Programs to Help People Afford Cat Shots & Fixing

According to the U.S. Humane Society, about 93.6 million cats live in households across the country. Adopting a cat means committing yourself to caring for it properly over its lifetime. This means regular veterinary care, including vaccinations, as well as spaying and neutering to control cat overpopulation. Sometimes, however, people experience financial difficulties and need assistance paying for necessary veterinary care for their cats.

  1. SPAY/USA

    • Sponsored by North Shore Animal League America, SPAY/USA is nationwide network of veterinarians and volunteers that helps people connect with low-cost spay and neuter programs. There are 1,000 of these programs available across the U.S. If there are no SPAY/USA programs available in a given region, then SPAY/USA helps volunteers get a new one off the ground. To get a referral to a low cost program in your area, go to the SPAY/USA website and click on the link for your state. If your state is not listed, then fill out the online registration form.

    American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

    • ASPCA maintains an online database into which you can input your zip code in order to find free and low-cost spay and neuter programs in or near your region. The ASPCA also operates a mobile spay and neuter clinic for low-income cat owners on public assistance who live in one of the five boroughs of New York City. The mobile clinic provides not only spay and neuter services but also rabies and distemper vaccinations.

    Friends of Animals

    • Based in New York State, Friends of Animals is a nonprofit, animal-advocacy organization. Cat owners may, at low cost, purchase a certificate online from Friends of Animals which will allow their cat to undergo spaying or neutering at a participating animal hospital or clinic. These certificates will not be valid if you intend to have your cat declawed. Type your zip code into the online form, and information about Friends of Animals-affiliated facilities in your region will be emailed to you.

    Alley Cat Allies

    • Focusing on outdoor and feral cats, Alley Cat Allies runs a program called Every Kitty, Every City, This program works to educate people on how to care for colonies of feral cats, including trapping the cats, taking them to a veterinarian or clinic to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated, and then returned to their colony to live safely without contributing to disease or to cat overpopulation. Every Kitty, Every City also brings veterinarians on board to provide low -cost care for feral cats.