Community cat

Community cat is a broad word for cats that live outdoors in a neighbourhood. It includes unsocialised feral cat animals, lost or abandoned pets, friendly stray cat animals, and owned cats that are allowed to roam. Many people prefer it to terms like feral or stray, which can sound final, because a cat found outside is not always unowned or untameable.

The term is common in animal welfare circles and shelter policy. Community cats may live alone or in groups called colonies, and often depend on food from people who look after them, or on the scraps and prey they find. They face dangers such as traffic, disease, cold, fights and parasites.

How a community should treat them is debated. Many shelters and welfare groups support trap-neuter-return, which stops breeding and returns the cats to the place they know, while some wildlife groups point out the harm outdoor cats do to birds and small animals and prefer other methods. Local laws on feeding, colonies and outdoor cats vary. If you find a community cat that seems friendly or hurt, check for a microchip or collar, ask neighbours, and contact a local shelter or rescue for advice before moving it.