There is a stray cat in the courtyard.
ran-DA-jo — three syllables; stress the second; the final 'o' is clear.
Use this to discuss a stray cat with neighbours or the building administrator. In Italy, stray cats (gatti randagi) in public spaces are legally protected and cannot be removed or killed. They may be managed through the gattile municipale (city cat shelter).
Italy has a unique legal framework for urban stray cats — Law 281/1991 prohibits capturing or killing them. They are managed through a system of colonie feline (feral cat colonies) sterilised and monitored by volunteers (gattare) working with the municipality. A gatto randagio in a cortile condominiale often has an informal network of feeders and carers among residents.
C'è una gattara che si prende cura dei gatti del cortile.
There is a cat lady who takes care of the courtyard cats.
Gattara is the (sometimes slightly affectionate, sometimes mocking) term for an elderly woman who feeds stray cats.
Il gatto è ferito — devo chiamare il canile?
The cat is injured — should I call the animal shelter?
Canile is technically a dog pound; for cats, call the gattile or the ASL veterinary service.
I gatti randagi non possono essere allontanati per legge.
Stray cats cannot be removed by law.
Legal fact; useful when someone proposes removing or harming stray cats.
Italy is home to an estimated 2.5-3 million stray cats, managed through a unique voluntary system of colonie feline (feral cat colonies) that has been operating since the 1980s. Rome alone has approximately 300,000 stray cats — including famous colonies at the Colosseum, the Pyramid of Cestia, and Largo di Torre Argentina. The gattara (cat lady) who manages these colonies is a beloved figure of Roman street life, sometimes mocked but always depended upon.