​Where feline health meets
​heartfelt care!
For too long, the veterinary world has grouped cats and dogs together as if their needs were interchangeable. At Pets R Family Veterinary Hospital, we have always believed something different: cats are not small dogs. They are emotionally sensitive, physiologically unique, and profoundly complex. They deserve care that honors who they are—not who they are compared to.
 
In late Spring 2026, that belief becomes a reality with the opening of the Whisker Wing, our brand-new feline-focused hospital space designed exclusively for cats. This carefully crafted environment will give our feline patients the calm, comfort, and respect they need to receive exceptional medical care.


A Decade of Feline Advocacy
— A Priority From Day One
When Pets R Family opened its doors 10 years ago, Dr. Kathleen Deckard had one non-negotiable priority: the hospital must be recognized as a Gold Standard Cat Friendly Practice. Even before the paint had dried, she was thinking about how to make the veterinary experience less intimidating for cats and how to incorporate feline-specific handling and medical knowledge into every aspect of care, starting with the feline only dedicated exam room.


Achieving Gold Standard Certification through the American Association of Feline Practitioners (now the Feline VMA) required deliberate design choices, team training, and a deep commitment to understanding the feline perspective. Dr. Deckard believed strongly that if cats were going to receive truly compassionate, high-quality veterinary care, the hospital needed to be built on a foundation of feline-centered principles—not retrofit them later.


That early commitment set the tone for everything that followed.
For 10 years, Pets R Family has maintained that Gold Standard designation. And the Whisker Wing represents the fulfillment of a vision Dr. Deckard had from day one: a hospital where cats are understood, respected, and provided with medical care tailored to their species—not adapted from another.
  
Why Cats Need a Hospital
Designed Just for Them 
Cats experience the world differently. Their hearing is sharper, their noses more sensitive, their instincts stronger. Stress can hinder diagnostics, elevate vital signs, and mask illness—something cats are uniquely skilled at hiding. They face medical conditions far more common in their species than in dogs, including:
 
•Chronic kidney disease •Hyperthyroidism •Stress-induced cystitis •Dental Resorption  •GI and pancreatic disorders
•Arthritis disguised behind subtle behavioral changes
•Behavioral and environmental stress concerns


Handling them requires time, patience, and a deep understanding of feline behavior.  The Whisker Wing will be built precisely around these truths. ​

For many, military service ends with the final salute. But for Marine Corps veteran and local business owner Chris Gobeli, the mission took a new form, one grounded in craftsmanship, community, and the enduring values of service.

Gobeli, founder of Outdoor Transformations, brings the same precision, discipline, and integrity he learned in the United States Marine Corps to every project he undertakes in St. Johns. His company, known for its expert hardscaping and landscape design, reflects the ethos that shaped his nine years of service,  an ethos that continues to inspire his life, his work, and his community.

“I joined at 19 after suffering a career-ending injury playing football,” Gobeli recalls. “I needed direction, and I was proud of my family tradition in the Marine Corps. Both of my grandfathers were Marines; one served 20 years and trained recruits at Parris Island, the other fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. There was no other option in my eyes.”

From 2006 to 2015, Gobeli served as part of VMA-542, deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Al Asad Airbase in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province. “We maintained 100% mission readiness and completed every mission assigned,” he says. Later, in 2010, he deployed aboard the USS Bataan as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit, traveling through Spain, Greece, the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

His years in the Marines taught lessons that would define his second career. “The path from the Marine Corps to Outdoor Transformations has been one of discipline, integrity, and purpose,” Gobeli says. “In the Marines, the mission always comes first, and you take care of your people so the mission succeeds. In business, it’s no different. Our mission is delivering excellence for our clients, and my team is family.”
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That sense of leadership extends well beyond the job site. As a husband and father of three, Gobeli’s motivation is deeply personal. “My family fuels my drive to build a company that reflects the values I want to pass down: hard work, honesty, and craftsmanship that stands the test of time.”