about neutering of cat?

[Iggette]

My mother in law(sorta...lol) is on old age pension. A lady came and dropped a kitten off in front of her home ( she lives in home for elderly) the lady said she found the mother there and it had its kittens she kept one and this one was left and she couldnt keep it so she left it there

My MIL wants to give kitty a home and called the closest vet to ask to have it fixed (she heres me rant all the time about ppl who don't fix their animals) when she inquiered they said

$80.00 for shots and $260 for fixin

I thought this to be a little overboard I didnt pay that much but that was 3 years ago........has it gone up that much????????

$340.00 to save a kitty seems a little outrageous on her pension she may have to bring it to a shelter instead........

Any suggestions or comments?

[Spoiled]

I don't know about where you live, but where I live, the price for neutering a dog is about $150.

Is the cat a female, or male? How old is the cat? If its a female and an older kitten, is it in heat?

Those things can affect the price.

[Karin]

That is way to much! The bottom line cost to a vet for a feline neuter is under $10! I know a vet is not a nonprofit organization but that is seriuosly too high. Most counties in Florida have a low cost spay/neuter program. Where I live we have a county sponsored "Neuter Commuter", a large Motor Home bus converted into a traveling clinic. It is equipted with four surgery rooms. The cost of a spay or neuter, canine & feline with Rabies vax and micro chip is $25. This bus travels 3 days of the week to different sections of our county.
The University of Florida Vet College has a program called "Operation Catnip". It will spay/neuter ferals & strays for free and adopted cats for $20.(FELV/FIV testing included) There is a waiting list however. This is how many vet students get experience..
Do you have any such programs up north?

[Spoiled]

The bottom line cost to a vet for a feline neuter is under $10!

Thats sure inexpensive. Just be lucky you have that. It costs more than 100 dollars (at least) to have a cat fixed here. For vet checks and other vet stuff at least $25 dollars a visit. Even just to get a certificate of good health, with almost nothing involved! I guess they make their millions here.

[Iggette]

Spoiled:
Not sure about m/f or if its in heat I didnt think to ask I was just shocked at the price.

Karin:
That sounds awesome I'm not sure if we have it up here but wouldn't know where to start I'm going to call my vet tommorrow and ask what they will charge and maybe search the net for something like what you speak of and WOW $10.00 cost that just amazes me

[Spoiled]

Almost worth driving to Florida!

[Karin]

I live in a RV resort. A few years ago we were over run with feral cats from a neighboring horse farm and at the time I was working for a vet. (The evil one..lol) The county was so bogged down it would have taken months to trap them all if left up to them. We had a major kitten explosion! I had 3 traps set at all times. The females we ferried to the shelter, the males I neutered on the picnic table and turned loose. It takes less than 1 minute to neuter a male cat. It is a very easy safe procedure.

Office visits to a vet do run $25 to $27 in my area. South Florida the price goes up...but so does everything there.

[Spoiled]

It takes less than 1 minute to neuter a male cat. It is a very easy safe procedure.

OK, now that makes me ticked off. They charge $100 or more to do a job that takes less than one minute? GRrrrrr

[Chany]

Uh, I just gotta ask, How in the heck did you get them to stay still on a picnic table?? Or did you band them??

[Lucky Rescue]

Iggette, is this in Toronto? This price is OUTRAGEOUS. I suggest you call around to vets outside the the city and get a better price.

If this cat is male, the surgery is so simple that even a lousy vet can't mess it up.

I'm going to check with some people I know in ON and see where they go.

[Karin]

Originally posted by Chany
Uh, I just gotta ask, How in the heck did you get them to stay still on a picnic table?? Or did you band them??

I brought the supplies home. The good ol "kitty cocktail" Ketamine/rompun IV or IM if unruley. They all had anthesthia and slept it off in crates.

I would never attempt a "boot neuter"with out it. lmao!

Have you ever seen a cat tornado? Not for me! Drugs do the body good in this case!

[Karin]

Originally posted by Iggette
Spoiled:
Not sure about m/f or if its in heat I didnt think to ask I was just shocked at the price.

Karin:
That sounds awesome I'm not sure if we have it up here but wouldn't know where to start I'm going to call my vet tommorrow and ask what they will charge and maybe search the net for something like what you speak of and WOW $10.00 cost that just amazes me

Btw, the less than $10 figure is cost to the vet. Drugs, vet license, recovery etc. It is a no brainer Sx and most techs do the Sx, not the vet. Feline neuters are gravy money for any practice.

I once did 16 neuters in 15 minutes at a HS shelter I worked at. Of course with help....I did lose one..our canine supervisor..HE fainted and hit the floor grabbing his ........

..oh, nevermind. *still laughing over that one.

[Iggette]

OK I talked to her and it's a female .....she just finished being in heat

She lives in Stouffville, but she will bring the cat up here or I could bring it anywhere ( toronto scarborough?).

This place she went to "Town and Country" is just outrageous luckily she cancelled the appt she had yesterday and is awaiting my call today as to what she should do. So I guess I have a mission.

Thanks for all your input here I really want to help her out before there is another litter to be

[Karin]

Good luck! You should be able to find a better price even for a spay.

Most vets I know will spay a cat even in heat or just after being bred.

There is a saying..a female cat that has not been spayed is either in heat or pregnant. Cats do not cycle like canines.

[woodbyter]

This is one of my "pet peeves" PUN INTENDED. I can remember further back than most of you ('cause I'm older) and in the 40's a vet was still a college graduate with a medical degree in Vet Science however their services were more in line with what we would expect to pay and hope to pay today. Over the last 50 years pets have become more a member of the family and the Vet Dr.'s (having a streak of greed in them,) have discovered that as we become more identifiable with our pets and consider them an interegal part of our extended family we will pay more to keep them healthy and they( the vets)want their slice of the pie. The vet we use (simply because there isn't another one within easy driving distance) charges extra for each service he provides during surgery. For example if you are going to have a bladderr stone removal surgery the surgery will run about $500.00 then there is an extra charge to hook up monitoring equipment such as blood gases- heart monitoring, etc. As each service is added the cost escalates by $50.75.00. The pitch goes like this. "The surgery is $500,00 but then if you want to give (insert name of pet) a better chance we can do this and that (insert services and costs). You do want your friend to get the best possible care don't you? Well without these extra services ( insert name of pet) could die from conditions we aren't monitoring. So much for quality care and the animla's best interest at heart. Many vets look on the care of the injuried or sick pet as simply a money making venture. The quality of their care of your pet simply hinges on how much they can soak you for. I can remember when you took your pet in for a procedure and the vet did their best to give your pet the best service and care. I know costs have escalted for vets too but they are masters at playing the heart strings of the grieving or anxious pet owner and soaking the owners(us) at a weak moment.
No wonder people feel their vets are no better than used car salemen.

[woodbyter]

I do not wish to cast all used car salemen as snakes in the grass and opportunity seeking - dollar oriented sharks and thus paint all vets with the same brush. There are some dedicated vets and a few good used car salesmen so lest I get flamed for being totally negative to an American Institution ( car sales men and free enterprise) I will post my appology in advance and you may still reserve the right to kick and flail as you see fit. I am a tough old buzzard anyway...LOL