KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Dr. Tracy McFarland of “The Cat Doctor & Friends” died Monday morning after battling advanced stages of gallbladder and liver cancer.
Sponsored Articles
Staff from the Santa Clarita veterinarian’s office announced McFarland’s death the same day on their Facebook page.
“With heavy hearts The Cat Doctor team wants you to know that Dr. Tracy passed peacefully … surrounded by her loving family, Richard, her husband, her two sons, Alex and Joey, and her cats,” the post reads, addressing McFarland’s former clients. “She did not feel any pain for the past few weeks and she was accepting of her circumstances. She wanted me to convey to you she felt extremely privileged to know all about you and to be there for you in those times when you absolutely needed her.”
The Valencia veterinarian’s office, which McFarland owned, remained closed on Monday.
Hundreds of Santa Clarita residents expressed their sorrow on social media when they heard the news, and shared stories about McFarland.
“I am so incredibly sad,” one comment read. “She was an amazing doctor and one of the most compassionate people I ever met.”
In lieu of flowers or gifts, officials with The Cat Doctor & Friends are asking residents to consider donating to their “Slick Fund,” which helps hundreds of people and cats in Santa Clarita.
In addition, one Santa Clarita resident launched a GoFundMe page in support of the staff at The Cat Doctor & Friends. As of Tuesday afternoon, the page had raised $450 of its $1,000 goal.
“All of us that love Dr. Tracy just want to do something,” said Gail Atkins, organizer of the GoFundMe page. “I thought that if we could contribute to her ‘Slick’ fund or to anything the staff needs, at least we are doing something productive. There are not enough words or meows to describe this special person and her amazing, positive effect on all of our lives.”
Before her death, McFarland spoke to her friends and supporters through various posts on the The Cat Doctor & Friends’ Facebook page.
“What a privilege it has been to welcome your cats to our family, I have loved every minute,” she wrote four days before her death. “I wish I could tell you personally how much each one of you mean to me. I wish you all much love, good health, good humor and the strength to get through this time.”
To contribute to the GoFundMe page, click here.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com.Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.comKHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I’ve known Dr, Tracy for 28 years and her compassion and care was as much for the families as it was for the cats. Her death is a horrible loss. I will truly miss her!!
The absolute best vet EVER. Smart, caring compassionate and always positive. I am absolutely heartbroken and will be contributing to the Slick Fund. Rest in Peace, Dr Tracy.
We will all miss her, kitties and their humans. She was an amazing, empathetic and caring person. I am crying.
I met Dr. Tracey when she was working in Sherman Oaks and I brought my cat in for a checkup. She mentioned that she was moving up to Santa Clarita and would open her own practice. She struck me as very warm, friendly and personable. She was also very kind to my cat and really seemed to appreciate his good nature. Years later, my husband and I moved up to Santa Clarita and I was happy to be able to bring my cats to her for over 15 years. She was quite remarkable in how she could connect with her clients, as though “a mutual love of cats united us.” She was the one to put my two sweet cats to sleep when they were in pain and failing in health. Again, her kind nature made the unbearable.. bearable. I am so saddened to hear of her passing at such a young age. She managed to live her years to the fullest, touching and helping many lives both human and feline.
This stinks! She was a great vet.
I am so sad to hear about Tracy. She was a very special lady and I was honored to have her watch over our cats. She had a heart of gold and honestly cared not only for the cats but the people that owned them. She went out of her way to make sure she could do everything possible to ease the process of healing and also caring for animals in their last days. I will truly miss her compassion and sweet smile. I’ve never met another vet that came close to her in her love for our pets. This is such a devastating loss for all that knew her.
She will be truly missed. Her attention to our cats and her compassion when it was time for us to say goodbye to one of our furry family was unique. We and our cats will miss her on so many levels. I feel privileged to have know her.
So sorry to hear this…we’be had her as our cat doctor for years! What a wonderful lady she was…blessings and peace to all who are experiencing her loss.
My heart breaks to think of dear Tracy passing so young. She truly made a difference in so many human and furry friends lives. I’m so sad for her family, friends, co-workers and those who never had the privilege to meet her. We lost an angel on earth.
Dr Tracey held me in her arms as two of my kitties (Booboo and Bluebell) passed in the most wonderful way….. with grace…. dignity…. peace and the love. She loved my Phinney even though he was a stinker when he had to be examined. She called him “handsome boy” as he was giving her the evil eye.
She is now surrounded by God and a hecka lotta kitties.
She will be missed. She has taken care of my kitties; Even gave one acupuncture treatments. My prayers are with the family, the staff, and all who knew her.
Dr. Tracy,
You were with people at the worst times of their lives (saying goodbye to family), making everything peaceful for them and their loved ones.
For my wife and I, I will never forget you measuring my lil kittens face with your hand and saying “oh yes, absolutely a Siamese, look at that perfect face!” And being so kind and patient to our our big fluffy boy when it was his first visit and he was terrified to come out of his crate. You put him at ease and he LOVED you!! Thank you for educating isn’t two “kids” that didn’t know what they were doing, but wanted to get it right. We love you, and so do Dovahkiin and Nuka.
You are one of the most amazing humans I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. <3
See you soon.
Please have Richard or the kids contact me when they are able. I have videos of Tracy keroke singing and dressed up a raisin at one of my parties in Green Valley.
Tracy was the best.
This makes me so sad. Tracy gave my cat 5 extra years of life. This lady even met me on Christmas morning at her office. My Libby lived to be 20 years old and when it came time to say goodbye Dr. Tracy McFarland came to my home to make the process less stressful. RIP Tracy. You will be greatly missed.
So so verysad! The most fair, compassionate, thoughtful vet ever. Kind and caring is what The Cat Doctor and Friends is know for …. carry on in her memory.!!!
Michelle Kluth
Dr. Tracy was my vet for about 30 years!! She never once charged me for euthanasia when it became necessary for my 4 legged kids to cross over the Rainbow ???? bridge?! So impressive and professional!! I am heartbroken ????….
I live in Downey, 50 miles from Santa Clarita, and started bringing my cats to Dr. Tracy in 2006. Whenever I mention that my cats’ vet is in Santa Clarita, people will ask why I take them to one so far away. My answer is always that she is the greatest vet in the world. She was the perfect and unique combination of knowledge and compassion. In February of this year I came home from work later than usual one evening to find my diabetic cat showing signs of severe low blood sugar. I offered her food and gave her some honey but it didn’t seem to help. I texted Dr. Tracy and was surprised when she called me almost immediately (this was on Friday night after 8 p.m.) She talked me through the next hours of force-feeding my kitty honey and then cat food mixed with honey, until Dharma revived enough that it was evident she wasn’t going to die right away. I took Dharma to see Dr. Tracy the next day and she was kept in the hospital until Monday, when she was so ill that we decided to let her go. Knowing that I live so far away, Dr. Tracy met me at the clinic at 10:30 Monday night so I could avoid the heavy traffic and say goodbye to Dharma. What kind of vet does that? The greatest vet in the world. Goodbye, Dr. Tracy, and thank you so much for all you did for Dharma (and me) over the years.
I just love reading these comments about Tracy. What she did for me and the Joyner Cats was remarkable.
But, what is even more phenomenal is she did so much for every one! I always suspected as much, but couldn’t figure out how she could possibly be able to be so compassionate and caring to every single one of her furry and non-furry patients. One of the most incredible people I have ever met.
I know she is in Heaven with the Lord Jesus and so many kitties; however, the world is darker without her
bright light shining and taking care of all of us.
What a great loss of such a wonderful person. I had the privilege of being one of Tracy’s many patients for sixteen years. When I first met her I had ten cats, two original, another cat who had kittens under my house I couldn’t find homes for who eventually moved in. Brought them from the valley when we moved to Santa Clarita. Tracy took care of them from the beginning until they decided it was time to go. She would come to my house so they would have a peaceful ending, all ten. She later made a special room for her clients and their fur babies so they could have a special goodbye. I used that room many times after it was built with Tracy sitting next to me being her usual self, warm and caring. What a wonderful women who died way to young.
Dr. McFarland was one of my favorite clients. I was one of her clinical pathologists who read out the cytology samples she would send in to the laboratory. I just read about her death in the Journal of the Veterinary Medical Association today, and it was difficult to accept. She would routinely call me to talk about the various cases she’d submit, and we often shared personal stories. She said if I was ever flying by Santa Clarita to come in and say hi. I am sorry for her family and the community’s loss of this amazing woman and brilliant clinician.
I was at the Cat Doctor today for the first time in a year. I found out from the receptionist that she passed. I am shocked! I am very upset that she was taken from us so early. I knew her since I was a kid, when I would come with my mom to have her see our kitties. When I grew up and wanted my own, she was my reference for adoption. When my mom died she was so supportive and she always let me text her about my cats instead of going through the business. She was INCREDIBLE and she was special to me and all my cats. What bonded us was a deep love of cats and the shared experience of losing our moms at a young age. She also really loved my mom… I am so sad about this. We should have had years more with her. Cancer killed my mom too young as well. When are we going to stop losing so many great people to it??