We are proud to offer residents with a Kingston postal code, a low-cost alternative to getting your cat spayed or neutered. This is the first permanent low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Kingston and we hope that someday, it will be offered more regularly.
As it stands right now, the Kingston Humane Society's Low Cost Spay/Neuter clinic will operate once a month. The cost will $125 - non-refundable - for either a spay or a neuter. In addition to the spay/neuter procedure, we will offer the opportunity to microchip your cat and provide them with flea treatment. These treatments will come at an additional charge:
Microchip - $20+HST
Flea Treatment - $15+HST
The Kingston Humane Society would like to thank The City of Kingston for the funding they provided that allowed us to purchase a second operating table, a second anesthesia machine and a second light along with a few other items. They are also supporting our veterinary team to receive training in high volume spay/neuter procedures which will take place as soon as the training centre in North Carolina is back up and running.
Spay and Neuter Eligibility Requirements - PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU APPLY
What animals are eligible for spay or neuter surgery?
- Healthy adult cats under the age of 8
- Kittens that are at least 6 months old (>1kg)
- Female cats in heat
- Healthy pregnant cats
What animals are NOT eligible for spay or neuter surgery?
- Unhealthy or contagious cats.
- Animals that have received medications within the last two weeks (excluding anti-parasitic medications). - If your pet is on a long-term medication, please check with us to see if you can be accommodated.
- Very overweight or underweight cats. (Body condition scores: 1/9 - 3/9 or 8/9 - 9/9) - Unsure if your animal is at an ideal body weight? Here are some helpful resources for cats.
VCA hospitals Body Condition Scores
Purina body score info - Nursing cats
- Cats requiring special anaesthesia e.g. heart conditions, kidney or liver disease.
- Animals under six (6) months with retained testicles. o Animals over 6 months with testicles undescended will be done at the discretion of the attending veterinarian if the testicle is palpable at the time of surgery.
- Animals eight years of age and older.
- Short-faced cat breeds such as: Persian cats, Himalayan cats. o Please note that any brachycephalic (short nosed/"smushed" faced) animals that are not on this list will have surgery at the attending veterinarian's discretion. We might request photos of your animals to confirm your pet's eligibility.
What animals have a caution prior to surgery?
- Animals with neurological conditions. o Please ensure to notify us at the time of booking if your pet has a neurological condition.
- Animals with severely poor dental health. o While also painful and uncomfortable, poor dental health can have a negative effect on your pet's organ functions and health. Unsure if your animal has dental disease? Take a look at these helpful articles by Veterinary Partner and Pet Dental.
- FIV and feline leukemia positive animals must be in good health and not experiencing any other illnesses. o Caregivers are also recommended to seek vaccination service with their own veterinarian who can provide killed vaccines.
Please note: All surgeries are at the discretion of the veterinarian the morning of surgery. Should they determine for any reason during the pre-surgical examination that your animal is unfit for surgery, the veterinarian reserves the right to deny the patient. As all of our patients receive a pre-surgical examination to ensure they are healthy enough to undergo the procedure, a $25.00 examination fee may apply if your animal is denied.
If you haven't heard from us within 24 hours of submitting your application, please apply again next month.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have more than one pet, do I need to submit more than one application form?
Each pet requires its own application, which will remain part of its medical record.
How does spaying or neutering my cat prevent reproduction?
In female cats, the uterus and ovaries are removed through a small incision in the abdominal wall. After the surgery, females will be unable to get pregnant and will not go through heat cycles. In male cats, the testicles are removed but the scrotum remains. Removal of the testicles prevents production of sperm resulting in a male that cannot produce young.
Will my cat be unable to reproduce immediately after surgery?
Female cats will be unable to reproduce as soon as the surgery is complete. They will have no reproductive organs remaining. Male cats will have their testicles removed but there will be sperm and testosterone in their systems for up to three weeks post-surgery.
What are the benefits of spaying or neutering my pets?
- It reduces or removes the risk of disease, infection and cancer of the pet's reproductive system i.e. mammary cancer, prostate cancer, uterus infection (pyometra).
- Female heat cycles are eliminated.
- Male cats may no longer spray or smell, male dogs may urine mark less frequently on walks.
- It ends the cat's crying, howling, fighting and frantic efforts to get out, and may decrease a dog's urge to run away in search of opportunity to mate.
- Spaying and neutering can make your pet more laid back and affectionate by decreasing hormonally related aggression issues.
- Spayed and neutered pets have been proven to live longer lives. Male neutered cats for example live 62% longer than unneutered toms.
- It reduces pet overpopulation and the thousands of homeless and unwanted animals that end up in rescue organizations and shelters each year.
What is the KHS Veterinary Services Spay/Neuter Clinic?
The KHS Veterinary Services Spay/Neuter Clinic is a spay/neuter clinic that provides subsidized feline spay/neuter surgeries for low-income pet owners in targeted Kingston neighbourhoods.
Why has the KHS decided to launch the Veterinary Services Spay/Neuter Clinic?
Our main goal is to address the problem of cat overpopulation in Kingston. A second goal is to help preserve the human-animal bond by providing a service to help pets stay with their owners, rather than be surrendered to the KHS.
