Low cost vet care for stray cats

Spaying and neutering owned and stray cats is the single most important step you can take to reducing pet overpopulation and suffering. Below are some low-cost veterinary resources in the Philadelphia area, including both clinics and discount certificates — some clinics also offer low-cost pricing for vaccination and FIV/FeLV testing. Please note that some are appropriate for ferals and strays, and others only for owned pets:

Table of Contents Show

Will a vet treat a stray cat?
What to do if a stray cat needs help?
Can I take my cat to the vet if I have no money?
What do vets do if you don't have money?

Philadelphia Community Cat Council
PCCC offers low-cost clinics for feral and free-roaming cats at the PSPCA Cube Clinic. Clinic dates, prices, and contact information are listed on the PCCC website — be sure to contact PCCC ahead of time to schedule your cat.

PAWS Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic
The PAWS clinic, located on Gray’s Ferry Ave in Southwest Philly, offers low-cost spay/neuter and other veterinary care by appointment. PAWS also offers a low-cost vaccination clinic twice per week (no appointment needed). Currently (as of January 2013), PAWS is offering FREE cat spay/neuter for residents of zipcodes 19143, 19145, and 19146 who receive any form of public assistance (Medical Assistance, food stamps, TANF, SSI, etc).

The Spayed Club
The Spayed Club offers grants and discounts for spaying/neutering to low-income families with an annual income of $25,000 or less. They also host a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Sharon Hill (Delaware County, about 15 minutes from West Philly).

Hope Animal Sanctuary
Hope Animal Sanctuary offers mobile spay/neuter services to cats and dogs owned by low- to moderate-income Philadelphia residents. No ferals. Advance registration is required. Clinic dates, locations, and prices are available on the Sanctuary’s website.

Forgotten Cats
Forgotten Cats of Delaware offers clinics in Claymont, DE and Willow Grove, PA. Clinic dates and prices are available on the website.

PSPCA Wellness Clinic
PSPCA offers low-cost veterinary services including spay/neuter and vaccinations, as well as general care. It is a walk-in clinic, serving the community on a first come, first served basis. Call 215.426.6300 for clinic hours and more information.

Animal Welfare Association of New Jersey
The AWA clinics are open to all members of the public, regardless of residence or income. Open to owned pets, friendly strays, and ferals any day of the week — no appointment needed for strays/ferals except on Saturdays. Contact AWA for more information and pricing for strays/ferals.

Morris Animal Refuge
Morris Animal Refuge offers a $40 spay/neuter certificate that qualifies you for a discount at many local vet offices. Girard Veterinary Clinic will spay/neuter for free when this certificate is presented, and the Morris website provides a list of other participating veterinarians.

Spay and Save
Offers discounts to pet owners and rescuers in need of financial assistance at participating veterinarian offices. Application is required.

Friends of Animals
FOA offers a certificate (available for purchase online) for low-cost spay/neuter. Prices and participating veterinarians are available on the website.

Cats in Crisis
Cats in Crisis helps cats and kittens with special medical needs receive the veterinary treatment they need. The organization assists those who might otherwise have to euthanize a cat with medical issues due to lack of funds.

Help – I found a stray cat. What do I do?

This is the most common question we get through our Community Cat Program.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND:

Many times people jump to the conclusion that if a cat is outside then it must have been abandoned, when in reality, cats roam and by taking the cat to a shelter you are removing it from his/her home. If a cat is healthy it probably has a caretaker and in many cases it has multiple caretakers. In particular, when cats are not fixed they roam a great deal in search of a mate. In Indy we often run into people in
a neighborhood who all claimed the same cat as theirs but never realized that their neighbors were also taking care of the same cat.

Shelters can’t save and support the HUGE number of accidental litters, stray and family cats brought to their doors everyday. Trap-neuter-return the cats (via a community cat program first rather than taking them to the shelter) Community cat programs allow the public to care and manage the cats in their home neighborhood while at the same time creating a safety net/ monitoring system to identify cats that are in need or medical care or not faring well outdoors.

If you find a stray cat, here are some simple, but important, tips to follow:

Lost pets that are on the streets for weeks or months will be dirty, thin and possibly have fleas. Despite their appearance the animal may have escaped from a wonderful home. Don’t assume that an animal has been neglected or abandoned just because he or she appears to be in rough shape.

Contact Indy Lost Pet Alert

Take all found animals to a local vet or shelter so they can be scanned for a microchip. We’re happy to scan found animals for a chip..

If the animal doesn’t have an ID tag, make sure you get one with your name and number. This way, if the pet gets lost again, there’s a chance the animal may be returned to you.

If you take the animal to a shelter, be sure to claim “first and last rights.” This means that you can adopt the animal if the animal is unclaimed and is due to be euthanized. You should also call the animal control facility daily to let the staff know you are interested in the animal’s welfare.

Check the lost-and-found sections of the newspapers published outside of your immediate area. Lost pets can and often do travel a good distance.

Take a good photo of the animal and write a basic description of him or her. You can use a free program at Pet Bond to create lost pet flyers. Be sure you leave out some information so you can ask specific questions of possible owners to help verify ownership.

Post flyers in the area where the animal was found, as well as on local business bulletin boards.

Email flyers to your friends, family and other people who live near you, as well as in surrounding areas. Post flyers across social media platforms and also look for lost pet resources on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Will a vet treat a stray cat?

Unfortunately, veterinary care for stray cats is not free. If you can't afford to take a stray cat to the vet if they look sick or hurt, you should take the animal to a local humane society or no-kill shelter where they can get the help that they need.

What to do if a stray cat needs help?

Tips on Handling Stray Cats on Your Own.

Provide Food and Water. ... .

Lure the Cat Safely Inside a Carrier. ... .

Trap the Cat – Only If the Cat Can't Be Safely Lured into a Carrier. ... .

Evaluate Whether It Is Appropriate to Take the Cat to a Local Animal Shelter. ... .

Bring the Cat into Your Home and Provide Vet Care..

Can I take my cat to the vet if I have no money?

If your pet needs services that are beyond your financial means and you have exhausted all options, speak with your veterinarian. They may have a pet fund available. Hospitals have created these funds to help owners experiencing financial difficulty.

What do vets do if you don't have money?

Fortunately, there are dozens of free and low-cost options for veterinary care throughout the United States. Many charitable organizations offer reduced or free care for basic services and vaccinations. Additionally, it's always worth a shot to ask your local veterinary clinic about any promotions they're running.