Quebec health officials confirm 2nd Montreal cat with raccoon rabies

Quebec health officials say three more people have received emergency preventative treatment after possible rabies exposure.

It has been confirmed that a second cat has raccoon rabies, the Montérégie Public Health Department said in an update Monday.

This cat was found in Saint-Anicet in the Montérégie region.

A spokesperson for the public health department confirmed to Global News the three people who received treatment were in addition to cases of possible exposure reported at the end of July.

The Quebec government confirmed on July 29 that it had identified the first case of raccoon rabies in a cat in Godmanchester in the Montérégie region.

Three people were treated with what is known as post-exposure prophylaxis, which includes a multi-dose vaccine series, after they came into contact with that cat.

Officials say it is not uncommon for emergency preventative treatment to be given but are reminding the public to be proactive 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,” public health officials said.

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

Raccoon rabies is on the rise in Quebec. According to the province, 139 cases of raccoon rabies have been confirmed so far in 2026. In 2025, there were 93 confirmed cases across the province over the whole year.

Approximately 80 per cent of the cases in 2026 were identified in the Montérégie region.

To reduce the risk of rabies, the province recommends the following steps: