1.
stray cat; feral cat
A cat that lives outdoors without an owner. May be a former pet that was abandoned or a cat born in the wild.
A compound of 野良 (stray, ownerless — originally meaning "field") and 猫 (cat).
Common collocations
- 野良猫に餌をやる (to feed stray cats)
- 野良猫を保護する (to rescue a stray cat)
- 野良猫の世話 (caring for stray cats)
- 地域猫 (community cat — managed stray cat)
In Japan, the issue of 野良猫 is a significant community topic. Many neighborhoods have volunteer groups that practice TNR (捕獲・不妊手術・返還: trap-neuter-return) and manage stray cat populations as 地域猫 (community cats). The related term 野良犬 means "stray dog."