Common Surgeries Your Cat May Need & What They Cost

Cat surgery costs vary widely based on variables like the procedure, your location, and your cat’s health. Knowing the average cost of different procedures can help you prepare for unexpected veterinary expenses. Below, you’ll find cost ranges for common procedures and learn how pet insurance can help with covered treatments.

Common Cat Surgery Costs

How much cat surgery costs will depend on your vet, your cat’s specific needs and health condition, your location, and the procedure being done. Other variables that can impact the overall cost of a surgical procedure are pre- and post-operative needs, X-rays, ultrasounds, blood work, diagnostic testing, anesthesia, a potential hospital stay, surgical complications, and other necessities.

Caveats aside, the table below gives a snapshot of average cost ranges for common surgeries.

A MetLife Pet Insurance policy can help reimburse vet bills for expensive cat surgery costs.

Spay or neuter

Spaying or neutering your cat is a very common procedure. A spay can cost $300 – $400, while a neuter can cost $200 – $300.¹ But you may be able to find a low-cost clinic that charges less for either procedure. When you add our Preventive Care plan add-on to your insurance policy, you can get coverage for spay and neuter procedures.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Timothy, a kitten from Illinois, was brought in for neutering, which cost $250. We reimbursed his parents over $200.⁴

Dental disease

Cats can be prone to dental diseases, including periodontal disease, gingivitis, and tooth resorption.⁵ This can lead to more extensive dental work needing to be done, especially in senior cats. The average cost to treat dental disease ranges from $500 – $800.¹ However, in more advanced cases, if more extensive surgery is required, the costs can increase significantly.

MetLife Pet Insurance policies come with dental insurance coverage for dental care related to an accident or illness. And with our Preventive Care plan add-on, you can get reimbursed up to your selected benefit limit on routine teeth cleanings and associated costs.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Capra, a senior cat from Pennsylvania, needed a tooth extraction because of his periodontal disease. It cost $975, and MetLife Pet reimbursed his parents for $875.⁴

Removing growths and tumors

Skin lumps and bumps, as well as internal masses, may need to be removed if they’re affecting your cat’s health and well-being. Costs can depend on whether the mass (tumor) is on the surface of your cat’s skin or if it’s internal, along with the location on their body (close to vital organs, joints, face, etc.), the kind of mass it is, and its size.

Surgical removal of a tumor could cost up to $1,600, on average, but this can rise if cancer is involved due to the severity of the procedure and recovery.¹ MetLife Pet can typically help cover these expenses, as long as they’re diagnosed after enrollment and applicable waiting periods.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Fergie, an 8-year-old domestic short hair from California, needed a tumor behind her right ear removed. It cost $1,475, and we reimbursed her family for $1,200.⁴

Bladder surgery

Cats may develop feline lower urinary tract disease, which encompasses a few different conditions. One of these conditions is bladder stones. If they’re small enough, stones can typically pass through urination or be removed through less invasive methods. However, when the removal of bladder stones in cats requires surgery, the cost for a cystotomy can be around $900 – $4,000.² With MetLife Pet’s coverage for illnesses, you can typically be reimbursed for these types of procedures.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Marlo, a young cat from Los Angeles, needed surgery to deal with a urinary obstruction. His parents were billed for $3,200, and MetLife Pet reimbursed them for $2,550.⁴

Wound surgery

If your cat has been injured, a vet may need to close the wound and repair any internal damage based on the type of injury. The procedure to treat and repair a wound can cost $800 – $2,500.³ However, the more extensive the damage, the more likely the cost will rise.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Alfred, a domestic long-haired kitten from Massachusetts, was brought to the vet with bite wounds. His parents were billed $1,300 for treatment and reimbursed $1,200.⁴

Cruciate ligament tears

Tearing a cruciate ligament in the knee is a serious injury. In cats, it’s similar to a human tearing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Surgery costs typically vary based on the severity of the damage and whether collateral ligaments are impacted.⁶ The average cost ranges from $2,000 – $5,000.¹

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Ginger, a 6-year-old Balinese from Washington, needed surgery to repair a ruptured cruciate ligament. It cost $6,350, and her pet parents were reimbursed for $4,900.⁴

Broken bones

The way veterinarians treat broken bones will depend on the location and severity of the break. If surgery is required, they have different ways to realign the bone, including screws, plates, rods, and wires.⁷ These variables will impact the cost, but on average it costs $2,200 – $2,400 to treat a broken bone.¹

Real MetLife Savings:

• Rose, a young one-year-old feline from Las Vegas, broke her left femur in an accident. Her parents were billed $4,575 for surgery, and MetLife Pet reimbursed them for $4,125.⁴

Foreign body extraction

Foreign body extraction surgery usually involves the stomach or intestines, although it could be elsewhere in the body, depending on the situation your cat has found themself in. Your cat may have ingested something that got stuck in the gastrointestinal tract, or they could have been punctured by an object that’s now stuck in their body.

Procedures for removing foreign bodies may involve ultrasounds, X-rays, endoscopies, and surgeries. Depending on the severity of the damage done by the foreign object and where it’s located, surgical procedures to remove them could cost up to $5,000.¹ But you can typically get reimbursed for those diagnostics and surgical procedures with a MetLife Pet Insurance policy.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Ziggy, a kitten from California, accidentally swallowed her mom’s hair tie and some clumps of hair with it. The surgery to remove it cost $2,900, and we reimbursed her for $2,600.⁴

Eye surgery

There are a few different types of cat eye surgeries you may encounter. This can include conditions like entropion, cataracts, glaucoma, and general injuries to the eye.⁸ On average, treatment for eye conditions can cost up to $2,000.¹ The exact cost will depend on how many eyes are affected, the condition, and how severe it is.

Real MetLife Pet Savings:

• Rogelio, a British blue kitten from New York City, was treated for entropion, a condition where the eyelid rolls inward. His parents were billed $2,500, and we reimbursed them for $2,000.⁴

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help Cover Costs

While these estimates can help you better prepare financially, contact your veterinarian for a more accurate cost estimate for your situation. Depending on the surgery and recovery efforts your cat needs, your vet bill may end up in the thousands.

Having a MetLife Pet cat insurance policy can help you get the care your cat needs without sacrificing the quality due to cost barriers. Our policies may be able to provide you reimbursement options for up to 90% of covered costs related to surgery — like exams, diagnostics, the procedure itself, hospital stays, and medications.⁹

However, pet insurance typically doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, so enrolling while your cat is still healthy is a great way to ensure coverage later on when you need it. See if MetLife Pet Insurance is right for you and your beloved cat by getting a personalized quote today.