UP CLOSE AND Purr-sonal: KAREN THOMAS

Most of us know Karen Thomas. You may have met her in her role as show manager for Rebel Rousers Cat Club in Atlanta, GA.

- Ann Strople and Jacqui Bennett

Or maybe you've seen her exhibiting her award-winning Panthat Burmese cats. Or perhaps you've noticed her clerking in the judging ring.

You may have paid her $25 for microchipping your cat, a fee that she donates to raise funds for CFA regions. Or if you live in central or northern Georgia she may have done a cattery of excellence visit for you. And while she was there, she probably shared her knowledge of animal husbandry to help you have the best cattery possible. These are just some of the things that Karen does for CFA, and are a large part of the reason she was named CFA Southern Region Exhibitor of the Year in 2011. But there is SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW!

Karen, a veterinarian, earned her DVM from Michigan State University in 1970, a time when there were very few women in the profession. She opened her private practice, Three Counties Animal Hospital, in 1978, and provided veterinary services there for more than 40 years.