Important updates for 2026

Due to the continued increase in costs for products and services across the country, we've had to increase pricing for appointments as of January 1, 2026. As a registered 501(c)3 organization, we work hard to offer the lowest costs possible to owners, caretakers and rescue groups, but we must ensure the expenses associated with running the program are also covered.

Additionally, changes to the program have been made to simplify scheduling and management of appointments since we do not have a dedicated staff member to manage administrative tasks. These include:

  1. Appointment dates will be split out by surgery type - TNR vs. standard surgeries. TNR cats all receive a mandatory ear tip. If you do not want your cat ear tipped, please schedule using the standard surgery appointment option.

  2. All appointments must be paid in full at time of scheduling. Unfortunately, we have lost quite a bit of money due to our inability to easily invoice and follow up after appointments, so we must require payment in full at the time you schedule the appointment. We have removed the online payment fee since we've incorporated our costs to accept online payments into the costs of the services we offer.

All cats coming for surgery receive the following care:

  • Brief exam

  • Low dose of pre-surgery injectable anesthesia, with inhaled anesthesia and oxygen administered during surgery

  • Pulse oximeter monitoring during surgery

  • Green line tattoo (small, visual indication under the fur that confirms the cat is sterilized)

  • Pain medication - lasts several days

  • Post-op monitoring and recovery

  • Nail trim (except for TNR appointments)

  • No e-collar - our veterinary is very experienced with sterilization procedures so incisions on routine spays and neuters are very small, which minimizes internal and external tissue trauma. As a result, an e-collar (which can cause stress for the cat) is not needed.

Cat Spays

Many veterinarians and clinics charge additional fees for cats that are in heat or pregnant, and many will not spay a pregnant cat at all. Because we understand the importance of spaying feral, community and owned cats to prevent more kittens from being born, we do not charge any additional fees for these situations. WE WILL ALWAYS MAKE ROOM FOR A PREGNANT CAT WHO NEEDS TO BE SPAYED. If you do not see available appointments, please email us at felinefixmissouri@gmail.com and we will open a spot for you during our next appointment.

Cat Neuters

The additional fee for cats who require cryptorchid surgery for an undescended testicle(s) is a modest $30. Many veterinary clinics charge significantly more for cryptorchid neuters. 

TNR Packages and Care

ALL cats scheduled for TNR services must be at least three pounds. If the cat is under three pounds we will be unable to perform surgery.

When a cat comes for TNR services, it's usually the only opportunity s/he has to receive veterinary care. Because of this, we go out of our way to ensure they leave the clinic with the best chance for a healthy, happy life. We do not charge extra for many of the services we provide to these cats, including:

  • Ear mites/infections - we clean the cat's ears and apply an appropriate medication to help treat infections

  • Injuries - we will clip and clean any abscesses or injuries and, if needed, we will send home a course of oral antibiotics that can be mixed with food. We DO NOT use Convenia due to its very high cost and because it does not always work depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection.

  • We apply a dose of Frontline Plus which protects against fleas and ticks, and an injection of ivermectin which treats hookworms, roundworms and ear mites

  • Cats that we estimate to be 3-6 months old receive an FVRCP Vaccine at no additional cost

  • Cryptorchid neuters incur no additional fees

  • Dental exam - many feral and community cats have broken teeth or gum disease. If needed, we'll provide a report on any recommended dental care. We are unable to perform dental services but any teeth that are loose and easily extracted will be removed.

Cats scheduled for TNR services do NOT need to come in a trap, although it is fine if they do. 

Appointment Limits

To ensure that everyone has access to care, we will limit the number of appointments scheduled by one person to a maximum of five per date. If we still have slots open right before a surgery day, they will be opened to anyone who needs additional appointments. If an individually schedules more than five appointments on one date, we will cancel and refund the extra appointments so the owner/caretaker can schedule for another date.

Cats Already Sterilized

In 2025, we had a lot of cats come for care who were already visibly ear tipped. When this happens, that cat takes up space that another cat who still needs to be spayed/neutered could have used. Therefore, effective January 1, 2026, any ear-tipped cat that is sent for surgery will be charged the full cost of the TNR package. Please be sure to verify that cats DO NOT have an ear tip before you drop them off for an appointment.

Drop-off Options

Drop-off will still take place in Belton between 6-6:30 am on the morning of surgery, but we are adding the option to drop off the evening before for a small fee. Pick-up will still take place the evening of your appointment date, with the exact time communicated to everyone later in the day. You will have a minimum of two-hours notice, and most pick-up times fall between 6:30 - 7:30 pm. We are unable to house cats following surgery, so they must be picked up in the evening.

FAQs

Schedule Regular Appointment
Schedule TNR Appointment

  • We are very fortunate to have a wonderful partnership with a veterinarian who built a surgery suite at her home in Columbia, MO. She has over 30 years of experience in private practice, shelter medicine and surgeries. Over the last ten years she has focused on providing surgical services to shelters and non-profit organizations in the area.

  • The veterinarian we use does not have a public practice. She provides care exclusively to a small number of non-profit organizations who need spay/neuter and other surgical services for the cats in their care.

  • Costs are low because the surgery suite is located at the vet’s home, so there is no overhead such as building rent, large staff to pay, etc. The veterinarian has a single assistant who is also a family member - this helps keep payroll costs low! She does not utilize vet students or volunteers. She also works to keep costs as low as possible because she enjoys being able to help non-profit organizations who work to spay and neuter cats in the community.

    All cats receive excellent care when they go for surgery. See below for more information on what type of anesthesia is used, pre-op exams, etc.

  • All cats (except those that are feral or too fractious to handle) are given a brief exam on intake. The vet listens to their heart and lungs and checks eyes, ears and other things that may need to be noted and/or treated. The cat is then weighed. Feral or fractious cats are visually examined and their weight is estimated. Once they are sedate enough to be handled an exact weight is obtained and the vet listens to the heart and lungs.

    Each cat is given a dose of meloxicam which is an anti-inflammatory pain medication. They are then injected with a mix of drugs often referred to as “Kitty Magic.” There is a spectrum of safe doses based on weight, and the cat is initially given a dose on the low end of the range. If they do not respond to that dose, they can be given more if needed. Cats are then prepped for surgery. This entails shaving the abdomen on females and the scrotal area on males. A surgical scrub is used to clean the area and then the cat is moved to the surgery table. A pulse oximeter is used to monitor heartrate and oxygen and a mask attached to an anesthesia machine delivers a combination of gas and oxygen. The dose of gas can be increased or decreased easily, and once surgery is over, the mask is removed and the cat typically wakes up pretty quickly.

    After surgery is complete, the cat receives a small green tattoo on their abdomen which is a visual indication that they are fixed. Vaccines, blood draws and other services are then completed as applicable and the cat is returned to a clean carrier with some food. They are monitored closely until they are able to hold up their head and then they are moved to a recovery area where they can eat some of the food in the kennel and be monitored.

  • Waiting until cats are six months old before spaying or neutering is an older philosophy that increases the chances that a cat will get pregnant or develop behavioral problems before being fixed. Cats can go into heat and get pregnant as early as four months old, and each heat cycle a female cat goes through increases her risk of developing mammary cancer. Male cats can begin spraying and/or fighting once they reach sexual maturity. By fixing cats before they are four months old, it’s not only possible to prevent pregnancy, but also undesirable behaviors like spraying.

    Plus there are other benefits to fixing your cat while they are young.

    1. Surgery times on young cats are typically much shorter, with smaller incisions. This reduces anesthesia risk and recovery time.

    2. Less injectable anesthesia is needed to sedate them for surgery prep. This means a faster wake up - most cats are “back to normal” by the time they are picked up to go home.

    3. Fixing before a cat reaches sexual maturity is the only way to guarantee they won’t escape from the house and come back pregnant!