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Most of us choose to neuter our cats. Cats Protection estimates that 85% of cats in the UK are neutered, but that still leaves 1.4 million who haven’t had this safe procedure that can help prevent unwanted kittens in females and roaming and fighting in males.
In January 2025, we checked the price of neutering and spaying cats at 76 vets around the UK.
If you’re reluctant to spay or neuter your cat because you’re worried about costs, our research will give you some idea of how much you can expect to pay to neuter your cat where you live.
It might actually be a lot less than you think.
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What's cat neutering?
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Neutering is a very straightforward operation that prevents cats from breeding. The procedure is different for male cats and female cats.
A male cat is neutered by having their testicles removed while under a general anaesthetic in a process called castration. It’s a very quick procedure and recovery is normally rapid and straightforward too.
Female cats are neutered with a procedure known as spaying. The traditional method is ‘ovario-hysterectomy’, which involves removing both the ovaries and the uterus.
It’s a little bit more of an ordeal for a female cat to be spayed than a male cat to be castrated, but recovery is generally still very straightforward. It’s far less risky than becoming pregnant and giving birth to kittens.
Both male and female cats will be able to go home the same day when they’re neutered and will be given some pain relief, either with injections at the vet, tablets to take home, or both.
We found that the average cost in Great Britain to neuter a cat was £126.33 – a 7% price increase over the last year. But what our research really showed was an enormous variation in cost from vet to vet.
The price you actually pay will depend on:
Your cat’s gender
The area you live in
Your chosen vet practice
The type of procedure
It’s more expensive to neuter female cats
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The one thing that makes the biggest difference in neutering costs is your cat’s gender.
It’s 44% more expensive to spay a female cat than to neuter a male. It’s because the surgery is more intrusive for a female, takes longer and more aftercare is needed.
The nationwide average cost to neuter (castrate) a male cat is £103.82.
The average cost of spaying a female cat is £148.83.
| Neuter male cat | Spay female cat | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest | £70 | £85 |
| Average | £103.82 | £148.83 |
| Highest | £250 | £350 |
The very cheapest cat castration cost we found was just £70. Two vets at opposite ends of the country quoted this price – one in Glasgow and the other in Essex. The most expensive was £250 in London.
The cheapest cost we found of spaying a female cat was £85 at vets in South Wales and Cornwall. The most expensive was £350 at the same London vet offering the most costly castrations.
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How much does neutering cost around the UK?
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Where you live in the UK can make a huge difference to how much you’ll pay to have your cat neutered.
The areas in the UK with the highest cost of living tend to also be the areas with the highest neutering costs as veterinary care is more costly in these areas.
That means that cat owners in London pay the most for neutering, while pet parents in the Central region and Wales pay the least.
| Castrate male cat | Spay female cat | |
|---|---|---|
| London | £128.84 | £174.72 |
| South East | £101.10 | £140.91 |
| South West | £98.72 | £148.89 |
| Central Region | £93.91 | £139.08 |
| North | £101.10 | £141.33 |
| Scotland | £104.53 | £162.99 |
| Wales | £100.15 | £136.91 |
Unsurprisingly, London, where the cost of living is highest, has the highest average cost for neutering both male and female cats. The average cost to castrate a male cat in the capital is £128.84 while spaying a female is £174.72.
The Central Region is the cheapest place to have male cats neutered, with an average cost of £93.91. Wales is the cheapest for female cats, at £136.91.
In last year’s survey, London was the only area where the average cat castration cost was over £100. In 2025, it’s over £100 in all but two regions.
Types of cat neutering: flank spay versus midline spay
The other factor that affects the cost of neutering is the type of procedure you go for. As our research shows, it'll cost significantly more to spay a female cat than to castrate a male, but did you know there are different types of spaying procedures available too?
Some vets offer a midline spay, where the incision is made straight across the cat's tummy. Others offer a flank spay, where they cut open the cat's side.
Most vets favour just one procedure or the other and that's the price you pay, but a few will give you a choice and will have a different price for each.
Where vets do quote prices for both, you can expect to pay around £30-50 more for a midline spay.
The jury's still out on which approach is better for your cat, but the most recent research suggests flak spays have faster healing and fewer complications.
What does the cost of neutering a cat include?
If you’re checking prices at vets near you to find the best neutering costs, make sure you compare like-for-like.
Double-check with the vet whether the quoted price includes pre and post-operative check-ups. Most do, but if they’re charged separately they can add around £60 per visit, significantly increasing the cost.
You should also ask whether the cost of pain relief and a cone is included. Again, it usually is, but if it’s extra it can add quite a lot to the neutering price you see on a vet’s website.
But the thing we found really striking about the neutering costs for cats was just how low they actually are. At about £100 for males and £150 for females, it’s tremendously good value for a surgical procedure and well worth considering if you don’t plan on becoming a grand-pet parent to kittens.
The benefits of neutering your cat
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There are plenty of good reasons to neuter your cat.
For males, these are:
Removes risk of testicular cancer
Lowers risk of prostate cancer
Reduces ‘spraying’, clawing and urine marking
Less risk of roaming in search of a mate and getting lost
Reduces risk of injury from fighting
Removes the risk of unwanted kittens, ferals and strays
The positives of neutering spaying a female cat are:
It prevents unwanted and phantom pregnancies
Removes the risk of womb infections known as pyometra
It reduces the risk of mammary cancer
It prevents ovarian tumours
You won’t have to confine her indoors several times a year while in heat
Avoids spraying and yowling while in heat
Reduces the risk of roaming in search of a mate
What age should a cat be neutered?
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If you don’t want kittens, you should have both female and male cats neutered before the age of four months.
It’s perfectly safe to neuter them when they’re older, but as female cats can be sexually mature from four months and males from six months you run the risk of an accidental pregnancy.
That also goes for indoor cats – when they’re in season cats are skilled escape artists!
Does pet insurance cover neutering?
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Pet insurance doesn't cover routine or preventative procedures like neutering.
You need to budget for preventative costs like neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and flea and worm treatment when you decide a cat will be joining your family.
If your cat’s unfortunate enough to suffer complications during their routine neuter, ManyPets cat insurance can cover the cost of the vet care needed to treat them.
Help with cat neutering costs
Unwanted, feral and accidental litters of kittens can be a huge strain on animal welfare organisations and tend to have short, miserable lives. Because of this, these organisations often run schemes to encourage neutering and to help with the costs if you’re on a low income or benefits.
Cats Protection runs a means-tested neutering scheme. You can call their dedicated helpline on 03000 12 12 12 to find out if you’re eligible. If you are, you’ll get a voucher for free or reduced-cost neutering. PDSA hospitals also offer neutering free or at reduced cost for cat owners on certain benefits.
If you don’t qualify for either of those schemes, check offers with your vet. Some have pet health plans where you pay a monthly fee in return for a discount on vet bills. Some routine healthcare, like vaccinations or neutering, might also be included or discounted.
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