The vast majority of amputations will be quite expensive, not just due to the long and grueling duration of the surgery, but also because of the specialist skills that will be required to complete the operation. Because of this, cat owners can expect a forequarter amputation to cost from $2,000 to $3,000. Of course, this price is inclusive of aftercare such as drugs and follow-up visits to the vet. Alternative treatments can cost much less, such as radiotherapy (over six hundred dollars) and chemotherapy (over one thousand dollars), though these can be much less effective in combating virulent diseases such as cancer.