How Much Does It Cost To Take A Stray Cat To The Vet?

Feral cats invoke mixed feelings in society. While some people despise seeing a stray cat in their backyards, others pity the poor, unhealthy cat.

Taking care of the feral cat is the humane thing to do for any individual. Whenever someone finds a stray cat, it is imperative to accompany it to a veterinarian clinic in the locality and get it checked.

The first thing one should do is to search for a microchip in the body of the feline. The microchip company will contact the owners to let them know that they have found their cat.

If the veterinarian does not find it, then the finder has to provide the means to conduct various medical checks for the cat.

There is a directive to euthanize the stray cat humanely in the absence of a caretaker. When one takes a feral cat to the clinic, one needs to do various tests or operations. We are going to provide a clear idea of the costs associated with this process.

How much does it take to take a stray cat to the vet?

The total expense of taking a stray cat to the vet mainly depends on two factors. Firstly, the location and type of veterinarian clinic control the price to a large extent.

Secondly, the expense can also vary depending on the condition of the feral cat. If the stray cat needs rigorous care, the cost will only increase.

A regular veterinarian clinic should charge between $40 to $50. However, a few shots or proper medication can shell out as much as $200 from your pocket.

What are the factors that might impact the cost?

It is difficult to give the exact number one has to spend at the veterinarian clinic to take care of a stray cat. But we can point out some of the factors which can impact the expense at the clinic:

  • Presence of trauma
  • Neutering/Spaying
  • Mite infestation in ear
  • Parasite
  • Contagious diseases
  • Flea problems

Presence of trauma:

Stray cats often develop foul wounds from cat fights or small accidents. If one takes a cat with an open would to the clinic, there will be expenses associated with the antibiotics, wound dressing, x-ray, and pain meds.

Generally, veterinarians call these wounds a wound of unknown origin, and it needs special care at the veterinarian clinic.

Neutering/Spaying:

Neutering a cat is mandatory for any stray cat when one takes it to a veterinary clinic. One can recognize a spayed stray cat by a cut on top of the ear.

Neutering a cat reduces the chance of them getting involved in fights with other cats in the neighborhood.

Neutering a stray cat can prevent them from getting unwanted wounds, FIV (Feline HIV), and other contagious diseases. Therefore, this process has to be done at the clinic no matter what.

Mite Infestation in Ear:

Stray cats often develop mite infestation in their ears due to constant negligence. Cats have a high tolerance for pain and discomfort.

As a result, one might not even realize that a stray cat has mite problems. One should take a feral cat to the clinic for a checkup as soon as one gets hold of it.

Cats do not show any sign of irritation even if the ear is crawling with mites. It could be weeks or months before someone realizes that the cat has parasites in its ears.

Parasite:

One of the crucial medical evaluations that vets perform is checking for parasites in the body. A regular looking cat with no apparent symptoms can have roundworms, and one cannot detect the infestation without the help of a veterinarian.

If one takes the cat to a home without consulting a vet, the cat can develop grave symptoms that could lead to death.

Contagious Diseases:

Bringing a stray cat with spreading diseases should be one of the prime concerns of a multi-cat owner. One should check if the cat has any infectious diseases in them.

There can be a plethora of illnesses that could lay dormant in a cat. These contagious diseases include upper respiratory infection, feline herpes, feline leukemia, FIV, and many more.

Running tests for each test can become a hefty sum for any individual.

Flea Problems:

One could infest other pets in the household by bringing a stray cat having flea problems. Most of the pet owners do not know how to detect the presence of fleas on a feline coat.

So, it is necessary to take the feral cat to a clinic and check for any such problem.

What should you do after you take the stray cat out from the vet?

If there is no microchip found anywhere in the cat’s body, one needs to find the stray cat’s home. One easy way to do is printing a clear image of the stray cat and posting it around the place where the individual found it.

Unlike dogs, who like to travel far from the house, cats prefer to stay close. If the cat was a runaway, this method should help one find the real owner.

But there is a possibility that the cat was never a house cat. In that case, one can leave the cat when found it or take it to the house and start taking care of it.

Buying cat food and disposable litter boxes should be enough for keeping the cat until it finds a forever home. Ask your acquaintances if they want to adopt the feline and start a rehoming procedure.

Stray cats generally have a short life span, and often the life is full of wounds, parasite infestations, and fights.

If an individual sees a cat in the neighborhood regularly, one should capture it with a humane trap and take it to the nearest veterinary clinic.

One should provide for all the costs associated with the cat checkup and adopt a feline friend if possible.


References & Citations:

1) https://www.petful.com/pet-health/should-i-bring-stray-cat-to-veterinarian/

2) http://strayhavenrescue.org/so-you-found-a-cat/

3) https://rehome.adoptapet.com/answers/cat-rehoming/can-i-take-a-stray-cat-to-the-vet

4) https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/caring-feral-cats-healthcare-costs-and-things-consider

 

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