Our Doctors

Philip J. Shanker, D.V.M.
Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners
Feline Specialty

    Dr. Shanker has been owner and director of The Cat Hospital for over 30 years. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and is a 1977 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine. After completing a 14-month internship in Boston he joined a general/specialty practice in New York, then moved to California for The Cat Hospital in 1982.
    Dr. Shanker is a founding fellow of the Feline Academy of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and was instrumental in establishing a feline specialty certification. He is board certified in feline medicine and surgery and recently passed his recertification requirements. He is a past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and has served on many AAFP committees, most recently on the research and leadership development committees.
    Dr. Shanker has performed tens of thousands of surgical procedures from routine to highly complicated cases. He has been a guest host on several radio and television programs to discuss feline health issues. He also served on a City of San Jose committee establishing a voucher system to provide feline sterilization procedures for people with financial need. He is a past president of the Santa Clara County Veterinary Medical Association.
     Dr. Shanker maintains a full-time schedule at The Cat Hospital, where he sees a full range of cases from routine physical exams to specialty referrals. Dr. Shanker and his wife, Cindy, live in Los Gatos and have two adult children. They also have two cats, Rocky and Bootsie. Their cat "Cupcake" in the above photo lived to be 21 years old.

Kirsten K. Mattern, D.V.M.

Dr. Mattern is a native of the south bay who graduated from Stanford University and the U.C. Davis College of Veterinary Medicine (1999). She spent several years working in a general veterinary practice in southern California before returning to the bay area in 2007. In addition to being the mother of three children, Dr. Mattern cares for a personal menagerie of 5 cats, a dog, a guinea pig and fish.

Claudine N. Gonzales, D.V.M.

Dr. Gonzales is a graduate of the U.C. Davis College of Veterinary Medicine (2014), where she received the Outstanding Senior Award from the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Prior to attending veterinary school she had many years experience as a veterinary technician and in animal care environments. Dr. Gonzales is a long-time cat lover and is sensitive to the needs of cats as individuals, pets and patients. She has 3 cats, Bo, Carlye and Twinkie.