Starting March 20th, the City of Québec will enforce mandatory registration of cats, a measure announced in its latest municipal budget. This decision aims to contribute to the funding for managing the feline population, estimated at over 130,000 individuals within the territory.

 

Description of the Measure

The annual cost of registering a cat is set at $12. This initiative follows the trend of major cities in the province that have already implemented similar policies for dogs for several years.

Scope of the Requirement

All cats residing in the City of Québec will be subject to this registration requirement. According to an estimate based on a survey conducted by Léger in March 2023, the cat population stands at 130,200 individuals, with 31% of Québec households owning at least one cat.

Registration conditions

Citizens will be able to register their felines online on the City's website or at a borough office . Although cat registration has been possible since 2020, it was previously optional, as the City reminds.

Impact on shelters

In 2023, cats represented approximately 70% of admissions to the municipal SPA shelter in Quebec, thus highlighting the importance of this measure for the management of animal populations in the city. Government financial assistance of nearly $700,000 was also granted to the SPA of Quebec for the management of animals in this shelter, due to the increase in abandonments since the pandemic. The Quebec branch currently hosts more than 30 cats who are all waiting to be adopted.

 

This reform aims to better control the feline population while ensuring adequate funding for the municipal services concerned, while offering owners a simple and accessible way to register their pets.