Quebec health officials confirm 2nd Montreal cat with raccoon rabies

Quebec health officials have confirmed a second cat in Montreal has contracted raccoon rabies, leading to three additional individuals receiving emergency preventative treatment. The affected feline was discovered in Saint-Anicet, within the Montérégie region.

This new case follows the confirmation of the first raccoon rabies case in a cat in Godmanchester, also in the Montérégie region, on July 29. Three people were treated with post-exposure prophylaxis after contact with that initial cat.

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This new case serves as a reminder that rabies continues to spread among wild animals and that domestic animals can also be infected.

Public health officials emphasized that while preventative treatment is not uncommon, the public should remain vigilant when interacting with animals. "This new case serves as a reminder that rabies continues to spread among wild animals and that domestic animals can also be infected," a spokesperson stated. Residents are urged to report any dead, injured, disoriented, paralyzed, or unusually aggressive animals.

Raccoon rabies is on the rise in Quebec. The province has confirmed 139 cases of raccoon rabies in 2026 to date, a significant increase from the 93 cases recorded throughout all of 2025. Approximately 80 percent of this year's cases have been identified in the Montérégie region. To mitigate rabies risks, the province advises keeping pets vaccinated, supervising them outdoors, avoiding contact with unknown or wild animals, and consulting a veterinarian if a pet encounters a wild animal.

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The public is urged to be particularly vigilant and to report any dead, injured, disoriented, paralyzed, or unusually aggressive animals.