Cats have been paw-pular subjects in art from the Ancient Egyptians through to Leonardo da Vinci’s detailed sketches of felines and Theophile Steinlen’s iconic poster for Le Chat Noir Cabaret, but the cat museum is a relatively new phenomenon. Even so, there an impressive number of these single-purr-pose institutions, from the DBKU Cat Museum in Malaysia to the KattenKabinet in Amsterdam and the Moscow Cat Museum. (And of course, the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg has its historic squad of feline guards.)
Now Canada is getting in on the feline museum trend with the Montreal debut of Le Miaousée, a play on the French words for “meow” and “museum”. The brainchild of the cat-loving cultural entrepreneur Aqeela Nahani, the museum aims to showcase all things feline, celebrate “the bond between cats and humans” and support rescue cat charities.
The institution’s soft launch will feature a pop-up exhibition in the city’s trendy Little Italy district next month, Miaoutréal: The History of Montreal’s Cats (12-28 September). The show will chronicle Montreal’s feline history, from the first cats’ arrivals during the colonial era to their surreptitious presence during historical events, contemporary rescue efforts and more.
The exhibition will comprise archival photographs of Montrealers and their cats, some dating back to the 1860s; a look at Montreal’s first cat show in 1875; plus cat-themed events across the decades anda tribute to animal rescue organisations—including the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founded in 1869. The exhibition will also feature cat-inspired contemporary art by Montreal-based artists including Sylvain Amblard, Andréanne Lupien and Linda Luttinger. Also featured will be photographs of street art from the city’s Alley Cat Gallery.
Each weekend during the run of the show the Réseau Secours Animal will host a fundraising market featuring local artists, vendors and a tattoo artist offering cat-inspired tattoos on-site, with proceeds supporting the organisation’s rescue operation.
“We’re laying the foundation for a permanent cat museum in 2026,” Nahani says, “which will include permanent and rotating exhibits, a cat lounge for adoptable rescue cats and a boutique filled with cat-themed products.”
While most existing cat museums focus primarily on art, Nahanis says, “Le Miaousée will bring together a rich mix of cat-related fields (art, science, popular culture, animal welfare and history), creating a space as diverse and dynamic as cats themselves.”
To support the project financially, the pop-up exhibition will be accompanied by a fundraising campaign on the Québecois crowdfunding platform La Ruche. Nahani adds: “We also plan to pursue grants and corporate sponsorships, using the exhibit’s success as proof of the museum’s relevance and importance to Montreal.”
- Miaoutréal: The History of Montreal’s Cats, 12-28 September, Le Miaousée pop-up space, 215 Rue de Castelnau East, Montreal
