Lost or found cat in Quebec City: who to call

I've lost my cat in Quebec City

1. Search close by first

   House, basement, shed, under the balconies, quietly. The details are in our hour-by-hour guide.

2. Report them to the SPA de Québec

   Fill out its lost animal form. It's required, even if you think you've spotted your cat among the found animals. The notice is kept two weeks, and can be renewed by phone at 418-527-9104.

3. Check the list of found animals

   The SPA posts them at spadequebec.ca/liste-animaux-trouves. Each listing shows the municipality where the animal was found and the date it comes down.

4. Think you recognize them?

   Once the form is filled out, call 418-527-9104 to make an appointment. The shelter is at 1130 avenue Galilée.

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 Quebec City

• Bring them to the shelter, 1130 avenue Galilée, during opening hours. The City and the SPA don't post the same hours: call before you go.
• Or call 418-527-9104, day and night, and stay with the cat until the pickup service arrives.
• You'd rather not handle them: the SPA rents out humane traps.
• The cat must have been found in a municipality the SPA de Québec serves.
• A cat outdoors isn't necessarily lost: how to tell.

Getting your cat back

The SPA asks for photo ID showing your address, and a claim fee. Under the City's bylaw, the owner pays for transport, capture, boarding and veterinary care, within five days of the invoice.

The deadline is short. A stray cat is held three business days to give their owner time to claim them. After that, they can be adopted or otherwise disposed of.

The rules in Quebec City

• Registration required, within 30 days of getting the cat or moving in: $13 a year, tag and taxes included. Replacement tag: $11. Cats under 6 months are exempt. Online at dossieranimal.ville.quebec.qc.ca, or at a service centre.
• Microchip required, except for a cat under 6 months or with a vet's written contraindication. A microchipped cat doesn't have to wear their tag. The City holds microchipping days at $38, registration included; the SPA de Québec does it for $52, by appointment.
• Sterilization required.
• Feeding a stray cat is forbidden, except within a trap, sterilize and return program authorized by the City.

Street cats in Quebec City

The SPA de Québec has a stray cat control program (TNR, called CSRM in French). You first register with your city to declare the colony, then rent a trap from the SPA (April 1 to November 1). You bring the cat in to be sterilized, pick them up and release them; they keep a tipped ear. No owner must come forward, and you must live in a participating city.

Frequently asked questions