Cat Walker has a background in Veterinary Practice Management & Operations, including running a successful practice of her own and managing a nursing department of 30+ at an Animal Emergency hospital. Prior to moving into the veterinary industry she worked as a Solicitor and also has a past life as a professional touring musician. She has logged hundreds of hours as an interviewer on stage and on her podcasts.

Solicitor & Research Analyst

Cat Walker began her career as an International Studies graduate research analyst in Melbourne with a focus on measuring and rating the corporate social responsibility of companies. After moving to Brisbane she obtained a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia. She worked in planning and environment law, professional negligence and liability, insurance law, and later as a regional generalist in Far North Queensland. 

Podcaster & Musician

Cat is best known in the veterinary industry for first of its kind podcast Radio Vet Nurse which she created while owning and operating a veterinary surgery. Cat actually started her professional life as a performing musician including supporting Pete Murray’s "Feeler” album tour, touring Europe and Australia with juggernaut Brisbane outfit Dubmarine, and touring East Timor as a singer/dancer with the Australian Army Band Kapooka. 

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Cat has always loved animals but her veterinary nursing career was a happy accident. In 2012 Cat was a Brisbane-based touring musician with a day job as a lawyer. After over a decade gigging and touring she decided to hang up the microphone, marry a veterinarian and leave the city. The pair moved to Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland and were approached by a vet who wanted to retire. Cat began the transition from lawyer to Practice Manager including completing the Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing. While Cat embarked on these studies with a view to being an informed manager, she quickly discovered a passion for nursing that made her pivot away from law permanently. Cat has been nursing since 2013, qualified in 2015 and became a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2019. She also produced two small humans during this time.  

Veterinary Practice Manager, General Manager & Emergency Nurse Manager

Cat was the Practice Manager and then General Manager of her own successful general practice for nearly nine years until tragedy struck. In the “Interrupted” podcast mini series on Radio Vet Nurse Cat respectfully shares the painful story of how her veterinarian (then) husband developed a substance use disorder, of which she was unaware of until 2020 when the almost fatal disease escalated and revealed itself. Cat moved back to South East Queensland, sold the practice, and became the Veterinary Nurse Manager of a veterinary emergency hospital for two years. Her now ex-husband is recovered and practising again. 

Interrupted

If you want to hear more about Cat’s unique and at times devastating story search Radio Vet Nurse on any podcast app and take 30 minutes to listen to episode 1 of Radio Vet Nurse - Interrupted.