Could Montreal open a cat museum?

A pop-up exhibit near Montreal’s Jean-Talon Market is becoming the cat’s meow. It could also become the first cat museum in Canada.

Executive director Aqeela Nahani says the idea of Le Miaousée was sparked by a book.

“I read about courageous cats who have died and done notable things in history,” she says.

The self-proclaimed animal-lover debuted the exhibit for a run from Sept. 12 to 28.

But thanks to positive community response and local partnerships Le Miaousée will now extend to mid-October.

“For this exhibit, in particular, we’re focusing on the history of Montreal and how cats play a place in it. So the exhibit covers how cats arrived in Montreal, in Quebec, their place in family and society from the 1860s onward,” Nahani says.

On top of lessons in history, visitors can purchase cat-themed art, trinkets and even take watercolor workshops with artists like Jocelyne Koss.

“Cats is something everybody loves. You are not insensitive to cats,” Koss says.

The odds are in Nahani’s favour for the museum to find permanent footing in Quebec. According to Statistics Canada roughly one quarter of households in the province had a cat in 2023. That’s above the national average of 21 per cent.

While you’re less likely to see real cats roaming Le Miaousée for now, Nahani says that’s the plan for 2026.

“The plan for the first floor is to have a temporary exhibit space, expand the boutique and also have a cat lounge with real rescue cats,” the executive director says.

“For the second floor, we would like to have permanent exhibits. [...] And for the third floor, our dream is to have a bed and breakfast,” she explains.

Whether or not the museum’s bed and breakfast comes to light will depend on zoning.

However with the help of fundraising, Nahani hopes to open the permanent Le Miaousée in the same location next spring.