Meet Our
Veterinary Team

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Anne Sassen is a 1990 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. She practiced Feline Exclusive and Emergency Medicine in the suburbs of Detroit, MI, for 5 years before returning to Minnesota. Dr. Sassen opened Cats Preferred in April 1999.

She is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association, and American Veterinary Medical Association, a Certified Cat-Friendly Veterinarian and Past President of the Metropolitan Animal Hospital Association.

She and her husband Kevin, also a veterinarian, share their home with their 3 cats-Squirrel, Marvin & Teddy.

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Lori Boettcher, a Minnesota native, graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine 1991. She has worked in companion animal practices in Minnesota and Florida for several years and a cat-exclusive clinic in North Central Florida for 4 years. After returning to Minnesota, she joined Cats Preferred Veterinary Hospital in 2001.

She is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and a Certified Cat-Friendly Veterinarian.

She lives with her husband and their 5 cats- Coconut, Scooter, Simon, Mr. Grey, Big Orange Kitty, and a Labrador retriever – Maui.

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Robert Schmitt graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music. After working in the music business in New York, he moved to the Twin Cities, where he obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Minnesota. Since graduating, he has worked exclusively with cats in the Twin Cities and, most recently, in Boston. He first became familiar with Cats Preferred while doing a two-week externship during his clinical year in school and then later doing relief work for our vacationing veterinarians.

He was happy to return to the Twin Cities and join our staff as an associate veterinarian when the opportunity presented itself. Dr. Schmitt is an American Association of Feline Practitioners member and has contributed to their online educational materials. He lives with his wife, their 2 sons, and their 2 kitties – Bijou and Bonkers.

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Karen Randall is a 1992 Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine graduate. During her 30 year career, she has owned a small animal practice, a feline exclusive practice, and, most recently, a practice that focused on providing chronic pain management, palliative care, hospice, and in-home euthanasia. She is passionate about helping ill and aging cats live their best lives.
Dr.Randall is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, and The International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care.
She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and their 2 dogs, Luther and Cullen. She enjoys walking the lakes, gardening, running, and riding Ellie, her 19 year old thoroughbred mare.

CERTIFIED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

Jill graduated from the Medical Institute of Minnesota in 2001. Animals are just one of her passions. She also enjoys gardening, hiking, lying in a hammock by the water and playing legos with her son.

Trisha graduated from Globe College in December 2003. She has worked as a veterinary technician since that time and joined Cats Preferred in December 2009. She lives with her husband, cat-Nala and dogs-Harper, Charlie and Jade.

Jess graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2011. Since then she has volunteered/interned for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, interned at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo rehabilitating manatees, and volunteered at the Minnesota Zoo connecting the public to wildlife. Following her passion to work with animals, she has worked in the pet care and veterinary fields as a Boarding Facility Supervisor and Veterinary Receptionist since 2013. Jess joined Cats Preferred in May of 2015 and loves contributing to the focus on high quality feline care and being part of our team! She has no pets of her own for now, but loves her spunky four-legged sister Sophie, a Choodle (Chihuahua Poodle mix).