Meet Our Team
Mary Szymkowski, DVM
Dr. Szymkowski is the owner of The Cat Hospital. Born and raised in the Chicago area, she earned a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with highest honors from Northwestern University in 1985, then a MS in Computer Science from UNC Chapel Hill while working as a Software Engineer and Project Manager at IBM in Raleigh.
Following her heart into veterinary medicine, she joined the NCSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital to lead the design of their first online medical records system while taking pre-medical classes at Meredith College. She earned her DVM from NCSU in 2001, contributing to a published article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and completing a rotation in Radiation Oncology at UNC Hospital.
Her professional memberships include the Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA), the Veterinary Wound Management Society, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, the AVMA, and the NCVMA. Her special interests are feline medicine and surgery, wound treatment, cancer care, and geriatric medicine.
Dr. Szymkowski has been a pet therapy volunteer at WakeMed Hospitals since 1993, visiting patients every Thursday with her dog Ivey. She is an avid runner who competes regionally from the 800m to the half marathon with the Carolina Godiva Track Club.
She and her husband Lindsey share their home with dogs Marcie & Peppermint Patty, and cats Sylvester, Wyatt & Doc, Peggy & Alexander & Angelica, Donnie, Moochie, Wall-E — plus occasional rescue and rehabilitation animals.
Margaret Edwards-Seal, DVM
Dr. Edwards-Seal has been a companion animal veterinarian for over 20 years, graduating from the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 with an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Virginia (1987).
During college she worked summers at a veterinary hospital in Williamsburg, VA, where her mentor encouraged her path to vet school. She joined the Oncology Service at the NCSU Teaching Hospital in 1989 as a research technician, earned her prerequisite classes, and entered the veterinary program in 1991. Between her first and second years she attended a Leadership Training Program at Cornell where she researched Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Golden Retrievers.
She is a member of the AVMA, the NCVMA, and the Feline Veterinary Medical Association, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Wags4Tags, which pairs military veterans with PTSD or traumatic brain injury with trained support dogs rescued from high-kill shelters.
Dr. Edwards-Seal recently focused her practice on feline medicine, appreciating the unique care and special bond cats and their families share.
In her spare time she enjoys training her dogs in agility and obedience, playing with her cats, hiking, cultivating a small flower garden, and maintaining three freshwater aquariums.
Stacy — Veterinary Assistant
Stacy was a client of The Cat Hospital before joining the team in 2015 as a veterinary assistant. Her lifelong love of animals — especially her admiration for cats and their complex, unique behaviors — inspired her to pursue a career as a veterinary assistant in a feline-only hospital.
Outside of work, Stacy enjoys traveling and spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Lucy (pictured).
WRay — Veterinary Assistant
WRay is our weekend and holiday anchor. He is here every weekend caring for our feline guests and is a true animal advocate — when he is not with us, he volunteers with Safe Haven for Cats.
WRay shares his home with two cats, Anime and Calliope.
Carolina — Veterinary Assistant
Carolina is an occupational therapist originally from Venezuela who moved to Durham to pursue her love of animals. She is fluent in English and Spanish, studies canine rehabilitation through the University of Tennessee’s veterinary program, and brings a warm, multilingual presence to the practice.
Carolina has two cats, Riley and Luke. Her hobbies include playing mandolin, guitar, and vintage instruments, and writing poetry.
Ashley — Receptionist
Ashley started at The Cat Hospital in 2015 as a receptionist, inspired by her love of animals. She moved from Boone, NC, and quickly found her place at The Cat Hospital. Her favorite part of the job is getting to meet and interact with so many people and their feline companions.
Ashley has three cats — Miss Pearl, Bowie, and Roy. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and spending time with friends and family.
Caroline — Veterinary Assistant
Caroline started at The Cat Hospital in 2021 as a veterinary assistant, driven by her love for animals and her desire to help those in need. She began petsitting at age 12, which solidified her resolve to work with animals as a career. Her favorite parts of working at The Cat Hospital are not only caring for cats, but also the relationships she has built with her coworkers and the teamwork they share.
Caroline didn’t grow up with cats and adopted her first after a year and a half at The Cat Hospital.
She now has one dog and two cats. Caroline enjoys baking and cooking, is always trying new recipes, and loves taking her dog on outdoor adventures.
Angie — Veterinary Assistant
Angie is a part-time veterinary assistant who has been with The Cat Hospital since 2022. She currently attends North Carolina State University and is working toward a minor in Animal Science. Her love of animals led her to a career in veterinary medicine, and her favorite parts of working at The Cat Hospital are her coworkers and getting to help animals in need.
Angie has three cats and one dog. In her free time she enjoys running and baking.
Dana — Receptionist
Dana joined The Cat Hospital team as a receptionist in May 2025 and has been working in veterinary medicine since 2022. Her love of animals drew her into the field, and her passion for helping people is what led her to become a receptionist. Dana’s favorite part of working at The Cat Hospital is the relationships she builds with clients, patients, and coworkers.
Dana has four cats, a dog, a ferret, and a cichlid aquarium. She enjoys spending time with her animals, crocheting, reading, and playing the flute.
Maddie — Veterinary Assistant
Maddie joined The Cat Hospital team as a veterinary assistant in June 2025 after graduating from Meredith College with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She has been working in veterinary medicine since 2021, driven by a desire to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves, to educate clients, and to bring comfort to animals and people alike. Her favorite parts of working at The Cat Hospital are meeting new people and cats, helping patients feel better, and expanding her knowledge of veterinary medicine.
Maddie has two cats (Dart and Smooch), one dog (Oakley), and many fish. She enjoys being outside, caring for her fish tanks, baking, and antiquing.
Logan — Receptionist & Veterinary Assistant
Logan joined The Cat Hospital in 2026 as both a receptionist and a veterinary assistant. He has been petsitting in the Durham/Chapel Hill area for years and brought previous veterinary assistant experience with him to the practice. His love for animals and his desire to provide them with the best possible care drove him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. His favorite parts of working at The Cat Hospital are connecting with clients and patients, and working alongside Kyle, the resident clinic cat.
Logan has one dog — a Border Collie named Jax. He enjoys photography, rock climbing, hiking, camping, and skiing.