How Much Does It Cost to Spay or Neuter a Cat?

During the first year after you take your kitten home, you will see your veterinarian many times.

When you take your kitten to the pet hospital for vaccines, you must have met other cat owners taking their cats to do the spaying or neutering surgery. Or your veterinarian should have reminded you to spay or neuter your cat after 5 months old.

Why are over 80% of cat owners choosing to spay or neuter their cats? Is it good for cat’s health? Is it worth the money?

Let’s know about this surgery and the truth behind it.

What is spaying and neutering?

Spaying and neutering mean permanently sterilizing your cat. This surgery is designed to prevent unwanted pregnancies and homeliness.

For female cats, spaying is medically called ovariohysterectomy. During the spaying surgery, your vet will remove both the ovaries and uterus.

For male cats, this surgery is to remove the testicles. As they are not in the peritoneal cavity, the surgery is simpler than that for female cats.

Why Is It Important to Spay and Neuter Cats?

You must have met stray animals. They live on the road and do not belong anywhere.

Could you imagine there are how many street cats in the world? It’s incredible. 

According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), about 742 domesticated pets are surrendered or found homeless every hour. It adds up to 6.5 million a year.

Cats breed quickly. And strays in your neighborhood can quickly cause unwanted pregnancies.

However, you can’t snigger. Your domesticated cats are not exempt. They may get pregnant when going out for several minutes. You can’t guarantee it unless you fix them all day.

If you keep several cats at the same time, that’s worse.

How much does it cost to spay or neuter your cat?  

The cost of spaying or neutering your kitten varies with your cat’s age, where you live, and the condition of your cat. In most cases, the price of sterilizing your cats ranges between $250 to $2000.

For example, if you get your cat spayed or neutered before the maturation, the surgery would be easier, so the price is lower than spaying or neutering your cat when she or he is an adult.

The cost includes:

Pre-operative examination: Before the operation, your cat has to do a routine check-up to check its health condition. Only when your cat is in good health can she or he go under anesthesia.

Extras: If there is anything wrong with the pre-operative examination, your cat needs to do additional examinations to make sure the surgery goes well.

Anesthesia: It is the beginning of the operation. The amount of anesthesia varies with the weight of your kitten. The bigger your cat is, the more anesthesia will need, and the price will be higher.

Catheter: This is to prevent your cat from polluting the operating table if your cat urinates during the surgery.

Surgery: As mentioned yet, spaying a cat is more complex than neutering. The former usually lasts 15 to 25 minutes, while the latter 2 to 15 minutes.

Recovery: After the operation, your cat will stay with a nurse until she or he is fully awake. Then vets will check whether everything goes well with your cat.

Before going back home, you will be sent with a bag of medications to help your cat get well.

The vet will require your cat to wear the collar (the cone of shame). This is designed to prevent your kitten from licking or agitating their incisions to avoid infections. Once your cat opens up their stitches, go to the vet hospital immediately.

Last but not least, after the surgery, you have to keep the litter box clean for your kitten. Infections might lead to pain and even death. Please clean and scoop the litter box twice a day and pour clumps into the litter genie.

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