Neutering a cat is one of the few veterinary bills you can plan for months ahead — and one of the easiest to overpay on. Across 2,600 UK practices publishing a cat castration price and 2,554 publishing a cat spay price, the same routine operation ranges from about £30 to over £360.
Cat neutering costs, September 2026
- • Castration (male cat): median £104 — typical range £93–£120, full range £30–£366 (n=2,600)
- • Spay (female cat): median £149 — typical range £130–£169, full range £55–£465 (n=2,554)
- • Cheapest quarter of practices: castration under £92, spay under £129
- • Most expensive quarter: castration over £115, spay over £165
Source: vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk index of published UK practice prices. Snapshot 1 September 2026.
How much does it cost to neuter a cat?
At a typical UK practice in 2026, expect £104 to castrate a male cat and £149 to spay a female. The middle half of the market sits in a fairly tight band — £93–£120 and £130–£169 — which makes cat neutering more predictable than dog neutering, where the equivalent spread is over £60 wide.
The tail matters though. The most expensive quarter of practices charge more than £165 to spay, and the top few charge well over £250. Since there is no clinical reason for a routine cat spay to cost twice the national median, that is money you can simply choose not to spend.
Why the female operation costs more
Castrating a male cat is a short external procedure that takes a few minutes; spaying a female is abdominal surgery with a longer anaesthetic and a longer recovery. The £44 median difference is essentially theatre and monitoring time.
Prices rise if your cat is pregnant, in season, or already has an infection — a pregnant spay typically adds £40–£90. Older cats are sometimes required to have pre-anaesthetic bloods, which adds £45–£70.
Cat neutering cost by vet group
| Group | Castration | Spay | Practices sampled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medivet | £96.00 | £133.00 | 326 |
| Independent practices | £96.00 | £135.00 | 788 |
| Pets at Home / Vets4Pets | £100.00 | £140.50 | 365 |
| VetPartners | £105.00 | £150.00 | 257 |
| CVS Group | £108.00 | £158.00 | 343 |
| IVC Evidensia | £126.00 | £177.00 | 366 |
Independents and Medivet are the cheapest cohorts; IVC Evidensia is £35 dearer than Medivet for the same spay. Our Corporate Pricing League Table ranks all seven cohorts across every routine service.
Regional variation
Cat spay medians by county, from practices publishing a price:
| County | Median cat spay |
|---|---|
| Berkshire | £165.00 |
| London | £161.00 |
| Surrey | £160.00 |
| Hampshire | £156.00 |
| North Yorkshire | £154.00 |
| Devon | £151.75 |
| Kent | £149.00 |
| West Yorkshire | £145.00 |
| West Midlands | £142.00 |
| Essex | £130.00 |
| Nottinghamshire | £130.00 |
| Lincolnshire | £124.50 |
A £52 swing between London and Lincolnshire. Browse your own area on the county pricing map.
Getting it cheaper — charity neutering schemes
Cat neutering is exceptionally well supported by UK charities, and most owners don't realise how widely available help is:
- Cats Protection runs neutering vouchers nationwide, often covering most of the cost, with wider eligibility than people expect.
- PDSA provides low-cost neutering if you receive certain means-tested benefits and live in a qualifying postcode.
- RSPCA and Blue Cross operate regional schemes, and many local rescues run their own campaigns.
- Some councils fund targeted neutering drives in areas with high stray populations.
Even without a scheme, the difference between the cheapest and dearest practice within a ten-mile radius is usually £40–£70 — worth two phone calls. Search your postcode on our homepage to see published prices nearby.
Pedigree cats and higher-risk breeds
Some breeds attract a surcharge because of anaesthetic risk or size. Flat-faced breeds in particular need extra airway monitoring, and many practices add £30–£80 for a brachycephalic cat. Our cat breed guides cover the specific health and cost profile for each breed — see the Persian and British Shorthair guides for examples of how breed affects routine vet costs.
How much does it cost to spay a cat?
Spaying a female cat has a median published price of £149 across the 2,554 UK practices in our index that publish one. Half charge between £130 and £169. Castrating a male cat is roughly £45 cheaper at £104, because a castration is a short external procedure while a spay is abdominal surgery under a longer anaesthetic.
Prices barely move with the cat's weight — unlike dogs, almost no UK practice bands cat neutering by size. What does move the price is the group you are registered with and, to a lesser degree, where you live. Charity routes matter here too: Cats Protection neutering vouchers can cut the cost to a £5–£30 contribution for eligible owners, and eligibility is wider than most people assume.
If you are budgeting for a new kitten, neutering usually follows the primary vaccination course by a month or two, so it is worth pricing both at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to spay a cat in the UK?
The median published price is £149, with half of practices charging between £130 and £169. Castrating a male cat has a median price of £104.
At what age should a cat be neutered?
UK guidance is around four months, before cats become sexually mature. Cats Protection actively recommends neutering by four months to prevent unplanned litters.
Is cat neutering covered by insurance?
No. It's an elective procedure, so pet insurance excludes it. Practice health plans sometimes offer a discount.
Can I get free cat neutering?
Often, yes. Cats Protection vouchers, PDSA support and RSPCA schemes cover most or all of the cost for eligible owners, and eligibility is broader than many people assume.
Which vet group is cheapest for cat neutering?
On our data, Medivet (£96 castration / £133 spay) and independent practices (£96 / £135) are the cheapest cohorts. IVC Evidensia is the most expensive at £126 / £177.
Does a cat need to stay overnight?
Almost never for a routine neuter. Cats are usually admitted in the morning and collected the same afternoon.
Methodology: figures calculated from published prices for 2,600 UK practices (cat castration) and 2,554 practices (cat spay) indexed on vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk. Implausible outliers are excluded. County medians are drawn from counties with sufficient published prices. Snapshot 1 September 2026.