Neutering costs - male cat

[JamMakingWannaBe]

We've been quoted £85 for neutering which is in line with my expectations, but the vet has also quoted £65 for a pre-op blood test and £45 for intravenous fluids. The collar is £5.

From reading previous threads I understood the snip to be a fairly simple procedure, so do we need the extra +£100 of "add ons"?

We'll pay if these are standard requirements but they seem to be optional.

Gosh. None of those extras seem necessary unless it's a very old or ill cat. Even the cone - we never use cones after neutering - either males or females.

I'm with a charity clinic, so we charge £20 in total, but of course that is a not for profit rate. I actually called a local private vet about this very thing this week on behalf of someone else. This is a vet that is part of a London chain renowned for being expensive. They quoted £70 for a castrate - no extras.

I've just taken my cat to the vet for a dental this morning and was offered £500 of extras. I said no thank you and no to fluids unless the cat absolutely needs them.
What is the point of doing blood tests if the cat is going to have the procedure regardless?
I said to the vet no blood tests, my cat needs this tooth removed no matter what and even if the blood test came back with some other condition the tooth still has to come out.
I've had 10 cats before who all lived to at least 19 and I know what they actually need and what they don't.

The bloods and fluids are on the generic consent form for the practice where I work, which annoys me. I don't think I've ever done these for a not-old straightforward cat castrate and would not if he was my own. Post op analgesia- yes, all the other bollocks for a very short procedure- no. There is no evidence base for it. There would actually be more sense in heart scanning every apparently healthy young cat before full GA but that is impractical and expensive so not done.

*not bollocks for a lot of cases and I do a fair bit of pre op bloods and plenty of intraop fluids. Just not for these cases

He's definitely not old or ill. He's just turned 4 and we adopted him from his previous owner who had just never got round to neutering him.

Jesus, my cat had a blood test for kidney function prior to a dental and it wasn’t anywhere near that.

Yes to post op painkillers. I mean four isn’t old is it? Id be tempted to swerve the blood test and fluids.

Cat castrates are simple and quick. Id not so blood for one. Tbh most are done without extra pain relief and one never needed to put a collar on one after

Bloods and fluids is a bit ott for a young healthy cat. It is the gold standard though and I have occasionally seen kidney problems etc picked up on pre op bloods in puppies and kittens. It would be unusual though. Fluids can help maintain your pets blood pressure (which will drop) under anaesthesia.

I wasn't charged any extras and males don't really need a cone either

I just seen he's 4 not a kitten. If he's ever been outdoors as an unneutered male I would be getting him tested for felv and fiv, especially if you intend on him going out.

I wouldn't pay for extras unless necessary and needed. don't need a cone either, long as your home to stop them licking they don't need it.

He is, and always has been, an indoor cat.
Pretty healthy from his first vet check when we got him chipped.

Our 5 month old kitten was neutered last week. I think it cost £55, which included a post op check a few days later with a vet nurse. He wasn't given a collar (and showed no sign of needing one) and there was no mention of bloods or anything else!