How Much Does Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Cost for a Stray or Feral Cat? Six Clinic Packages From $25 to $80

What a TNR package usually includes

A community-cat package is a bundle: spay or neuter surgery, a rabies vaccine and an ear tip, which marks the cat as already sterilized. Livingston County (Michigan) Animal Shelter lists exactly those three for $25 per cat and says the ear tip is required. Others add more.

Six published prices, side by side

• Livingston County Animal Shelter, MI: $25 (surgery, rabies, ear tip)
• York County SPCA, PA: $40 (adds distemper vaccine and Revolution flea and tick treatment)
• Humane Society of Charlotte, NC: $50 per cat
• Blue Mountain Humane Society, WA: $60 for its Feral Cat Package (surgery, rabies, FVRCP)
• The Spayed Club, clinic package: $70 (adds distemper vaccine, flea treatment and pain medication)
• Baltimore Humane Society, MD: $80 (surgery, rabies, FVRCP, ear tip)

These are each organization's own posted figures, not a national average.

Why the cheapest numbers are often subsidized

Baltimore's page says its grant allocation for low-cost feral surgeries was fully used for 2026, so the $80 it still offers is a discounted rate. Blue Mountain's own valley program is $10 per cat but needs at least five cats.

Traps are a separate line item

Clinics require a live trap. Livingston lends traps free against a $50 cash refundable deposit. Charlotte charges $10 per trap for 14 days, non-refundable, plus an $80 replacement fee if the trap is not returned by the agreed date.

Extras that appear on the price sheet

York County SPCA says its $40 is not refunded if the cat weighs under three pounds. It prices optional add-ons separately, such as a $35 FeLV/FIV/heartworm test.

What the same cat costs at a regular clinic

Blue Mountain says its low-cost spay or neuter alone runs $80 to $150 per cat, against $60 for the full feral package. At full-service clinics, our cat spay and neuter price breakdown shows $200 to $500. Single vaccines add more; see what cat vaccinations cost.

The alternative is not free either

Livingston's page says feral cats surrendered to its shelter are euthanized for a $20 fee, because they are not adoptable. Alley Cat Allies recommends TNR over shelter intake for community cats. A friendly stray is a different case; see what adopting a cat costs.

A budget order for one colony

• Phone two or three clinics and ask what the package includes.
• Ask about funding limits and trap deposits.
• Multiply the per-cat price by the cat count, then add trap fees.

This article covers costs only and is not veterinary advice. Prices are posted by individual shelters and clinics as of October 2026 and change often, so confirm them with the provider before you book.