To adopt a cat you will need to make not only a commitment to their wellbeing and health, but a financial one as well. It may be possible to adopt a cat for free from someone who can no longer keep it and they just want it to go to a good home. Generally though, you will need to go to a shelter or rescue group to find a new family member and pay an adoption fee.

So, just how much money am I going to need to adopt a cat? Well, fees will vary depending on the different type of shelter, rescue, or organization and also the area you live in. Typically, a cat adoption will cost anywhere from $20 to $200, about $75 being the average.

The adoption fees can also vary by the type of cat you pick out. Some rescues or shelter groups set their fees according to the sex of the cat. This is due to the higher price of having to spay a cat rather than neutering them. Kitten adoptions may cost more because of all of the vaccinations they need versus an adult cat.

These fees are in place for several reasons and they do serve a greater purpose. The shelters and rescues use a part of the fees to offset their cost of caring for so many animals. The money is also used to help pay the veterinary costs of spaying or neutering, vaccinating, and treating the animals for fleas and other parasites.

More importantly, adoption fees work as a type of screening process, helping weed out people who can’t or won’t spend money on their newly adopted pets. If a person is unable to spend $75 on a cat adoption fee, then it is unlikely that they will be able to afford things that are needed to properly care for them like routine veterinary care.

Sometimes when a shelter is full to its capacity, they will reduce adoption fees as a way to bring in families to adopt. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of. Now you can help save a life by adopting and get the new furry family member you’ve been looking for.