Cathy was the daughter of Dr. Jim Craig, who worked non-stop in the hospital. Since her mother died years ago, she was raised only by her dad, and when she became a teenager, her father wasn't enough any more. Her grandma came to town to help Jim, but left as quickly as she came. When Jim decided he wanted to marry Anna Wolek, Cathy was furious with him, she disliked Anna and couldn't understand how Jim could replace her mother with her.

Feeling lonely, Cathy turned to drugs and bought them from Artie Duncan, who was a dealer. Duncan was using Cathy's step uncle Vinnie to deliver drugs and Cathy tried to stop him. Duncan got mad at her and tried to kill her, making it look like Vince was the murderer. His plan didn't work and Cathy was the one who killed him in self-defense, but since she was high at the time and didn't remember, Vinnie was accused of the murder of Artie.

Meanwhile her best friend, Julie Siegel, found out about the drugs and told Jim all about that. He took her to New York City's Odyssey House rehabilitation center and there Cathy remembered all and cleared Vince of the murder charges.

After returning from NYC, Cathy started dating Julie's twin, Timmy, who was a law student. Timmy helped Cathy in the rough days of rehab and with his help she'd learned to accept and love her stepmother Anna and finally forgave her best friend Julie for telling Jim about the drugs. She stood up for her as matron of honor when she married Dr. Mark Toland, but after the wedding Tim returned to law school and Cathy was on her own again.

Cathy decided she wanted to become a writer and started writing a book. She found the help of lonely reporter Joe Riley, who was just rejected by his ex-wife Viki. He agreed to go with her to NYC to help her with her book and there Cathy was able to make him forget all about Viki and the two made love.

When they returned, Cathy found out she was pregnant and told Joe. Joe immediately asked her to marry him, but she said no, since she knew he was very much in love with Viki and didn't really love her. She told him she'd raise the child alone, but after she heard Viki accepted his proposal and that Joe and Viki were married now she changed her mind, but there was nothing to do about it now.

Cathy started spending time with the current ex of Viki, Steve. One day they were driving during a blizzard and Cathy started having labor pains. They stopped and got into an old cabin where Steve delivered her daughter Megan Craig. After the storm stopped, they went to the hospital and there the doctors found out that Megan had a heart defect. They took the baby to surgery, where she was operated on by her grandpa Jim and his brother-in-law Larry Wolek. After that, they found out she'll never live long enough to become an adult, but they didn't tell this to Cathy or Joe. Dr. Wolek also found out that this defect was a genetic problem passed from Joe and told Viki about it. Viki swore him not to tell a soul about it because she wanted to have children with Joe, no matter what.

Cathy focused all her energies on her newborn daughter and was happy when Joe started spending more time with them than with his wife. She was thrilled when an ABC reporter interviewed her about her book and she felt life couldn't be better. One day while Megan was in Viki and Joe's home and Joe was away she suddenly had trouble breathing. Viki quickly drove her to the hospital, but had an accident on the way. As a result Megan died and Viki was in a deep coma. Cathy couldn't believe it when her father called her, she convinced her self that Viki killed her daughter on purpose and vowed revenge on her. Cathy's mental state was getting worse than ever.

Cathy and Joe mourned for their daughter, but soon Joe returned to Viki and Cathy was all alone again. Her friend Pat Kendall had come to town to be there for her and decided to stay in Lanview. Meanwhile Cathy began seeing Tony Lord, who helped her with her sorrow without her knowing that he and Pat had a long history together. Tony was very attracted to Cathy and since Pat had rejected him he proposed to Cathy and they eloped.

When Tony told her they'd soon be uncle and aunt since Viki was pregnant, Cathy lost her mind and swore she won't let Viki have this child as Viki "took" her daughter from her. Tony was worried about his wife and convinced her to see Dr. Vernon. During therapy, she decided she needed a baby of her own and asked Tony to have a baby with her, but he said he wasn't ready yet. She lied to him saying she was using protection when she actually wasn't and slept with him. She went to Dr. Morris who told her she wasn't pregnant, but when Tony returned home she told him the exact opposite.

Meanwhile Viki gave birth to her first boy, Kevin Riley, on September 76. Cathy told her husband she was going to meet with a book agent, Sidney Lang, and she'd be away for a few days. She actually went to the nursery and kidnapped Viki and Joe's son. She used the name Kitty Mainwaring, who was the character in her book, and fled to Arizona with Kevin. There she stayed in Mrs. King's boarding house.

Cathy and Mrs. King began a close friendship and Mrs. King found her a job at The Carousel Restaurant. Cathy, or should we say Kitty, told Mrs. King she's trying to find a nice home for "her" baby and Mrs. King gave her an address of a couple who couldn't have children and really wanted one, The McGruders. Kitty went to their house and signed the adoption papers, which said Kevin is now Frank and Mary McGruder's son. After giving the child up for adoption, Kitty stayed in the boarding house.

Meanwhile in Llanview, Joe and Viki were worrying sick about Kevin. Tony began worrying about his wife as well when she didn't call him, but it was Dr. Will Vernon who thought there was a link between the two. He went to Lt. Hall and the police began searching for Cathy and Kevin.

Mrs. King was able to convince Kitty to call her family and she called her father, Jim. Jim and Anna went to the police and told them Cathy had called them. The police found Cathy at the airport in AZ and brought her home. Cathy didn't remember ever being married to Tony or even seeing a baby. The police appointed Dr. Vernon and Dr. Alan Bennet to work with Cathy and find out what happened to Kevin. After a couple of weeks, Cathy finally remembered and told the truth about Kevin and the baby she invented to Tony. The police brought Kevin to his real parents in Llanview and the kidnapping charges against her were dropped. Tony stayed married to her until she was well enough and understood Tony wasn't in love with her and gave him freedom to be with Pat.

Cathy and Larry Wolek began a close friendship. Larry asked her to work with him in his clinic, but Cathy said she wanted to give writing another chance after all she has been through. The only one against it was Larry's wife, Karen who thought there was than friendship between them. She thought her suspicions were confirmed when Cathy moved into an apartment next to them.

Cathy also became close friend to waitress Lana McClain, who was dating ex-tennis player Brad Vernon. Cathy knew Brad didn't love Lana at all and was only using her and she advised her to dump him, but Lana wouldn't listen. Lana also found out she was pregnant with Brad's child and told Cathy this. Cathy forced her to go tell Brad since she remembered how it was for her and after Lana did so Brad was angry with her and wanted her to have an abortion. She was furious with Cathy for forcing her to tell him.

One-day walking Larry home, the two found Lana who also lived in their building lying on the floor unconsciousness. Larry went to her and declared she is dead. Cathy collapsed and Larry was there to help her mourn on her friend's death. Cathy told Lt. Hall about Lana's relationship with Brad and then went to confront Brad, but he made Cathy think Lana was lying all along. He convinced her that the relationship was only in Lana's mind and that he was faithful to his fiancée Jenny all that time. He also told her that since she had been through a similar event he thought she'd know Lana was lying. Cathy went to the police and withdrew her statement.

When Lana's mom came to town she gave Cathy a ring that was in Lana's apartment when they found her and Cathy said she'd always wear it. What both of them didn't know was that that ring was actually Brad's mother's ring, which he gave to Lana just before she died. When Sam Vernon spotted her mother's ring on Cathy's finger she ran to her brother and told him. Stupidly Brad decided to break into Cathy's apartment, but while he was there she suddenly came in, though she didn't see his face. Brad panicked and jumped from the window.

Cathy was convinced Brad had something to do with Lana's death and the breaking in her apartment. She didn't know she had the evidence to prove it on her had till she met her former doctor, Will, who told her his late wife had the exact same ring. This was enough for Ed to link Brad to Lana's death and the judge sentenced Brad for 4 months in prison.

During all this time Larry and Cathy became very close, but after Brad was sent away Cathy decided to leave Llanview and pursue her writing in the west. She tearfully said goodbye to Larry, Jim and Anna and left town.