Manhattan Cat Specialists

I would give Dr. Plotnick and Manhattan Cat Specialists 10 stars if Unilocal offered the option. My (4.5 year old and otherwise healthy) cat started limping on his right hind foot last fall, and it only got worse. Took him to my local vet, the Village Veterinarian on East 11^th: $ 500 later, they decided from x-​rays he probably had cancer and sent him on to Blue Pearl, the specialty place, in Midtown, for a bone biopsy — an incredibly invasive and painful procedure. To Blue Pearl’s credit, Marc Greenberg there didn’t rush to do that (or diagnose cancer), but neither could he figure out what was wrong with the cat despite $ 1500 worth of tests and a month of my shooting that poor creature in the mouth with all manner of painkillers and antibiotics. (I wonder why they make them to taste like banana and vanilla. Know many cats who like bananas?) Desperate, I started casting around for a whisperer and had Manhattan Cat Specialists and Dr. Plotnick recommended to me by several folks who had similarly frustrating experiences elsewhere. Not only did Dr. Plotnick make a house call (a promotion MCS offers); not only did he have the best bedside manner; he actually healed my cat, who is now leaping from and onto tables in a way I haven’t seen in six months. (He turns out to have had a severe inflammation around the paw, brought down by steroids.) All this for… $ 137. Even though MCS couldn’t be farther (I’m on the LES), it’s the only place I’ll ever bring my cat again, for anything from regular check-​ups to vaccines to anything.

I’m adding some info to my previous review because my furbabies have now not only boarded here but one of them had to have dentistry. I read some previous reviews that indicated they thought people here only cared about money and not the cats but that was not my experience. Everyone seemed to really care about their well being and also my peace of mind. Gina could not have been sweeter and she seemed to dote on the cats that were being boarded. She spent plenty of time talking to me to help calm my concerns and I saw the way she handled the cats because she let me come down to the boarding kennel with her when I brought them and picked them up.
Gill went out of his way so Nala could have her dental work done before she had more problems even though he was going on vacation. He seems to have done a great job. And even though he was later on vacation he didn’t hesitate to answer my emails when I had questions or concerns. He even suggested I email him a photo (the man was on vacation but he didn’t hesitate to take the time… obviously he cares) so he could take a look and make sure all was okay.
Every tech and receptionist was extremely patient and helpful when I called while I was away to check on them as well… which I did several times because I was nervous. And the cats came home seeming perfectly calm and happy and not at all stressed.
I would not hesitate to bring my cats here again.
Previous review:
So far, so good! If boarding goes this well I’ll be able to relax. I’ve been going to another vet (whom I adore) for years but they recently had a flood and the office is being rebuilt so I had to find another place to board this year. Brought the cats in for an exam before boarding and was very pleased with Dr. Sheheri and Liliane and the rest of the staff. Everyone was really patient and good with my babies. Dr. Sheheri mentioned a few things that I should consider doing in the future to keep my babies healthy but didn’t push to have them done now. She recognized that being in a new place was stressful enough for the cats (and ME) right now. She took her time with them and gave them what I could see was a thorough exam. She answered all my questions without rushing me and took a detailed history since I was unable to get my records for them. I left feeling a lot better about having to leave them somewhere new. Their hours here are wonderful and the staff all seems great, too. Believe me, I called ALL over town and there were only about 3 places I even considered when I was done because so few places had a staff that seemed to care when I called and explained my problem.

I took my cat Oliver their 4 ½ years ago. I don’t know if they treated him adequately but I can say that what I saw made me concerned about the quality of care that they give. The waiting area was quite small. We sat across this cage with a cat that they were looking to adopt out. We waited for about 45 minutes and in that time this cat had chronic diarrhea. Once Oliver was seen and done with his appointment I spoke to Dr. Plotnick. He said they were looking for a home for the kitty. I said do you think its helpful for the cat to have diarrhea? then I said if you feed her raw it would clear it up right away. «He said so would medicine.» I said exactly. In other words despite this cat being at a vets office she was not being treated. I guess there’s no profit in treating an animal up for adoption. Ollie and I never went back. I guess we dodged a bullet.

DO NOT GO HERE if your cat needs special care or has an ongoing condition. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE GOOD CARE.
I am at my wits end with a cat that has explosive liquid diarrhea that is all over my apartment, furniture, carpets, etc.
I trekked all the way to the upper west side from queens to this vet practice from queens based on the great reviews and paid $ 500 for an exam and tests. All I got was that the tests were negative and «feed him this food» and it should get better. It’s worse than ever and I not only wasted my money but still haven’t been able to help my poor little guy. Such a disappointment and complete waste of time and money. I’m sure this vet is great for others, but if your pet has a condition that requires more probing and examination, don’t bother.

Hands down the best vet I’ve ever been to.
The office/​waiting room feels like a spa which is REALLY helpful if you have a cat, as I do, who goes into sheer panic in crowded noisy waiting rooms. The staff is friendly and really helpful. And Dr. Plotnick is just tops. The exam he gave my diabetic cat was incredibly thorough. My cat really goes nuts at the vet, but Dr. Plotnick was able to examine his heart, eyes, skin, belly, etc. Yes, I was impressed! He really knows his business, explains things to you medically in layman’s terms so you understand what’s going on with your cat vs. just telling you what you should do and you feel like you have a team in your corner. You just can’t beat that.
While we haven’t done it yet, I love that they do housecalls!
I came to him for a second opinion and was so impressed, he became my vet. That says it all.

Very friendly staff and took great care of my two cats. Great deals if you adopt a cat from then… all vaccines and care are covered for the first 6 months. Convenient to get to and only serves cats, so you don’t need to worry about a more general vet working on your pets since they specialize in cats.

The veterinarians and staff at Manhattan Cat Specialists are wonderful. I took my cat in initially because of problem urination and although nothing was medically wrong with my cat (yay), the changes Dr. Sheheri recommended to her diet worked wonders. Problem urination stopped immediately and I haven’t had an issue with it since. I took my cat throughout the next 3 years for routine checkups and a heart murmur scare and they were always extremely patient and gentle with her. She is not the most trusting or friendly with strangers so Dr. Sheheri and her staff’s calm demeanor definitely helped both my cat and myself feel more at ease. I’m now moving out of the area and am definitely going to miss having MCS nearby. Thank you!

Seriously can’t recommend this place enough. My cat is a little insane and it’s impossible for me to clip her nails at home. I brought her in to have her nails clipped. She was quite upset but the incredible Vet Techs handled her professionally, calmly and really made us both feel at ease. Definitely would go back and it’s totally reasonably priced– $ 10! Would definitely go back here for any of my cats needs!

Dr. Plotnick has taken such great care of our little Gracie, since we adopted her from a local rescue, For Animals Inc, in 2009. We’ve tried other vets in Brooklyn, but because of his great bedside manner and availability to discuss treatment options and test results, it’s worth making the trek to the upper Westside. You can tell he loves cats!

My cat is my good friend. She is more like family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her well being. Dr. Plotnick is not someone I’d recommend as your veterinarian. He cares more about the money than actually helping.
My cat was going through a serious infection and I couldn’t figure out what it was so I looked up this place online and brought her in. The doctor did a quick check up on her (like there was nothing to it) without actually trying to understand my cat’s problem. He ended up misdiagnosing. I spent almost $ 700 on nothing — no remedy, no information. I wasted time, money and most importantly, my cat was not better.
During the check-​up the doctor made it extremely uncomfortable for me to ask questions. Whatever questions I did manage to get out, he responded without really answering. He was silent and showed no warmth towards me or my pet.
I took my cat to another vet who found the problem right away and the remedy was a success. The check-​up, medicine, tests and operation at my other vet altogether cost significantly less than what I paid at Dr. Plotnick’s office for one 8-​minute visit which only confused me more about finding a cure for my cat and steered me the wrong way.
I contacted Dr. Plotnick shortly after gently explaining to him that he made an error. Instead of trying to work it out with me, he became furious and rude.
The reason why we go to vets is because we love our pets and want to help them. Vets must have compassion, be knowledgeable and conduct professionalism at all times. This doctor does not match that criteria.
Manhattan Cat Specialists — Low class doctor; Overpriced; Only interested in money; Misdiagnoses; Doesn’t show care towards you and your cat. Avoid this place — there are other great veterinarians out there.

We are new to Manhattan Cat Specialists and we are so thankful to have found them!
My girl has been diagnosed with feline asthma and her original vet was advising us to put her down. We had read a couple of articles on feline asthma by Dr Plotnick and decided to get a second opinion from him.
From the first time I called to make an appointment, I knew I made the right choice. The ladies at the front desk were so friendly and compassionate and answered all of my questions before I had even see the doctor! The office is so clean and cat friendly including their resident friendly calico.
Our traveling caravan consisted of myself, my fiancée and my mom as we are all absolutely in love with my little girl. Dr plotnick allowed us to all be in the exam room and answered ALL of our questions, discussed a revised care plan and assured us that we were doing all the right things to care for our sick kitty.
There is no cure for my cats illness but I am so confident that whatever time she has left, will be happy and pain free under Dr Plotnicks supervision!

Horrible Horrible Horrible!!! Dr. Plotnick cares more about money and his PR than your pet. He found a niche (cats only) and he exploits it to unsuspecting cat owners. I am sure those that have given good reviews have not had any major emergencies.
He decided to operate on my aging cat, putting her through horrible needless suffering, and then gave her a prescription med that was used OFF LABEL for DOGS. She later died, writhing on the bed in horrible pain, moaning, her eyes pleading for help, and throwing up blood. When I desperately called him during this to ask his advice, I was on hold for 15 minutes and then he said «try feeding her a little». WHAT???
Scam artist and not as knowledgeable as he tries to portray. Obviously. Please DO NOT take a chance with your loved one’s life. If this review can save even one little life, it will be worth it.

Someone recommended me for My cat he has been to a few Vets but no result.
We went there 15 minutes before Appointment.
but We had to waited about 45 minutes.
We were hearing Cats Screaming Crying hole time we are waiting,
Then Doctor (This Lady) wasn’t good at all.
She just touch him and physical check or whatever,
No result, No help.
Worst experience!
Do not recommend to anyone who loves their Cats!

I’ve been going to this place for as long as I’ve had my cat. And I chose the place bc I wanted the best vet for my boy and I assumed vets who specialized in cats only would know everything there is to know about cat illnesses and care.
I’m overall satisfied w the care my cat gets. He’s a very healthy boy to begin w so I only bring him in once ever couple years. I like Dr. Shaheri, who is my cat’s vet. She’s very knowledgeable and responsive to any questions or concerns I have re my boy’s health.
They are very expensive, though. A routine checkup w rabies booster will easily run to $ 150. Blood works is additional $ 200. But overall, I like the way they handle my cat and it’s a cost I’m willing to swallow for a cost of care for a family member.

I wouldn’t trust my two cats with any one other than Dr. Plotnik and the staff at Manhattan Cat Specialists. In my experience, they are attentive, knowledgable, and easy to get a hold of if something happens. I love the fact that the office has weekend hours, and my boys always come home happy after being boarded (actual vet appointments leave them a bit more shaken, but what do you expect?).

The guy I talked to sounded like he was high on prescription meds. Not only that, but he flat-​out lied and said that using a knife for declawing is the best method. It’s so unethical that it’s not legal in many places. I’ve read about 20 articles on the subject, and radiowave declawing, or at the very least laser declawing is the only semi-​ethical way to do it. This guy also said that nobody in Manhattan does radiowave declawing, which is not true (Heart of Chelsea does). What a liar.

Dr Plotnik and his team are great. I find Hilary’s post from today to be particularly egregious. The claims made do not in any way depict the experiences I have had with MCS.
Each time Dr Plotnik sees my cat he treats her with great care and is the first vet EVER to draw blood from her without fuss and minimal pain and first time lucky, each time. And he talks to her in funny voices, which endears me to him even more. Despite her anxiety she is never freaked out after a visit.
I boarded my cat for two weeks while I was on vacation and the team at MCS were incredibly patient with me calling every day, needing to know that she was ok. They never treated me in a patronizing way, and they explained clearly how they were handling a very challenging and diabetic cat. Even when I knew she was being a hiss-​pot (she isn’t a fan of people) they kept telling me she was an angel and just being herself.
Normally, after a time away from home my cat tends to retreat for a few days as she deals with her anxiety from her time with strangers. Her last stay left her completely calm and I have never seen her as happy as she was after we got home.
I trust Dr Plotnik and his team. I also find them to be far more economical than other vets. Her bills used to come close to $ 2000 after a series of blood work or treatment with other vets (she’s had a tough medical history). I rarely spend more than $ 500 with MCS at a time.
Additionally, I always get a clear explanation as to the course of treatment or if a particular diagnosis is difficult to understand.

Dr. Plotnick and team are the best. We have been bringing our elderly cat in for years and they have gotten to know her and her illness pattern and have been able to keep her healthy and happy at a, now, 21 years of age. We are not looking for empathy when she is ill, just effectiveness, and that is what they offer at MCS. Plus, they always post funny cat videos on their Facebook page.
MCS team, Kocik says hi and while she loves you, she hopes she doesn’t see you soon, haha.

I brought my cat here today to get a check-​up and fix her in-​grown nail.
Dr. Sheheri was very professional, thorough and most importantly extremely kind to my cat, Rosie, who remained calm and at ease. And no unnecessary sedation to remove the nail.
Will take definitely bring Rosie here for her next annual checkup!

Manhattan Cat Specialists is the best place to go for veterinary care for your cats. Dr. Arnold Plotnick is a phenomenal veterinarian. Not only is he a board certified small animal internist and feline specialist, he is a world renown expert on cat health. I love to show off with my friends by showing them articles in Cat Fancy and other Cat Magazines written by my kitty’s Vet.
I have been using Manhattan Cat Specialists for many years. I would never go to anyone but the best with my cats. Dr. Plotnick has an amazing way with cats. He knows how to make my cats feel relaxed and his waiting room is very feline friendly.
His staff consists of several vet assistants and technicians each with unique personalities that make the experience even more enjoyable. The atmosphere is such that your cat feels safe and well taken care of from the moment you step in.
I agree with Bex H. I have found the best vet on earth! Thank you for existing and taking such great care of my cats!