A community cat is a cat that is not owned by anyone and that is not socialized to humans. Community cats are also known as feral cats. Community cats will keep their distance or run from humans whom they do not trust, and they usually will not let even trusted humans touch them. Community cats can live long and healthy lives outdoors, but unless they are spayed or neutered, the community cat population will continue to grow. Once residents notice community cats, it is important to start conducting trap, neuter, return, or TNR. This helps keeps the number of feral cats down. More information about TNR can be found on the TNR page. For more detailed information on community cats, visit Alley Cat Allies.
Stray cats are socialized to humans; they will approach a human and let humans touch them and/or otherwise handle them. If you want to help a friendly stray cat, you must attempt to find out if the cat has an owner. If the cat has no collar with an ID tag or an ID tag with no contact information, the first step is to contact your local shelter—in Cincinnati, that is the SPCA Cincinnati. Let them know that you found a friendly stray and follow any instructions you are given. You will probably be asked to bring the cat in to be scanned for a microchip. If the cat has a microchip, follow any instruction you are given. If you want to house the cat during the search for its owner, ask if you can do so. According to the SPCA website, lost pets are listed on their Lost Pets page for three days. After three days, if the cat doesn't have a microchip or ID tag, it will be processed for adoption. For a more in-depth guide on what to do if you want to help a friendly stray cat, check out Ohio Alleycat Resource's Finding Homes for Cats page.