How Much Should It Cost To Spay Or Neuter A Cat?
Bob Barker's been off the air for a long time now, but his closing advice from "The Price is Right" remains prudent today: It's a good idea to spay or neuter your pets. Besides helping to keep the pet population under control, spaying or neutering can bring health benefits, too, as dogs and cats are less susceptible to certain infections and cancers when fixed at an early enough age. For cats, fixing can help curb their desire to roam around, which helps them avoid fights, cars, and other potential accidents.
Nevertheless, there's a stubborn perception among some pet owners and animal lovers alike that spaying or neutering is cruel, unnatural, and unnecessary. And if that's not a reason for hesitating to fix one's cat, the price tag may be. Pets can be expensive (though cats tend to be more affordable than dogs), and the cost of spaying or neutering varies considerably. Price ranges start at around ~$75, depending on where you take your cat (i.e., a nonprofit or private clinic) and how old it is.
It comes down to where and when you fix your cat
As said, the two biggest factors affecting the cost of spaying or neutering your cat will be where you have it done and the age of the cat. Nonprofit organizations and state voucher programs will be much cheaper than private veterinary clinics or private animal hospitals. Animal shelters may even provide the service for free.
For comparison, it costs $80 to spay or neuter a cat at the Sacramento SPCA, which offers program discounts of 20% and 50%. Meanwhile, at the Humane Society of Greater Miami, the regular cost of a spay or neuter is $75, with additional costs added if the cat requires any specific care. At a private pet hospital or clinic, typical costs average $250 for a cat neuter and $335 for a cat spay.
Where you're physically located in the U.S. is also a factor. The Midwest tends to be cheaper than either coast. And a final variable in the cost of fixing your cat is its age. It's generally recommended, assuming your cat is healthy, to have it fixed at around 6 months old. Older cats can still be spayed and neutered, but if they're over 6 months, the cost of the procedure generally goes up. For example, at the private pet hospital mentioned above, the cost for a cat under 6 months old is about $50 less.
Most pet insurance won't cover fixing your cat
While you might expect your pet insurance policy to help you cover some, if not all, of the expense of spaying or neutering your cat, unfortunately, most providers don't. (In fact, pet insurance is one of the top things insurance companies don't want to cover anymore.) Even though spaying/neutering is highly recommended and conveys real health benefits, the procedures are classified as elective, and, therefore, not something insurance will pay for.
Some insurance companies will offer as an add-on a pet wellness plan, which will help cover fixing your cat and other routine and preventative care. Yet, these add-ons can drive up the cost of your pet insurance (is it worth it?); what's more, it is very difficult to get a wellness plan separate from your pet's regular coverage. If fixing your cat is the only reason you're looking for additional coverage, it may be best in the long run to simply eat the full cost yourself.