Definition

1. Noun:
   • Feral cat: A domestic cat that has returned to a wild state, living independently of human care and often in colonies.
   • Stray cat: A cat that is lost or abandoned and lives without a permanent home, but may still be somewhat socialized to humans.
   • Wildcat (in a general sense): In common usage, it can refer to small wild felines, though this is less precise.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Khu vườn bỏ hoang là nơi trú ẩn của nhiều con mèo hoang. (The abandoned garden is a shelter for many feral cats.)
  • Cô ấy thường để thức ăn ra cho những chú mèo hoang trong ngõ. (She often puts food out for the stray cats in the alley.)
  • Tiếng mèo hoang kêu vào ban đêm nghe rất đáng sợ. (The sound of feral cats crying at night is very scary.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "mèo hoang" often carries a connotation of resilience, independence, and a tough, untamed life, unlike a pampered pet.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe a person who is fiercely independent, unruly, or lives outside conventional social norms.
  • Anh ta sống như một con mèo hoang, không thuộc về nơi nào. (He lives like a stray cat, belonging nowhere.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mèo nhà (n): Domestic cat, house cat.

  • Mèo nhà thường thân thiện hơn mèo hoang. (Domestic cats are usually friendlier than feral cats.)

• Mèo rừng (n): Wildcat (specifically referring to true wild feline species like the Asian wildcat).

  • Mèo rừng là một loài động vật hoang dã được bảo vệ. (The wildcat is a protected wildlife species.)

Synonyms

• Stray cat: A homeless cat.
• Feral cat: A cat born and raised in the wild with little human contact.
• Alley cat: An informal term for a cat living on the streets.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Sống kiểu mèo hoang: To live a wandering, unsettled, or independent life.

  • Sau khi mất việc, anh ấy sống kiểu mèo hoang suốt mấy tháng. (After losing his job, he lived like a stray cat for months.)

• Mắt mèo hoang: (Eyes like a feral cat's) Describing eyes that are wary, sharp, or glowing in the dark.

  • Đứa trẻ có đôi mắt mèo hoang, nhìn xuyên thấu mọi thứ. (The child has feral cat eyes, seeing through everything.)