stray
n. countablen. a pet that is lost or has no home. You often see these animals wandering the streets alone.
n. a domestic animal that is wandering at large or is lost. Often refers to a dog or cat without an owner or a permanent home.
The local shelter took in a stray yesterday.
After the storm, several strays were found wandering near the park looking for food and warmth.
While some people assume every stray is feral, many are simply lost pets that would benefit from a microchip scan to identify their original owners.
From Middle English stray, strey, from Anglo-Norman estray, stray, Old French estrai, from the verb (see below).
From Middle English strayen, partly from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin via strata, and partly from Middle English strien, streyen, streyȝen (“to spread, scatter”), from Old English strēġan (“to strew”).
From Middle English stray, from the noun (see above).