Dr. McManis received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University in 1985. She joined the Academy of Feline Medicine in 1989. The opening of Just Cats Veterinary Services in 1994 was her dream realized. When the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners approved feline practice as a specialty board in 1995, she was in the first class to sit for the exam. Currently, she is 1 of 55 ABVP certified feline practitioners in the world.

Dr. McManis is a feline internal medicine consultant for Veterinary Information Network, a web-based resource for veterinarians all over the world. She established an ABVP residency site at Just Cats in 2008 and mentors new graduates as well as seasoned practitioners who are interested in achieving ABVP certification. Just Cats VS also hosts
externs from veterinary schools all over the U.S.

Dr. McManis has lived in The Woodlands since 1988. She credits her professional as well as personal achievements to her husband, Scott, for his unwavering support and patience throughout the years.

Dr. McManis loves staying fit, reading medical mystery novels, watching action films, cooking with family, and studying challenging internal medicine cases. She is often involved in snuggles, sometimes non-consensual, of her cats Kilian and Aiden and posts way too many cat photos!

Dr. Ivy Castro is originally from Greenwood, Arkansas but spent four years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she graduated with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from LSU in May 2022. Dr. Castro focused heavily on feline medicine while in school and received the American Association of Feline Practitioners Outstanding Senior Award at graduation. Dr. Castro met her husband Rafael, who is also a veterinarian, in school at LSU. They are now happy to call The Woodlands their home along with their three cats, Bear, Molly and Nora, and dog, Duncan.

Dr. Caitlyn Bondurant graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 2015. She spent a year in mixed animal practice before transitioning into small animal general practice. Since the transition, she has developed a love for feline medicine and the intricacies that make cats, cats.

Both originally from Florida, Dr. Bondurant and her husband, Robby, met during their undergraduate years at the University of Florida. They come to us from Bonaire, GA along with their two daughters, Noah Jane and Rory, three dogs, Hoss, JJ and Sage and three-legged cat, lovingly named Cat.

Jen has worked various jobs in the veterinary industry since 1998. She graduated from Suffolk County Community College in New York with an A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology in 2004 and obtained her LVT status in NY in early 2005. Jen then furthered her education and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S in Animal Sciences in 2006. She moved to Texas in 2009 and joined the Just Cats team as a technician. Later, she was in the first grouping of technicians to receive LVT status in Texas in 2014. In 2018, she accepted the position of Practice Manager. (This is now her circus and we are now her monkeys.) Jen has lived with an assortment of critters including cats (obviously), dogs, geckos, snakes, a hedgehog, mice, a rat, spiders, newts, and even a crawfish. In her off time Jen enjoys cooking and eating food, traveling, crafting, sleeping, watching movies from the comfort of her own couch, macro photography, and joking around with friends.

What do people think is weird about you? People often think that it is weird that I use to shovel snow in a t-shirt, I drink hot chocolate in the summer, I have obsessive cleaning tendencies, and I really haven't listened to new music since 2004.

What game or movie universe would you most like to live in? Shrek!

How old were you when you got your first cat? I was born into cat ownership. My Mom's cat K.J. adopted me as soon as I came home from the hospital, and we were pretty inseparable ever since. K.J. and Baby B., her litter mate, were my first cats and the reason I pursued a career in the veterinary field.

Tam joined Just Cats in 2017 as Practice Manager after a 25 year career in Brain Injury Rehabilitation with humans. She chose Just Cats because as a lifetime lover of cats she felt that it would be a great place for her to put her Hospital Administration skills to work. She thoroughly enjoyed coming to work every day in that role, but human medicine called her back after a year. She couldn’t imagine life without Just Cats so she landed the "purrfect" part time weekend gig, working every Saturday and Sunday (and loving every minute of it) as a Customer Service Representative.

What could you give a 40 minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation? Customer Service—I have given many talks through the years at various conferences on Customer Service in human medicine which is also known as “The Patient Experience”. My favorite quote about customer service is “The Customer is not always right, but they are always our Customer!”

What bends your mind every time you think about it? Early on at Just Cats I learned a fascinating fact—animals who undergo treatment cannot encounter the “Placebo Effect”. Unlike humans, they place no value, good or bad, on the treatment, so when a treatment works, it is because it really works.

What is the most heartwarming thing you've ever seen? When I worked in brain injury rehab, I was introducing our new facility dog, Lucky, to one of our patients. He was a young man who was in a car accident and had to have one of his legs amputated and had not been able to speak since the accident because of his brain injury. Lucky had to have a leg amputated after being hit by a car. Upon meeting Lucky, our patient exclaimed, “He…I…leg!!” with a big smile on his face. It was obvious to us all that he was thrilled to see that Lucky didn’t let his injury get him down. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place!

Rhonda is originally from Oklahoma. She previously worked at the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare, where her love for animals really began. She moved to Texas in 2015 where she started working for a company that does training for Pharmacist and Pharmacy technicians. However, her love of animals (mainly cats and exotics) never died. She started at Just Cats in June of 2021.

If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? I would say I would travel abroad, and see the world. It can be by plane, train, automobile, or boat. My goal is to eventually retire on a cruise ship.

What skill would you like to master? I would have to say my buoyancy when diving. Goal is to become advanced, and nitrox certified for deeper dives.

What is something that my friends consider “so you”? Any department store sale!! I can’t resist getting something for 75% or more off. My Record purchase – bought a $1500 wedding dress for 99% off in a Hudson’s store in MS due to being smoke damaged on the bottom of the dress. I turned around and sold it for $250 for the beads on the dress

Originally from the UK, Hannah moved to Texas in 2012. She has always been an avid animal lover with a special place in her heart for felines. Hannah & her husband rescued their first fur baby from the cold and dreary North Texas winter. She learned to care and nurture a fragile 4-week-old kitten from the brink of death. Her dedication to the livelihood and well-being of furry feline’s would only grow from then on. Hannah’s adventurous and ambitious demeanor brought her to the Middle East where she gained employment with a vet clinic that provided services for the expat community ranging from domestic cats & dogs to exotic breeds. Hannah embraced the challenges of working with a diverse community of animals and gained valuable experience in the field of veterinary customer service. Imagine Hannah’s surprise when she returned to Texas in 2022. Her passion for cats peaked and when she came across the opportunity to work for Just Cats, she jumped with eager anticipation.

Who inspires you to be better? My family and closest friends inspire me to be better. I see how people go through life and deal with everyday struggles and they still overcome animosity. It amazes me that some of my nearest and dearest are still standing strong after everything they’ve been through. Makes me so proud!

If you could make one rule that everyone had to follow, what rule would you make? Everyone should adopt a cat! Or dog! Adopting an animal would help ease the animal shelters but also improve your overall health. It can get lonely sometimes but having your best friend by your side makes every bit of difference to our lives.

If you had a clock that would countdown to any one event of your choosing, what event would you want it to countdown to? Every time it’s time to go home to the UK. It’s always very exciting when it’s time to see loved ones, but more importantly to eat all my favorite foods!

Sarah began her career in veterinary medicine in 2013 when she enrolled in the Veterinary Technology Program at Lone Star College in Tomball. She came to Just Cats as a part of her clinical rotation in the Fall of 2016 and never left! She fell in love with the practice, the employees, and every aspect of feline medicine, especially feline dental health and nutrition. Sarah obtained her LVT in 2017 and as one of our surgery technicians, loves to see the improvement of the overall health and happiness of her dental patients after every procedure. She has 5 kids total! Two human children, 2 cats (Morris and Phoenix), and a rambunctious Border Collie Mix named Bonnie.

Which is better - Marvel or DC? Marvel all the way! (Okay DC a little bit - like 10%)

What is your favorite season? Fall! I love the gradual change from the hot summer months. It means more outdoor activities with the kids and Bonnie. We love to do things like camping, fishing, and our favorite - geocaching!

What would you do to entertain yourself if you were stuck in solitary confinement for 6 months? Read, read, and read some more. I would probably end up talking to myself and acting out plays based on what I was reading. Shh! Don't tell anyone.

Jennifer always knew she wanted to work with animals. She was encouraged after high school to go into Veterinary Technology. She attended the program at Lone Star College in Tomball and graduated in 2004. She began working at Just Cats after her first year of Vet Tech school and instantly fell in love with working with cats. Her favorite part of her job (besides cuddling with kitties all day) is dentistry. She even took continuing education courses to further her knowledge of veterinary dentistry. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling. She has traveled to many places in the U.S. and has even been to England, Poland and Ireland. Her new interest is photography. When relaxing at home she is ruled by her very talkative cat Parker.

What is the farthest you’ve been from home? London, England. It’s was an amazing trip. I’d love to go back one day.

If you were an animal, what would you be? A cat! I’d love to sleep all day and have a human feed and pet me all day.

Which is better Marvel or DC? Marvel! I love Captain America and Iron Man

Cheryl received her California Registered Veterinary Technician credentials in 1993 and her Colorado credentials in 2010. She also has a specialty certification in Emergency and Critical Care. That process takes an additional 5 years and includes Case Logs, Case Reports, Skills Lists, and if accepted – an Exam. She is currently part-time at Just Cats and full-time at a local emergency clinic. She has recently held a 4-year position as Co-chair on the Education Committee for the Technical Track for a regional Veterinary Conference. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and cats, and traveling. Cheryl is owned by four cats (Daisy, Hoban Washburne, Jaspurr, and Mittens) and bossed around by two more (Skeeter and Boober).

If you were a dictator of a small island nation, what crazy stuff would you do? 1. Cats would be on the flag. 2. Quarterly movie night would be mandatory, and I would pick the movie. 3. All books would be subsidized by the government.

What job would you be terrible at? Being a dictator of a small island nation.

What are you addicted to? Reading, caffeine (also cats, probably)

After graduating in 2012 from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Anthropology, Kinsey discovered her true passion was working with animals. She started with Just Cats in 2014 and obtained her CVA in 2015. Kinsey is currently enrolled in an AVMA accredited online program to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. She is our only Fear Free Certified assistant and finds joy in educating clients and colleagues in feline friendly handling, promoting less stressful vet visits, and advocating for every kitty she meets. Kinsey has 3 cats at home, all named after DC comic characters: Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn (aka Baby Spice). She is also known for having an extensive collection of giraffe related items to which many of her co-workers like to contribute.

What would be your first question after waking up from being cryogenically frozen for 100 years? When can I get a cheeseburger?

What are some small things that make your day better? Snuggling kitties, seeing my favorite clients and kitties, food gifts from coworkers, giraffes

If you suddenly became a master at woodworking, what would you make? Catio (#lifegoals), cat trees, shelves for my tiny treasures

Ariana joined Just Cats in April of 2022 as a Veterinary Assistant. She is currently studying Pre-Veterinary Medicine at Sam Houston State University and wants to specialize in felines. Ariana started her veterinary career at a mixed practice in Houston in 2021. Since then, she has rescued and rehomed 16 cats with the help of rescue organizations and her mom. Ariana has 2 cats of her own, Loki (shelter rescue) and Hades (foster fail). She has convinced her mom to adopt 2 other foster fails, Pinky and Yzma who were welcomed into the family by Ariana’s childhood cat, Mia. Ariana loves working at Just Cats and is dedicated to client education and creating a stress-free environment for all patients. She hopes to foster as many kittens as possible throughout her career.

What is the most immature thing that you do? “Your mom” jokes

What would a mirror opposite of yourself be like? Cool, calm, and collected

What are three of the most significant numbers in your life? 8, 9, 17

Lauren started at Just Cats in the beginning of the of 2021. Prior to that, she graduated from grooming school as a certified cat/dog groomer. She has many different kinds of fish and a tuxedo cat named Bridge Troll that she found playing under a bridge next to the San Marcos River.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years? I literally can’t come up with an answer

What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of? vulture culture and experimental aquaponics

If you could have any car, what would it be? Flintstone car, so I can save money on gas