Who is Dolores Catania's Daughter Gabby? Meet the RHONJ Veterinarian
RHONJ cast member Dolores Catania's daughter is an animal lover with a degree to match.
Her mother's daughter! Over the years, cast member Dolores Catania's daughter, Gabby Catania, has popped onto The Real Housewives of New Jersey every so often—always leaving fans wanting more. So, what's there to know about this Jersey girl? Keep reading to find out.
Meet Gabby Catania
Gabby is the oldest child (and only daughter!) of Dolores and Frank Catania, who divorced when she was young. Three years older than her brother, Frankie Catania, she grew up fiercely individual—a trait her mother has spoken about before.
“I want to let a lot of moms know out there that if your daughter’s not like you, it’s okay,” Dolores told Page Six in 2021. “Like, I wanted Gabby to wear Juicy sweatpants and be a cheerleader, and she had black nail polish and wore skulls on her clothes. She marched to a beat of her own drum—I had to let her be herself.”
However, Gabby and her mom do have something major in common: Their love of animals. Today, Gabby is a practicing veterinarian and pet parent herself—a title her mom, who calls herself Gabby's pets' "Nana", seemingly appreciates.
Gabby's College Journey
RHONJ viewers might remember Dolores's reaction to her daughter enrolling in veterinary school far away from New Jersey— the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in the West Indies, to be precise. Lucky for her mama, Gabby chose to complete her clinical year a bit closer to home, heading to Tufts University in Massachusetts.
In December 2020, Dolores shared that Gabby had officially passed her veterinary licensing examination, qualifying her to become a practicing veterinarian in the state of New Jersey.
“SHE DID IT!!! We are all so proud of you,” the entrepreneur wrote in an Instagram caption. “Congratulations Doctor Gabrielle Catania. boy does it feel good to say that.”
A few months later, in May 2021, Gabby celebrated her official graduation and the four dogs (Banana, Chicken, Bagel, and Potato) she'd adopted along the way with a public Instagram post of her own. In the first photo, she posed with a pup while wearing a cap and gown.
“Four dogs, three (and a half ish) years, two countries and one very happy DOCTOR later,” she wrote in the caption. “Couldn’t have done this without the help of my stateside loved ones but most importantly thank you to the little rock I got to call home and all the incredible people who became a second family along the way.”
Veterinary Career
Following graduation, Gabby announced she'd be starting work at Animal Hospital of Sussex County in Newton, New Jersey. According to the clinic's website, Dr. Gabby is especially passionate about veterinary dermatology and surgery, specifically "seeing—and helping—all the itchy dogs get over their issues."
RHONJ Appearances
Now that she's back stateside, Gabby has been popping up on RHONJ more often. Dolores shared a sweet moment with Gabby and Frankie in Season 12 Episode 4 after she revealed news of her breakup with ex David Principe (in the clip above).
In Season 11 Episode 12, Gabby's individuality shined through when she showed up to her and Frankie's joint family birthday party fresh from a shelter internship in Texas, refusing to take a shirt her mom offered her as a gift.
"We dress a little different," Dolores said, laughing. Later, the family cut into custom cakes. Unsurprisingly, Gabby's was covered in animal art.
Following the premiere of RHONJ Season 13 on Feb. 7, 2023, the doctor even joined her mom on an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as the evening's bartender. Naturally, she had a puppy by her side throughout the festivities. This time, it was Banana's turn in the spotlight.
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