly recommended!

Have put our three cats up twice now for over a month (due to remodeling). Always feel welcome and worry free that they are kept safe and sound. We visit them almost every day and are always greeted with a smile and a quick conversation about the status of the «kids».
Dr. Dougherty and his staff are the only place we would bring our cats.

If you have a cat and live in New York City, this is perhaps the best vet service that you can find. I have used the Cat Practice for three years, since I adopted my cat. They are professional and great to work with. Dr. Dougherty is outstanding and great even with difficult cats, such as mine.
Unfortunately I have moved out of New York so won’t be able to keep using the services but I strongly recommend them for cat or kitten owners in the area.

Dr. Dougherty is by far the best vet I’ve ever been to and the Cat Practice in general put me at ease immediately upon walking in.
I’m a baby when it comes to my pets so I asked my mother to come with me. When the elevator opened its doors I said that we had the wrong place and that this was a spa. Nope, just a vet with a fake fireplace and a really open, calming atmosphere.
The receptionist asked if we wanted to take our cat out but we decided to leave him in his carrier to keep him calm. So, the office cat came out, Tunes! This cat just sort of runs around the office greeting people and it’s absolutely wonderful.
There was already a cat in the examination room who was NOT having a good time but I knew nothing crazy was happening because you can see the whole thing from the waiting room. The exam room has a clear door as well as a little window and I was able to see what my cat was in for and immediately felt so much better.
When it was my turn, my cat did his usual yowling, hissing, growling, and even snorting, but Dr. D didn’t even flinch. He let the cat make noise and didn’t seem to care but in a nice way, not in that weird dominant way that vets can be. When it came time to take blood and urine, a woman came out with what I can only describe as oven mitts that went up to her shoulder and a towel. She scruffed Vegas and then they put the towel over him and he didn’t make a single PEEP as they literally went into his bladder and took urine. My mother is in medicine and has had many cats over the years but I couldn’t reach down low enough to pick her mouth up from the floor.
Obviously, this kind of service isn’t cheap, but I would pay twice this amount to make both myself and my cat comfortable. I’ll definitely be taking all of my cats here from now on!

This place is amazing. The first time I came here I was told in advance to bring my cat’s medical records and did just that. I had to leave my kitties for 19 days and was seriously worried and upset. I spoke to the super friendly staff and Dr. Dougherty and was put at ease. I was given a tour of the facility and shown the connected living space they would be sharing. They also let each cat or pair of cats out for a while each day to play and feel at ease in unfamiliar territory. While I was away I was able to call and find out how my furbabies were doing and it really put me at ease (this was the first time I left them). I was given updates and even emailed pictures of my kittens. This place is very reasonably priced (especially for NYC) and has moved to a fantastic new location. I have used their services twice so far and have had stellar service. A sign of this on the kitty level was when they arrived home and adjusted quickly. I have been to several vets around the city and have decided to make this place my vet. The price is reasonable and I get a feeling from both Dr. Dougherty and the employees that they genuinely care about their patients and owners and make the extra effort to do their best. This place gives better service than other more expensive vets in the city. It truly is a little gem for cats and their owners.

I have an ancient cat that had been living in the ‘burbs until lately. My dog goes to an any-​pet vet, and the waiting room is too small, smelly and noisey for my kitty. I had to find a vet in in the Union Square area that was good with older cats, and who would not try to sell me procedures that were not medically necessary.
The Cat Practice was highly recommended by my sister, also a vet. She said Dr. Dougherty had an excellent rep. with other vets. He found my old girl’s thyroid problem in minutes, and I walked out with her meds. Miss Edy wasn’t even traumatized, as she was gently handled by Dr. D., who was patient answering all my questions.
Yup, it cost money– but considering the accurate diagnosis, and the comprehensive follow-​up, I am confident that she will have a lot more years in good health.
Their new office on 24^th Street is very nice, with big windows and a working elevator!

This review is for The Cat Practice’s cat boarding services only. I have no experience with The Cat Practice as a vet.
I tried The Cat Practice twice: in 2012 and 2013. Both were for long 10 to 14 day vacations out of the US. I have my cat’s medical file up to date and in chronological order starting with his very first vet visit. I was irritated both times by what I suspect they do to everyone: wait until you bring the cat in to tell you your cat’s medical records are not complete, that they didn’t get faxes from your vet, or whatever they come up with as an excuse, and that you have to let them give your cat this or that shot for a sky-​high bill. I was on top of them on this because I knew my cat wasn’t late on any vaccs, but if I hadn’t been I would have seen an unnecessary vet bill and my cat would have gotten shots he didn’t need, which I dislike — putting chemicals in my cat for no reason when he already had the shots within the past year or two, depending on the length of the vaccine. The second time I used them (having not found a catsitter or any better place to board my cat) I went through the same rigamarole with the phone calls — first they said they had gotten from my vet all the up to date records that they required — then when I called a day before to confirm that (on a gut feeling I would go through the same problem), I was told that my cat needed a shot not in the faxes from my vet. I was exasperated and told them I wasn’t bringing my cat for the stay, forget it. This was done tediously through multiple phone calls with the receptionist calling the vet and getting his answer then calling me back. They suddenly backpedalled and said the shot wasn’t _​that_​necessary after all and that I could bring the cat. I am very conscientious of my cat’s health and required shots and was insulted by their tactics for requiring a shot not really necessary and which they backed down about. I think the Cat Practice was good until about a year ago when it was sold to another vet by the previous owner who was I _​think_​the builder of those cool plywood and plexiglass cat cubicles in there; old reviews are glowing. It has gone downhill and the new owner seems to be all about money, not about honest relationships with the bank of customers he inherited when he bought the business. He lost me and probably is losing others.
I wish I could remember what shot they were trying to require. My cat is fixed, and always has had up to date vaccs and/​or negative tests for rabies, feline leukemia nobivac felv, feline hiv, FCVRP, and HCP Rhinotrach Calici PannleukC — those last two being for contagious respiratory diseases and definitely needed for cat boarding! He is only 4 but needed his teeth cleaned for the first time last summer — I did it, and he’ll get his teeth cleaned whenever they need it (every 3 years or so). Monthly Frontline Plus, daily brushing… I have had cats as pets for over 20 years. Every cat I have ever owned has been well attended to.
As for the cat boarding intake process, I didn’t like the attitude from the 2 young women at the front desk. They seemed bored and unfriendly. No one was in the cat cubicle room. No cats were having «free range time » on the floor of the cat cubicle room which I thought was bad: shouldn’t the cats in the cubicles be rotated for exercize during open hours? Since they are locked in the cubicles all night when the place is closed. I wasn’t 100% confident my cat would be happy and attended to. Fed and litter box scraped, yes. But petted and played with, even a little bit every day? I had my doubts.
I made my discovery of other cat boarding companies in NYC here on Unilocal because of my dissatisfaction with the Cat Practice. For a vacation I just returned from I was actually reading reviews of 2 places up near New Haven, CT (that sound good actually) and was actually considering driving an hour plus to board my cat but I found a great company here in NYC that I am happy with. Can’t name names or I will look like I am advtg for other places.
Since two stars on Unilocal = «Meh, I’ve experienced better,» I am giving 2 stars.

My cat Fluffy was looking scruffy after a dust up with one of the stray cats in my neighborhood. Fluffy was cut up pretty bad and I had no idea where to turn for quality care in the Flatiron District Area. Luckily, I found Dr. Dougherty at the Cat Practice. Fluffy is certified as being afflicted with feline agoraphobia, so I am always hesitant bringing him out anywhere in public. Thankfully, Dr. Dougherty and his caring staff made my sweet Fluffy feel right at home and had him looking like a fresh little kitten in no time.
I highly recommend Dr. Dougherty and the Cat Practice for all your cat care needs. He’s a good man and thorough.

Updating my old review of Cat Practice. In 2009 I gave them 5 stars. 2013, 5 stars again.
Dr. Dougherty has taken over Cat Practice a while ago. My interactions with him for general visits have been great. He’s always been attentive, answered questions and just a nice guy.
Last week, my cat was in health crisis and Cat Practice was amazing. From their pragmatic approach to treating my aging cat, to the love and attention they gave to him, I can’t say enough good things.
Dr D also was supportive of my needs to keep the bill reasonable, but give him the best care possible. When it was time to take the big tubby cat home, they were all sad to see him go.
If you have a cat, this is the right place.