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This guide is a home-care support tool. It does not replace personalized advice from your veterinarian. For any questions, contact us at 514 223-1197.
Getting your home ready before they arrive
A little preparation, and your puppy or kitten feels safe from minute one. Three things to set up, tailored to each species.
A space of their own
A puppy needs a quiet rest corner and easy access to their toilet spot; a den-crate and gates help keep them safe. A kitten wants a calm corner, a litter box away from their food, a tall, sturdy vertical scratching post, and high perches to watch the world from above.
The right growth food
Choose a growth (puppy or kitten) food, split into several small meals. Portion by their body condition rather than the package, which usually overshoots, and fine-tune with the vet. Large-breed puppies need controlled growth, with no added calcium. Skip the bowl of cow's milk: once weaned, they can't digest it and get diarrhea.
Everyone their own resources
For a cat, the rule is simple: one litter box per cat, plus one, and food away from the box. For a puppy, a stable bowl, fresh water at all times, and chew toys suited to their erupting teeth. A predictable setup reassures a young animal.
Secure it, without reinventing the wheel
Electrical cords, cleaning products, plants, small swallowable objects: a young animal explores with their mouth. Rather than repeat it all here, we have two full guides for you: your home room by room, and toxic foods and products.
The first days: the 3-3-3 rule
A handy marker, especially for an adopted animal: figure roughly 3 days to decompress and hide a bit, 3 weeks to settle in and show their true personality, and 3 months to truly feel at home. It isn't exact science, but it helps you not worry about a shy start.
The first vet visit: far more than a shot
This is the appointment that sets the tone. We take the time to check everything, answer your questions, and build a plan tailored to your new companion.
What the vet checks
- A nose-to-tail exam: the heart (listening for a congenital murmur), the belly, eyes, ears, palate, the bite and baby teeth, and in a male, whether the testicles have descended.
- Weight and growth curve, with a body condition score: neither too thin nor too round, a real health marker.
- A parasite check: a stool test, and deworming done as a matter of course, because a single negative test isn't enough to rule out worms.
- For a kitten: screening for feline leukemia (FeLV) and immunodeficiency virus (FIV), recommended for every new cat.
What to bring
The record and paperwork from the breeder or shelter (what's already been done matters a lot), a fresh stool sample if you can, and a list of what they eat. Jot down your questions too: none of them are silly.
New here? Welcome
We welcome new clients with no waiting list, which has become rare in Montreal. Our first-visit page walks you through how it works, what to prepare, and how to book.
Vaccines, deworming, and the microchip
Three pillars protect your young animal for life. Here's the logic of each: your vet sets the details based on their age, lifestyle, and the risks here.
Vaccines: a series, not one shot
A puppy or kitten gets a series of vaccines, not a single dose: the antibodies inherited from their mother fade gradually and can neutralize a vaccine given too early, hence several visits up to about 16 weeks of age. We separate core vaccines from those chosen by lifestyle; in kittens, protection against feline leukemia is now recommended for all. Rabies is not province-wide mandatory in Quebec, but remains a core vaccine: we'll discuss it together.
Deworming: early, even in perfect health
Puppies and kittens very often carry worms from birth, passed on by their mother before they're even born or through her milk: that's why we deworm early and often, then space it out. Some of these worms can pass to humans, especially children: wash your hands and pick up stool. The exact schedule belongs to your vet.
Fleas, ticks, and heartworm
Parasite protection is chosen by weight and age, often from about 8 weeks. In Montreal, heartworm (spread by mosquitoes) is a seasonal risk, and ticks are spreading through southern Quebec: your vet decides which protection and which season fit.
The microchip: the ticket back home
Placed in seconds, it links your pet to your contact details for life. But a chip only works if it's registered with a registry and your details are current: that's what brings a lost pet home. Remember to register it, and to update the address if you move.
Getting them used to care, the carrier, and the car
A few minutes a day now spares them a lifetime of stress at the vet, in the car, and during grooming. The principle: gentleness, rewards, never force.
Touch everywhere, gently
Handle their paws, lift their ears, look at their mouth, hold a claw, always followed by a treat. You're mimicking the vet exam's moves, and they learn these signal something pleasant.
The carrier, a friend (especially kittens)
Leave the carrier open and accessible all the time, with a cozy cushion and the odd treat inside. A kitten who links it to comfort, not just the trip to the vet, travels without drama their whole life.
The car, in small doses
Get them used to it with very short, pleasant rides that grow little by little, and sometimes take trips that don't end at the vet. On the road, they travel in a crash-tested carrier or harness, secured on the floor behind the front seats: never loose, never on the front seat with an active airbag.
Teeth: start young, never human toothpaste
Getting a young animal used to brushing is far easier than an adult. Always use a toothpaste made for pets: human toothpaste contains fluoride and sometimes xylitol, both toxic to them. It's all in our brushing guide.
Cats: a scratching post, never declawing
Scratching is a normal, healthy need: a cat maintains their claws, marks territory, and stretches. We redirect it to a sturdy vertical post, we don't remove it. Non-medical declawing has in fact been banned in Quebec since 2024.
Introducing the newcomer to your other pets
Already have a pet at home? A rushed meeting often goes badly and mends slowly. A few days of patience, on the other hand, lay the groundwork for calm cohabitation.
Start with a separation, not a meeting
Settle the newcomer in a separate room for the first days. This step serves two equally important goals: protecting everyone's health (time for a vet exam and to rule out fleas, worms, or a contagious illness), and letting each animal get used to the other's scent before they meet. Trust the vet's exam, not just the calendar: if the newcomer comes from a shelter or an unknown source, be more careful.
The method that works: step by step
- Scent first: swap cloths between them, and feed them on either side of a closed door, so the other's smell means a good moment.
- Then sight, no contact: a gate or a cracked door, for a few moments, rewarding calm.
- Finally contact, short and supervised: the dog on leash, the cat free to approach or not. Always end on a good note, before stress builds.
- Never force, and never scold a hiss or a growl: it's a normal warning, to respect, not to punish.
Everyone their own territory
Separate the resources: bowls, beds, and above all the cat's litter box, out of the dog's reach. The cat must always be able to escape to a high perch, a room, or furniture the dog can't reach. A plug-in pheromone may help a little, worth discussing with the vet, but it doesn't replace these steps.
Predation can't be trained away
Some dogs with a strong hunting drive will never be safe left alone unsupervised with a cat, rabbit, bird, or rodent. It isn't a training question but a lifelong safety one: complete separation whenever you're not there.
A new cat? Screen them first
Before introducing a new cat to your resident cats, have them screened for feline leukemia (FeLV) and immunodeficiency virus (FIV): these viruses spread between cats. Our fact sheet explains why and how.
Children and the new pet
Never leave a young child alone with a puppy or kitten, even the gentlest one. Teach children to leave them be when they eat, sleep, or hide, to pet gently, and to read their signals. It's the best protection for everyone.
The local rules, the budget, and insurance
Adopting in Montreal comes with a few obligations, and a budget to plan for. Best to know them from the start, to avoid nasty surprises.
What Montreal requires
Every dog and cat over 6 months must be microchipped and spayed or neutered, and you must provide proof of both to get or renew the annual pet licence. Animals 6 months and under are exempt: so the smart move is to plan the chip and the surgery before that mark. Details and fees are on the City's official page.
City of Montreal pet licence (opens in a new tab)Spay/neuter: law and health
In Montreal it's both a municipal requirement and a health and behavior choice (fewer litters, less roaming, and less of certain diseases). The best timing is decided with your vet, based on species, size, and lifestyle. We'll talk it through at the first visit.
Spay and neuter guideThe first-year budget
The first year costs more than the ones after: a series of exams and vaccines, dewormers and parasite prevention, spay/neuter, microchip, growth food, and gear. Planning this budget from the start saves a lot of stress, and having to choose between two treatments.
Insurance: the right time is young and healthy
If pet insurance appeals to you, enrolling early is the key: once a problem appears, it becomes a “pre-existing condition” that insurers exclude. Watch out too for the waiting period, the window after enrollment during which you aren't yet covered. Compare at your own pace; we're happy to answer your questions.
When to call us promptly
A young animal tires and dehydrates fast: some signs shouldn't wait for the next appointment.
- A sudden change in appetite or behavior: lethargy, refusing food, diarrhea or vomiting that lasts.
- Labored breathing, a cough, or discharge from the nose or eyes.
- Lots of fleas or ticks, or circular patches of hair loss with crusting (ringworm doesn't always itch).
- Wounds, a swollen painful belly, or anything that worries you: your instinct counts.
- They stop eating or drinking for several hours: in a very young animal, that can't be left to drag on.
Straining to pee with nothing coming out
This is an emergency, especially in males: a blocked bladder can turn fatal within a day or two. Don't wait. Call us right away; in the evening or overnight, head to an emergency centre.
Your questions, answered
What new owners ask us most, including what they don't always dare to say.
At what age should you adopt a puppy or kitten?
Can I mix my unvaccinated puppy with my vaccinated adult dog?
When can my kitten go outside?
My young pet gets carsick. Is it serious?
Are two kittens better than one?
Do I really need to deworm a healthy-looking puppy or kitten?
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, I think I jumped in too fast. Did I make a mistake?
Read next
A good start is built together
Health, socialization, introductions, safety: a lot at once, but nothing insurmountable one step at a time. Take your time, reward, never force, and lean on us when a doubt comes up. The first weeks go by fast, and they lay the foundation for a whole life together.
Ready to welcome your new companion?
Book the first visit or write to us: we check their health, build their vaccine and prevention plan, and answer all your new-owner questions. Welcome to the family.
Socialization: a window that doesn't come back
It's the highest-return investment of their whole life. For a few weeks, your young animal learns that the world is safe, or learns to fear it. What you do now shapes the adult they become.
The puppy: about 3 to 14 weeks
This is when they take to novelty most easily: people of all ages, other balanced dogs, sounds, surfaces, car rides. The window gradually closes around 14 to 16 weeks. Every week counts, so don't waste it.
The kitten: even earlier, about 2 to 7 weeks
In cats, the key window is earlier and shorter: much of it plays out before adoption even happens, at the breeder or foster home. All the more reason to start gently on day one at home, and keep going to about 14 weeks.
Wait for the last shot? No
This is the most common mistake, and a costly one. In dogs under three, it's behavior problems, above all fear and aggression, and not infectious disease, that are the leading cause of death. Isolating a puppy until their final shot makes them miss their one and only window. The right balance: socialize early, but carefully. Carry them in public places, choose clean surfaces and healthy, vaccinated dogs you know, and look into puppy classes (small supervised group, similar age, disinfected space), possible from the first round of vaccines. Talk to us: we'll tailor it to your situation.
How to socialize well
A passing fear phase isn't a failure
Don't panic if your young animal, who was doing fine, suddenly turns more fearful for a few days or weeks: these “fear periods” are a normal developmental stage. Keep it gentle, don't force it or overdo it, and let them regain confidence at their own pace.