Street cats are often called:
- Feral cats: The most common and accurate term, referring to cats that are wild and have never been domesticated.
- Stray cats: Cats that were once domesticated but have become lost or abandoned.
- Community cats: A term increasingly used for both feral and stray cats, as they are often part of a community and rely on people for food and shelter.
Informal terms include:
- Alley cats: Cats that live in alleys or urban areas.
- Tomcats: Generally refers to male cats, especially feral or stray ones.
The term "stray" can be misleading because it implies the cat is lost and looking for its owner. Many cats considered strays are actually feral and have never been domesticated.