When it comes to feline medicine, Dr. Bill Folger, DVM, DABVP (Feline), has spent decades not only treating cats but also advancing the field of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Folger is the Managing Veterinarian at Memorial Cat Hospital in Houston, Texas, and one of only around 90 board-certified feline specialists in the United States. He also served as President of the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics twice—in 2002 and again from 2015-2017.

He's also led veterinary medical missions to Honduras every year, bringing compassionate care to underserved communities around the globe. Read more about his 2025 trip here.

And if that wasn't enough, his work was recently featured in the Texas Veterinarian, and he contributed three chapters to the newest edition of The Feline Patient, arriving April 2026.

We asked him nine rapid-fire questions about feline medicine and what continues to drive him.

Learning something new 🌟 or mastering something you already know 🎯?

Learning new tricks of the trade. Medicine is constantly changing and growing, but it is still a very scientific art form.

Playful kittens 😸 or wise senior cats 😻?

It makes my day to get introduced to a sweet, healthy orange tabby kitten. When I can love on these sweet little kitties, I know I am going to have a great day. But it’s a honor to help a 21 yar old cat maintain a good quality of life. They are amazing.

Teaching the next generation 👨‍🏫 or learning from colleagues 🤝?

Teaching the next generation has been a hallmark of my life. High school students, pre-vet college students, veterinary students, and veterinarians. An axiom in my life: “It’s in helping others, that we help ourselves.”

Internal medicine 🩺 or surgery ⚕️?

Internal medicine. It’s puzzle-solving which helps our patients and their families.

Setting new professional goals 🎯 or deepening expertise in what you love 💙?

We learn by doing. I love feline medicine!

Supporting feline welfare through policy 📋 or direct patient care 🐱?

Both are important, whether at the level of the AVMA or FelineVMA or TVMA, welfare continues to change and grow. Teaching clients about quality of life serves everyone.

Sharing your knowledge through writing ✍️ or teaching 🎓?

Over my career it has been an honor to mentor scores of pre-veterinary and veterinary students. They still contact me decades later. It’s a purpose-driven life.

Finding joy in routine cases 📅 or complex medical challenges 🧩?

The difficult cases keep me in practice. I continue to examine the strangest illnesses in cats.

Letting go of old habits 🚪 or building new ones 🌱?

Consistency is nice, but bad habits are hard to break. Lose the bad habits, learn good habits- old and new.

More about Dr. Bill Folger:

Dr. Folger is a Houston native who graduated from Memorial High School in 1970. He earned his BA in Biology from the University of the South, followed by an MS in Biology from Texas A&M University, before receiving his DVM from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

After years of dedicated study and clinical excellence, Dr. Folger became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Feline Specialty—joining an elite group of fewer than 90 board-certified feline specialists in the country.

But Dr. Folger's contributions extend far beyond clinical practice. He served as Feline Regent for the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners from 2011-2017, was the founding Chair of the Feline Welfare Committee for the American Association of Feline Practitioners from 2005-2011, and has been a consultant in feline medicine on the Veterinary Information Network since 2000, helping veterinarians world-wide with thousands of case management suggestions.

His commitment to veterinary ethics is equally profound. He served as President of the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics twice—in 2002 and again from 2015-2017—and represented the Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA) on the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee from 2001-2007. He also served on the Winn Foundation Protocol Review Committee from 1998-2010, helping advance feline research and welfare.

Dr. Folger's dedication to service extends globally. He has led a veterinary medical mission to Honduras every year through the Church of the Holy Spirit Medical Brigade since 1998, providing care to animals and communities in need. Previously, he served as Medical Director for the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program from 1993-2000.

When he's not treating patients, serving on boards, or leading medical missions, Dr. Folger enjoys spending time with his wife Sherry and his daughter Haleigh and their three beloved kitties- Babee, Noah, and Quattro.

After decades in practice, Dr. Folger remains as passionate as ever about feline medicine, veterinary ethics, and making a difference—whether in Houston, Honduras, or anywhere cats and their people need compassionate, expert care.