Tabbys in Montreal, right now
We're currently tracking 2 adoptable Tabbies in or near Montreal, listed by 2 rescues including Owner Rehoming and Proanima. Listings update regularly, and most Tabbys in Montreal get adopted within days of being posted — if one catches your eye, reach out fast.
Adopting a tabby in Quebec
Tabby is the striped, swirled or spotted patterning that appears across most domestic cats. It is the original wild coat of the species rather than a breed, and nearly every Quebec rescue cat carries it somewhere in its ancestry even when the coat reads as solid.
In Quebec listings this colouring is usually written as « chat tigré », which is worth knowing if you are searching a shelter's own site. Most of the cats on this page come from Montreal organizations, simply because they are the ones that describe a cat's markings in writing; several Quebec shelters list a cat with no physical description at all. If this list looks short, browse the full Quebec cat listings rather than concluding these cats are not available elsewhere in the province.
Four patterns, and why filtering by tabby narrows little
There are four main variants: classic, with broad swirls on the flank; mackerel, with narrow vertical stripes; spotted; and ticked, where the banding sits within each hair and the cat can look almost plain. Most cats described simply as tabby are mackerel or classic.
Because the pattern is so widespread, filtering by it narrows your search far less than you would expect. Age, whether the cat has lived with children, dogs or other cats, and whether it wants company or prefers to be left alone are much more useful filters if you are trying to find the right match rather than the right look.
Looking more broadly? Browse every adoptable cat across the province on Cat Adoption Quebec.
The rescues that most often list Tabbys across Quebec are Chatons Orphelins Montréal. For breed-specific background, the Canadian Cat Association is a useful reference.
Tabby Adoption FAQ — Montreal
How many Tabbies are available for adoption in Montreal?
As of October 2026, Tabbies are rare in Montreal rescue — only 2 are listed right now across 2 rescues on LocalPetFinder. They tend to get adopted fast, so setting an alert is the most reliable way to find one.
Where can I adopt a tabby near me in Quebec?
LocalPetFinder gathers adoptable tabbys from the Quebec rescue organizations we cover, most of them Montreal-area, into one list. Listings refresh regularly and each profile links straight to the organization so you apply directly with them. Colour comes from each rescue's own description, so it is worth checking the full Quebec listings too.
Is tabby a breed?
No. Tabby is a coat pattern found across almost all domestic cats, and it is the ancestral wild-type marking of the species. Almost every tabby in Quebec rescue is a domestic shorthair. The pattern says nothing about behaviour; early handling, age and prior experience with people and animals are what shape a cat.
Why do fewer cats show a colour than a breed?
Because colour is not a field most shelters fill in. We read it from the written description, so a cat whose write-up never mentions its markings will not appear on a colour page even though it may well be that colour. Several Quebec shelters publish no physical description at all, and a few publish no description whatsoever, so their cats are under-represented on these pages. A short list is a limit of the source listings, not a shortage of cats.
How much does it cost to adopt a Tabby in Montreal?
Adopting a Tabby in Montreal typically costs $100 to $300, and kittens usually carry a premium at $200 to $400. The exact fee varies by rescue, and older cats are often reduced. That fee is not a purchase price. It covers work already done on the cat: spay or neuter, vaccinations, deworming, microchip, and a basic vet workup, which would cost several hundred dollars more if you arranged it yourself after buying. Buying the same breed from a registered breeder generally runs well over $1,000, usually with a waitlist. Ask the rescue what is included before you apply, since a few include extras like a starter bag of food or a first-month insurance trial.
Are these Tabby cats for sale in Montreal?
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Tabby here comes from a Montreal rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet store, or classified seller. Adoption fees are typically $100 to $300, with kittens at $200 to $400 and already include vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter when age-appropriate, versus roughly $1,000 to $3,000 or more to buy a Tabby from a breeder. If you searched "tabby for sale montreal" or "tabby kittens for sale," adopting gets you a healthy, vetted cat for a fraction of the price.
Where can I buy a Tabby in Montreal, and should I?
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. A reputable Tabby breeder typically charges $1,000 to $3,000 or more and often has a waitlist, while a rescue Tabby costs $100 to $300, with kittens at $200 to $400 fully vetted and may be available now. Be cautious of cheap tabby-for-sale ads on classified sites and marketplaces, which are frequently backyard breeders or kitten-mill resellers with unvetted, sometimes sick animals and no health guarantee. If you do buy, insist on seeing where the kittens were raised and getting vet records. For most families in Montreal, adopting a rescue Tabby is cheaper, faster, and gives a cat in need a home.
Are there free Tabby cats in Montreal, or tabbies under $500?
Adoption is the closest honest answer, and it is not free. A rescue Tabby in Montreal typically costs $100 to $300, with kittens at $200 to $400, which is comfortably under the "$500" people search for. What the fee buys is work already done, the vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter, which would cost more than the fee itself if you arranged it yourself, and it is still far below breeder prices. Be wary of genuinely free tabby listings. An animal advertised free to a good home has usually not been vetted, and free rehoming ads are the route flippers and unregistered breeders use to move animals with no health guarantee and no recourse. Paying a rescue fee buys you a cat someone has already examined, treated, and been honest with you about.
Are there Tabby kittens in Montreal, or only adults?
Both, but adults far outnumber kittens, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Tabbies arriving in Montreal rescue are adolescents and adults, because that is the age at which first homes tend to give up. Kittens do come through, usually as accidental litters or with a surrendered mother, and they are typically spoken for quickly. Setting an alert beats refreshing the page. It is also worth asking whether you actually want one: an adult arrives with a temperament a foster has already observed and described, where a Tabby kitten is a prediction, and for this breed in particular knowing what you are getting is the more useful thing.
Where can I find a Tabby near me in Montreal?
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from Montreal rescues and shelters and are refreshed regularly, so what you see is what is genuinely available rather than a stale directory. If nothing suits today, that is normal for this breed: rescue intake is intermittent rather than steady, and a breed with none listed this week often has several next month. Setting an alert beats checking back, and it is worth widening to nearby towns, since most rescues serving Montreal will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one municipality.
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