Lost or found cat in Gatineau: who to call

I've lost my cat in Gatineau

1. Search close by first

   Home, basement, shed, under porches, quietly. The details are in our hour-by-hour guide.

2. Fill out the lost animal form

   As soon as possible, on the SPCA de l'Outaouais website: the SPCAO keeps it for 30 days. Fill it out again if your cat hasn't been found by then.

3. Call the SPCAO: 819-243-2004

   It's the organization mandated by the City of Gatineau. Address: 132 rue de Varennes. Most services are by appointment: call before you go.

4. Check the found animals list

   On spcaoutaouais.ca. Photos are added within 24 hours of admission and removed five days later, so check it every day. If you think you recognize your cat, call 819-243-2004, option 3, or write to parcoursanimal@spcaoutaouais.ca.

5. Look on the Ottawa side too

   The SPCAO recommends checking the Ottawa Humane Society's lost and found page, across the river. The City also recommends posting in lost and found animal groups on social media.

With Minou

Start an alert, even if you're not at home

A photo from your gallery, their name, and the alert goes out. It can notify neighbours near you who turned on alerts. It's free.

In the latest version of the app, tap this button: on the welcome screen the first time you open it, or in search (the magnifier on the map) if the app is already installed

I've lost my cat

I've found a cat in Gatineau

• The cat seems healthy: the City recommends posting in lost and found animal groups. City animal control and the SPCAO only pick up a stray cat if they're seriously injured, sick or dead.
• You think the cat should go to the shelter: the SPCAO takes in stray cats by appointment only. Its decision tree helps you work out what to do. It systematically checks arriving animals for a microchip.
• Emergency outside opening hours (animal seriously injured or dangerous): call the police. In Gatineau, the SPCAO's emergency service can only be reached through the municipal police.
• Kittens: leave them with their mother until they're at least 8 weeks old, and don't move them. Injured kittens: 819-243-2004, option 4.
• A cat outside isn't necessarily lost: how to tell.

Getting your cat back

The SPCAO asks for proof that the cat is yours (a photo, a health record) and a piece of ID. Boarding and licence fees may apply: ask the SPCAO for the amount.

The rules in Gatineau

• A licence is mandatory for every cat, renewed each year (valid January 1 to December 31), even if the cat is microchipped. The tag must be worn at all times and stays the same from year to year. You can buy it online on emili.pet, at the SPCAO, by phone (819-243-2004, option 2) or, for a renewal, at a City service centre. A $25 administration fee applies after March 31.
• The price: the City's page shows two different rates. Check with the SPCAO before you pay.
• No more than four animals per dwelling.
• Animals must stay on their keeper's property (fence, enclosure, restraint or an adult's supervision).
• Microchips: the SPCAO describes them as a complement to the licence and implants them by appointment, for $40 plus taxes.

Sectors and municipalities served

The SPCA de l'Outaouais serves Gatineau's five sectors: Aylmer, Buckingham, Gatineau, Hull and Masson-Angers. It also serves some municipalities in the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Collines-de-l'Outaouais, Papineau and Pontiac RCMs: call your municipality to find out if that includes you.

Alley cats in Gatineau

The SPCAO runs a trap, neuter and release (TNR) program for cats with no owner who wouldn't adapt to life indoors. For Gatineau residents it's free: the SPCAO and the City share the cost. You trap the cats yourself, on your own property, once you have an appointment, using a trap lent by the shelter ($75 refundable deposit). The cats get a notch in their left ear. The waiting list is several months long.

Frequently asked questions