Dr. Arnold Plotnick

 

 

Dr. Arnold Plotnick

Contrary to the belief that the world is going to the dogs, Dr. Arnold Plotnick has made a career believing in felines. He is the founder of Manhattan Cat Specialists (MCS), a cats-only veterinary facility on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. As a native New Yorker who is board-certified by both the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP), Plotnick is uniquely qualified in this capacity. In fact, he is currently one of only a handful of board-certified cat specialists in the United States.

Plotnick knew at an early age that he wanted to be a veterinarian. “My childhood cat once swallowed a sewing needle with thread,” he said. “When the vet put the X-ray on the viewer and I saw the needle, I knew at that moment that this is what I wanted to do.”

After earning a master’s degree in immunology in 1983 from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Plotnick attended UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine the following year. He graduated with honors, finishing fourth in his class and elected into The Society of Phi Zeta, the Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, where he completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery. “I started to be known as ‘The Cat Guy’ when I was at Penn,” said Plotnick. “My professors and fellow interns could see that I had a kinship with cats and encouraged it. I’m grateful that they did.”

Plotnick took his academic flair for felines to the real world of private practice when he became an associate veterinarian at the Cat Hospital at Towson, a high-quality cats-only veterinary hospital in Towson, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore. However, Plotnick eventually left to pursue a residency in small animal internal medicine at Colorado State University and became board-certified in small animal internal medicine in 1997. While he was chief of staff and hospital director of VetSmart Pet Hospital and Health Center in Columbia, Maryland, Plotnick became board-certified in feline medicine in 1999.

Seeking to return to his hometown, he accepted the position of vice president of animal health at The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the oldest animal welfare organization in the United States. He was promoted a year later to vice president of the prestigious ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Plotnick strongly believed that he wanted to use his special skills to make a significant contribution to the renewal of New York City. He decided to pursue his dream of running his own cat hospital. He left The ASPCA soon after the terrorist attacks and began seeking financing for his venture. In January of 2003, Manhattan Cat Specialists was born. “MCS is just a small part of the city’s economy, but rebuilding our economy takes place one small business at a time.”

In addition to routine veterinary services such as vaccinations, dentistry, neutering and spaying, MCS also offers state-of-the-art procedures including blood typing, micro chipping and blood pressure measurement. Plotnick has also designed unique wellness programs for middle aged cats and geriatric cats. “Cats are different from dogs, so MCS is designed to be different than most veterinary hospitals,” he said. “Because cats don’t like leaving the safety of their space, they exhibit great stress when visiting the veterinarian. As a result, I’ve tried to create a peaceful environment that replicates home.” The muted colors, soft lighting and soothing music help to bring about a calming atmosphere appreciated by both his pet-clientele as well as their human counterparts. “I’ve had many customers tell me that their previous veterinarians needed to sedate their pets for a check-up. They’re amazed when I examine their cats with no sedation and no problems,” he said. “My staff and I pride ourselves on making every visit as tranquil as possible for both parties.”

In addition to his veterinary duties, Plotnick spends much of his time writing. He is the medical editor of Catnip magazine, and is a regular contributor to CatFancy magazine. He is on the editorial advisory board of the veterinary journal Veterinary Forum, and is one of the feline experts on CatChannel.com.

Manhattan Cat Specialists

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