Northern Illinois Cat Clinic

Reviews 5

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Caroline Menghini

Veterinary clinics like this are few and far between. As a fellow veterinary professional, I can say that quite confidently. The doctors here are knowledgeable, and along with the entire staff, are committed to giving your cat the highest quality of care available. I brought my own pet here because he is a senior cat with high anesthetic risk. I knew he would be safe in their capable hands. The doctors here are very thorough. Many clients seem to confuse this with "vets trying to take peoples money." I can assure you, this is almost never the motive of a good veterinarian and not why they enter into this profession. They want to be efficient with your time. You presented your beloved pet to them, they are going to make sure you leave with all of your problems addressed, and those problems might include ones that you didnt have when you first made that appointment. Cats hide their problems well, and these doctors are very skilled at hunting for clues. It is true, that they are not the cheapest vet in town, but I would never use the cheapest vet in town. I have worked for veterinarians who are the "cheapest in town" and they all cut corners. Corners that put pets at risk. As with many things in life, you get what you pay for. The doctors at NICC spend many hours brushing up on the latest medical knowledge and taking care of their clients. They often come in on their days off to call clients up at home (when was the last time you spoke to YOUR doctor for 30 minutes?). Their equipment is modern and well maintained. They have highly skilled staff. All of those things cost money and you pay to have the best. This place is on par with any specialty hospital, and there are not many that have a feline medicine service. If financially, you arent able to afford everything they recommend, the doctors are very happy to work with you to create a plan that fits in your budget. The staff is extremely personable, professional and skilled. The clinic is quiet, clean and welcoming. The doctors are kind, professional and hard working. In the veterinary profession we say "cats are not small dogs." Many dog and cat practices continue to treat them as small dogs and they are absolutely not. This place certainly knows the difference.

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Heather Sullivan

We had a horrible experience with our previous vet (who will remain anonymous, though Im angry enough that Im half tempted to name). We have 3 elderly cats and made a commitment to have them come in every 6 months for their annual physicals so we could catch any health issues before they get bad. 2 of our elderly cats had their physicals and, while the exam and labs showed problems, the vet blew them off and told us its nothing. Within 2 weeks we had both cats in the ER close to deaths door. The ER couldnt identify one of the cats problems and the internist wasnt available for consult. I was desperate to get somewhere that had the special equipment and wasnt too far away. I called 3 vets close by and none of them could take my kitty. I called Northern Cat Clinic. Brian, this clinics case manager, was so understanding when I explained everything, got me in the next day and even called the ER and my crappy vet for their records so I didnt have to. I was appreciative for it because I was about to lose my stuffing at that moment. Northern Illinois Cat Clinic might be more expensive, but it really is one of those "you get what you pay for" and Dr Schmidt was able to identify symptoms within 10 minutes that our crappy vet never identified. My only negative is that she works part-time as she is probably close to retiring and is very popular so for non-emergencies it takes a week or two to get in, but again, as long as my cats are stable, its worth it to get a vet that gets it right.

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Karen Gill

Ive taken my kitties to Northern Illinois Cat Clinic for over 15 years. Their approach to veterinary care from young kittens to our older senior kitties is extraordinary. They personally educate the owners on handling all aspects of cat care, and follow up is superb. They treat both the cats and owners as family and show compassion in their practice. I am always amazed at how they remember not only the owners but the kitty names. No questions go unanswered; they work to craft the appropriate methodology and recommendations with any sick kitties, always working to achieve the best health possible. I work full time and have a long commute – always open to letting me drop off my kitty before they open and staying late if I get caught in traffic. Their office environment feels like home (home with many kitties) and even their clients in the waiting room share kitty stories as one big family. During one of my kitties’ bouts with health issues, I had to take her to an emergency clinic. When the emergency vet asked where I vetted my kitty – I responded—Northern Illinois Cat Clinic -- their quick response – You’re in good hands! Additionally they work to educate the community on cat care and anyone who owns a cat knows that to understand the mind of cat is truly extraordinary! I look back over the years and can honestly say they have educated me and provided my cats with excellent service, support and compassion.

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Eric Ladror

My experience at the Cat Clinic was the worst it can be. We brought our cat to the clinic because he was avoiding putting his weight on his front paw. Dr Schmidt suspected eosinophilic granuloma, which is a king disorder of unknown etiology, and prescribed antihistamine. The antihistamine did not help and the pain medication did not reduce his pain (I wouldn’t be surprised if they put plain water in the syringes). That visit cost us 872 dollars for an array of tests that were completely uncalled for. Their well coheres method to get the pet owner to part with 100’s of dollars is indicative of the attitude of the clinic towards the pets and the pet owner. They first showed me a bill for one set of tests that was close to $1000, but they already had another bill prepared for over $650. I believe this is no coincidence, this is a well rehearsed procedure to make the customer more pliable to part with his money. In this clinic they look at a cat but they see $$$. And if it seems that I am writing this negative review out of anger… absolutely I am angry. I was taken for a sucker by this clinic, so if you also want to be a sucker, take your cat to the Cat Clinic. Let them suck your money. ps. The paw trouble was not because of eosinophilic granuloma.

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Susan johnson

Excellent care for illnesses, checkups, and boarding. Very friendly,professional, and kind doctors and technicians and office manager. It is by far the most calming, homey environment for a clinic I have ever been in. They treat their customers royally with such nice ammenities as different flavors of coffee, tea,or even bpttled water. Plus candies and other snacks. They also offer free wi-fi. They have also gone out of their way to assist me when my cat needed to be picked up later in the evening by delivering him to my door. This was so kind & helpful, as I have cataracts and its hard for me to see at night to drive. Another time the tech forgot to give me back my cats bottle of insulin that I had brought in that morning ,when I picked him up to go home later in the evening. When I called about the insulin, I spoke with Brian, the office manager, and he said they would deliver the insulin to my home as it was an oversight on their part. They are an excellent service to the community.I have never been to such a well run and knowledgeable veterinarian.

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