It works for me http://jsfiddle.net/zvkCp/ Maybe is a problem with your selector :
$('#status option:last-child')
$(document).ready (function() {
var maxOpt = $('select option:last-child').val();
if (maxOpt != 'cuatro'){
console.log(maxOpt);
}
})
Try to console.log(maxOpt)
off the if condition.