On Monday, cat owners in Washington County will have a new place to take their pets for wellness care and spay/neuter surgeries.
Fix ‘Ur Cat, a nonprofit whose mission is providing reasonably priced spay/neuter and wellness care, is moving its operations from Pike Street in Canonsburg to 222 Hall Ave. in Washington.
The new building, a former Solomon’s Seafood & Grille, will feature two surgical suites, wellness rooms and a reception area. Most importantly, it can accommodate more animals than the old facility.
“Everyone wants to pet and adopt a fluffy cat, but no one wants to think about how they get to that point,” says Michelle Bruce, co-founder and president of Fix ‘Ur Cat.
The facility hopes to spay or neuter 4,000 cats this year and reduce the number of homeless, abused and forgotten animals in Washington County.
The staff also will provide exams, shots, routine bloodwork and common surgeries at a discounted rate. A typical spay/neuter package with rabies shot costs $60-$70 depending on gender. Additional services including vaccines, FIV/FeLV combo tests (feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia) and routine bloodwork range from $15-$48.
Veterinarians and vet technicians have skills specific to low-cost spay/neuter facilities and many are in private practice, own their own practice or are retired and helping out part time. Fix ‘Ur Cat tries to make up the difference between their rates and the cost of procedures through fundraisers, private donations and the work of administrative volunteers.
The organization started informally in 2012, partnering with local veterinarians and Animal Friends to facilitate low-cost surgeries for cats in borrowed spaces or even parking lots. They formalized their operations in 2014 and were able to purchase a building in 2018. The following year, Fix ‘Ur Cat established clinic hours. However, the need for services quickly outstripped capacity at the Canonsburg site.
The new facility makes Fix ‘Ur Cat the largest provider of low-cost spay/neuter and basic wellness services for cats in Washington County. Though the facility is currently only open to cats, Bruce hopes to offer wellness care to dogs down the road.
“Many people have a hard time paying for services,” she says. “We are here for everyone from lower-income homes to college students, farmers and those who trap, neuter and release cats.”
While those are the target demographics for Fix ‘Ur Cat, anyone can take advantage of its services. To find out more and complete an application, go to their website, fixurcat.org, or call 724-416-3265.
Spay and neuter clinics are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment, with wellness clinics also by appointment.
The Mission of Fix ‘Ur Cat is two-fold, controlling the cat population and keeping cats healthy, Bruce says.
“We just want to be there and we want to help.”
Abby Kirkland (abbykirkland77@gmail.com) is a freelance writer and animal lover living in Mt. Lebanon.
First Published: January 11, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: January 12, 2024, 1:47 p.m.
