Founder & Owner

St. Louis native Dr. Nicole Mattes has been caring for the pets of this city for over a decade. 
After graduation from Mizzou's vet school, she spent several years as an equine vet in Virginia before coming back to the city she loves. 

She spent time in small animal private practice for several years before becoming a relief veterinarian while developing and building City Paws Veterinary Clinic. 

Dr. Mattes, her family and herd of pets live in South City and are thrilled to be a locally-owned small business in their own neighborhood. 

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Fun Facts

• Pets: 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 turtle, 1 bearded dragon, too many to count koi and goldfish

• Pet Names: Tadhg, Aisling, Mia and Farley, 

• Likes: St. Louis Blues, Celtic culture, Social Distortion, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, reading, travel and a nice pint of Magners. 

• Dislikes: Vegetables, Will Ferrell movies, sand that goes everywhere, people who don't like pets :-)

Veterinarian

Dr. Melissa Clayton joined the City Paws team with a passion for compassionate, accessible veterinary care and a special interest in surgery and dentistry. After attending the University of South Florida and earning her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she began her career in emergency medicine in St. Louis before continuing her work in general practice. Dr. Clayton loves the variety that veterinary medicine brings each day and is especially passionate about helping strengthen the bond between pets and the people who love them. She also seeks volunteer opportunities that improve access to veterinary care for underserved pet owners.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Clayton enjoys yoga, crocheting, hiking, reading, and spending time outdoors with her wife. Together, they also enjoy line dancing and exploring nature whenever they can.

Fun Facts

• Pets: 7 cats

• Pet Names: Julius, Stuart, Mira, Nash, Miles, Maxine, and Vinny

• Likes: Bookstores, sound baths, pitties wearing clothes, hiking, and cats with big personalities

• Dislikes: Closed spaces, talking about herself, and people who don’t like cats

Veterinarian

Dr. Elsa Stuart is one of our veterinarians at City Paws and a proud graduate of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She loves helping pets feel comfortable at the vet and believes some of the best moments are when nervous patients come back happy, healthy, and excited to visit the clinic again. Dr. Stuart also enjoys working closely with pet parents and celebrating the progress they make together with their pets.

When she’s not at City Paws, Dr. Stuart enjoys gardening, birding, trying new restaurants around St. Louis, and taking long walks through Tower Grove Park with her dog, Winnie.

Fun Facts

• Pets: 1 dog, 1 bunny

• Pet Names: Winnie and Jillian

• Likes: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, sushi, peas, gardening, and Tower Grove Park walks

• Dislikes: Cold weather, scary things, and the desert

Practice Manager

Cegi is our fearless practice manager who has been in the veterinary industry for 15 years (and also happens to be Fear Free certified). As a practice manager, Cegi strives to help the clinic staff learn and grow as she believes it’s the best way to develop a strong team. She enjoys learning about the bond clients have with their pets, and she has a particular passion for neonates and the amazing experience of raising them.
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Fun Facts

• Pets: 3 dogs, 5 cats, 6 chickens, 2 horses

• Pet Names: Eevee, Hunter, Berry, Sunday, Ash, Bunny, Auggie, Jabroni, Cow and Harvey

• Likes: New Orleans and NOLA culture, binging Netflix teen drama shows even though she is a grown adult, St. Louis sports teams, tomatoes, all things cats. 

• Dislikes: ketchup, people who don't like cats

Veterinary Assistant

Brandi is a certified veterinary assistant who has a passion for surgery, dentistry and geriatrics. She loves practicing Fear Free techniques to understand the needs of each animal while discovering new, less stressful ways to help them. She also enjoys educating pet owners about the importance of spaying/neutering. Compassion is in Brandi’s blood - she originally attended school to be a funeral director.
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Fun Facts

• Pets: 2 cats, 2 dogs, 1 bearded dragon

• Pet Names: Binny, Henry, Krusty and Hilda 

• Likes: coffee, photography, live music, traveling, Halloween and all things spooky

• Dislikes: praying mantis, techno, stickbugs, animal abuse

Registered Veterinary Technician

Sarah hails from Fontana, CA, and she brings a wealth of compassion and expertise to our team. Her favorite part of her job is working closely with senior pets and those with chronic pain or mobility issues, where she not only provides top-notch care but also empowers pet owners with valuable education and resources to enhance their pets' quality of life.

​When she's not at the clinic, Sarah can be found baking, crafting, and immersing herself in the beauty of nature.

Sarah is also actively working towards a degree in Biological Sciences through Arizona State University and has a knack for crafting accessories for dogs and cats.
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Fun Facts

• Pets: 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs

• Pet Names: Donatella, Hennessy, Zeke, Stubby, Inky, Tiger and Twitch

• Likes: frogs, Disneyland, cheesecake

• Dislikes: ​​mayonnaise, hot weather, spiders

Veterinary Technician

Demi is a dedicated veterinary technician hailing from the heart of Saint Louis, Missouri. She received her veterinary-related training at Midwest Institute. Demi used to work with exotic pets before joining our team. Demi's favorite part of her job is making our patients feel comfortable and happy. She's always eager to learn new things, ensuring top-notch care for each pet that walks through our doors.

When Demi isn't at the clinic, she channels her creativity into making music. Her passion for music is rivaled only by her love for good food and the great outdoors.
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Fun Facts

• Pets: 1 cat

• Pet Name: Millie

• Likes: Music, good food, the outdoors

• Dislikes: 

Digital Communications Specialist

Alyssa is part of the City Paws team in Digital Communications and loves getting to know both pets and the people who adore them. One of her favorite parts of the job is earning the trust of shy or nervous pets and watching their personalities slowly shine through. She believes every goofy pet story is worth hearing and that the best connections are the ones that take a little time to build.

Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys reading, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and surrounding herself with all things whimsical. She’s also a proud pet parent to a very clingy crew of dogs and cats who may or may not trade her for a snack if given the chance.

Fun Facts

• Pets: 2 dogs, 3 cats

• Pet Names: Kennedy, Pax, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Fitzgerald

• Likes: Chunky sweaters, sushi, tuxedo cats, and late-night pup cup runs

• Dislikes: Vegetables, velvet, and mushrooms

Veterinary Assistant 

Madeline joined the City Paws team as a veterinary assistant after graduating from Ashworth College in 2024. She loves watching puppies and kittens grow up and says one of the best parts of her job is seeing sick patients feel better and head home happy and healthy. With a background in rescue work, Madeline has a special soft spot for rescue pets and the unique personalities they bring into our lives.

When she’s not at the clinic, you’ll probably find her walking her dog through Tower Grove Park, reading her way toward her goal of 50 books a year, or working on a puzzle at home.

Fun Facts

• Pets: 2 cats, 1 dog

• Pet Names: Aiden, Chicklet, and Elfie

• Likes: Pineapple pizza, reading, puzzles, and long walks with her dog

• Dislikes: Scary movies, slow walkers, and people who don’t like animals

Veterinary Assistant 

Bio coming soon!

Clinic Cat, Director of Team & Client Experience

Hemi is our resident clinic cat. He basically runs the show and bosses everyone else around, demanding the warmest and freshest of canned food, an automatic food and water system so he never even *thinks* about being hungry, the cleanest of litterboxes, and for you to move out of your seat when he wants it. Which is often. 
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Fun Facts

• Pets: 1 doctor, multiple vet techs and reception team members

• Name Origin: "Hemi" for the Dodge motor, given its exceptional and powerful purr

• Likes: judging people and other cats, canned food, warm seats, the printer

• Dislikes: being confined or told "no," canned food not warmed exactly to 76.5°F