If you own a pet, chances are that you’ve shopped at a PetSmart. There are over 1,650 pet stores in North America and Puerto Rico, and beyond selling pet products, it also offers grooming, boarding, dog training, day camps for dogs, and best of all, pet adoptions for homeless animals.
But now, PetSmart has recently (as of 2019) introduced affordable exams and vaccines with ShotVet for pets. The indoor cat package is $99. Banfield Animal Hospital has also long been aligned with PetSmart, which also offers veterinary care. If you’re wondering how much it will cost to get your cat vaccinated at a PetSmart, read on, as we go over the pricing and how it all works.
ShotVet
How Much Do Shots Cost for Indoor Cats?
ShotVet is essentially a pop-up vet clinic that has partnered with PetSmart and a few other companies. It travels from place to place on weekends and is meant to make it easier and more affordable for you to get your pets vaccinated.
The client books a spot at a clinic closest to their location, and their pet is examined and vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian.
It offers two packages of annual shots for cats — one for indoor and the other for outdoor. All prices discussed will be in USD.
The deworming is for hookworms and roundworms, and it’s called strategic because it’s designed to treat your cat regularly for worms. The treatments help prevent the worms and the parasitic diseases that can come with them.
Add-on vaccinations:
How About for Outdoor Cats?
Like the indoor package, you can pay $45 for the FeLV test, but there’s no charge if it’s negative.
Can You Get Individual Shots?
Absolutely! If you want to pick and choose your vaccines, you don’t have to pay for the entire package.
The FeLV and FVRCP require a booster shot 4 weeks after your cat has received the first vaccine. There is also an additional $3 charge added to each individual vaccine as a biohazard fee (which is safely disposing of the needle).
Are There Shots Available for Kittens?
There certainly are! Kittens are meant to have three sets of vaccinations, and the schedule is set for 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. Since most kittens typically go home with new owners by about 12 weeks of age, you might only need to worry about the second or just the third set. But of course, everything depends on your individual circumstances.
At PetSmart ShotVet, you can choose to have the three separate vaccines administered individually or pay as a whole in a package.
You can also pay for a package that includes all three sets of vaccines for $179, which is a savings of $78.
How Does It Work?
You need to register through the ShotVet website, where you can reserve a spot for you and your cat. You search by location, click on “Save a Spot,” and show up at the allocated time.
You also have the option of using the Fast Paws service. Here, you can purchase the vaccinations online, save your spot, and fast-track through the “already paid” line.
This way, you can get in and out much faster, making your cat’s exposure to the stressful environment of a vet clinic as short as possible.
Banfield Pet Hospital
Not only does PetSmart have the recently acquired ShotVet, but it has also long been affiliated with the Banfield Pet Hospital. PetSmart has had part ownership of Banfield since 1994. There are over 900 hospitals found in certain PetSmart locations in the U.S. only.
The cost of vaccinations is entirely dependent on location, so the following prices are estimates.
The Estimates for Cat Vaccinations
The cost of vaccinating your cat does depend on where you live. For example, if you live in California, you might expect to pay about:
As you can see, the prices aren’t that different, but California is obviously the more expensive state in this example. You can put your own zip code in the Banfield estimator so you can see how much getting your cat vaccinated in your state and city will cost you.
What Are Cats Being Vaccinated Against?
All kittens are vaccinated three times by the time that they reach 4 months of age. Then, your adult cat should have their annual vaccines once a year for the rest of their lives.
There are four core vaccines and several vaccines that are considered non-core.
Whether your cat is vaccinated against any of these diseases is determined by your vet on a case-by-case basis.
Do Indoor Cats Actually Need Vaccinations?
Most owners of indoor cats believe that their cat doesn’t need to be vaccinated. After all, they are never outside, so what exactly is the risk?
The truth is that many of the core vaccines help protect cats, both indoor and outdoor, against highly contagious diseases. These can make it inside to your indoor cat.
In fact, you might be surprised to learn that you can carry some of these diseases inside on your clothing. FHV, FCV, and FIV all fall under this highly contagious group of diseases. You can bring it home and infect your indoor cat, and you don’t even need to come into contact with an infected cat!
While rabies can only be transmitted through physical contact with an infected animal, it is such a dangerous disease for humans too, it’s always best and safest to keep your cat vaccinated against it. Sometimes, our indoor cats are good escape artists, and you won’t want to risk their and your health.
Conclusion
Taking your cat to a PetSmart for their shots might work best for your schedule and budget. However, do keep in mind that bringing your cat to a vet for a complete exam every year is a better option, particularly as your cat ages. You’ll want the works done to ensure the health and longevity of your cat for many years to come.
Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
