How do you call them?

Irish Stones

Hi all!
As you have probably noticed before, I'm Italian, so sometimes my English vocabulary may lack some terms.
I'm asking you for your help for two words that I don't know.
How do you call it when a group of cats spontaneously gather in one place to form a long-term community where they live, have kittens, find shelter and food, though maintain their free-life style?
We call it a feline colony.
And how do you call it, if any, the person (woman or man) who decides to take care of them and brings them food, attends their necessities, takes them to the vet when needed, and pays all the expenses out of their pocket?

Do "feline colonies" and persons who cares them exist in Ireland? Are they protected and/or helped by any laws or authorities?

Thanks!

biko

Afaik there is no special word for either.
Colony is good and describes it well. For the person, maybe Samaritan?

Nody

Colonies exist but I can't recall them being recognized or supported as they are in Italy; in fact I think Italy is way ahead of most, if not all, European countries in that regard.

Irish Stones

biko wrote: »

Afaik there is no special word for either.
Colony is good and describes it well. For the person, maybe Samaritan?

LOL!

Irish Stones

Nody wrote: »

in fact I think Italy is way ahead of most, if not all, European countries in that regard.

Unfortunately this might be the only thing we are ahead with.

biko

What are the words in Italian?

Pretzill

Irish Stones wrote: »

Hi all!
As you have probably noticed before, I'm Italian, so sometimes my English vocabulary may lack some terms.
I'm asking you for your help for two words that I don't know.
How do you call it when a group of cats spontaneously gather in one place to form a long-term community where they live, have kittens, find shelter and food, though maintain their free-life style?
We call it a feline colony.
And how do you call it, if any, the person (woman or man) who decides to take care of them and brings them food, attends their necessities, takes them to the vet when needed, and pays all the expenses out of their pocket?

Do "feline colonies" and persons who cares them exist in Ireland? Are they protected and/or helped by any laws or authorities?

Thanks!

I don't know of any one term except maybe 'feral' the person that helps them well anything from an spca, cat rescue, animal lover, etc.

The collective noun for a group of cats is a clowder and for a group of wild cats a destruction - colony sounds perfectly acceptable.

anniehoo

Pretzill wrote: »

The collective noun for a group of cats is a clowder

How did I never know this? :pac: Excellent!

Pretzill

anniehoo wrote: »

How did I never know this? :pac: Excellent!

There's also a cluster, a glaring or my own personal fav; 'a pounce'

Thanks Wiki

Irish Stones

biko wrote: »

What are the words in Italian?

The words in Italian are:
A group of cat = Colonia felina (feline colony is the closest translation that I can think)
A person who cares them = Gattara (if woman), Gattaro (if man), words coming from the Italian word "gatto" for cat.
Of this two words I can't think of any possible translation.

Stereomaniac

There's a woman in Dunmore East who feeds all of the cats that are around the park and the harbour and has raised money to get them all neutered. Whenever a new one appears, apparently she neuters them as well. I have seen people feeding the wild cats of Kilkenny also.

Irish Stones

Pretzill wrote: »

the person that helps them well anything from an spca, cat rescue, animal lover, etc.

SPCA sounds more like an association than an individual.
Cat Rescue is more like a designated person or group of person who come to save or rescue a cat when called.
Animal lover is too generic and can be used for a person who loves all animals but not necessarily takes care of them.
Probably this figure is not well identified in the English/Irish world.

Irish Stones

Stereomaniac wrote: »

There's a woman in Dunmore East who feeds all of the cats that are around the park and the harbour and has raised money to get them all neutered. Whenever a new one appears, apparently she neuters them as well. I have seen people feeding the wild cats of Kilkenny also.

Wow!
And how does she define herself?
Do you have the chance to talk to her and ask her if her "job" has a name?

Pumpkinseeds

Italy is miles ahead of Ireland on cat welfare. Mostly they're referred to as colonies and the person who feeds them and tends to their needs is known as their caretaker:)

Karl Stein

Group of unowned cats:

A feral cat colony (or "clowder") is a population of feral cats. The term is used primarily when a noticeable population of feral cats live together in a specific location and use a common food source. The term is not typically applied to solitary cats passing through an area. A clowder can range from 3–25 cats.

Source

People who feed them.

Irish Stones

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Italy is miles ahead of Ireland on cat welfare. Mostly they're referred to as colonies and the person who feeds them and tends to their needs is known as their caretaker:)

OK, so far we determined that "colony" is an appropriate term for a group of cats, but we still miss the term for the caretaker

I'm one of those "caretakers", I tend a small colony that lives in the place where I work. At the moment they are 5 cats, but in the past they were up to 15. Two of them are here with me at home. A few of them have been rehomed, others died during the years, a couple of them disappeared.

In order to get all the advantages that the law gives to colonies and their caretakers, a colony must be registered at the environment office of the town or city.
So we have to apply for this registration, which is free of charge, at this office and then send a copy to the public health office relevant for the area.
In the registration request we have to state the exact location of the colony, the number of cats (some photos of them might help) and the name of the person who wants to take care of them.
From that moment on the colony is protected by national laws. In Italy feral and stray cats are considered a property of the State, so the law punishes anybody who could harm them.
A colony cannot be moved unless there's a danger for the colony itself, like the construction of a new road or a building. Any complaint from people who live around or that are annoyed by the presence of the cats is rejected.
The person who tends them is requested to keep the place as clean as possible and not to put public health at risk.
The town council pays all the spaying expenses for the female cats of the colony. Some town councils pays for the expenses for neutering the males as well, but it's rare.
The expenses for the food and all the medical and veterinary needs of the colony are on the caretaker.

Pumpkinseeds

I wish Irish cats enjoyed that kind of protection under the law. Here ferals and strays are classed as vermin:mad: Well done for taking care of yours:)

Irish Stones

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I wish Irish cats enjoyed that kind of protection under the law. Here ferals and strays are classed as vermin:mad: Well done for taking care of yours:)

I just found this nice video on one of your newspapers' website

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/video?vid=1.1544826

This woman cares for 150 cats.
Listen from 2:05 to 2:30, she says your very same words

Pumpkinseeds

Irish Stones wrote: »

I just found this nice video on one of your newspapers' website

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/video?vid=1.1544826

This woman cares for 150 cats.
Listen from 2:05 to 2:30, she says your very same words

Yes it's fantastic, I know another lovely lady in Clare who has a lovely cat sanctuary. She never turns a cat away and she doesn't rehome the elderly ones, they stay with her and see out their days happily and safely. It's lovely seeing the oldies snoring away happily in their little beds indoors. She does a lot of tnr work as well and has been helping ferals for a long time:)