stray

This generosity makes our hearts as warm as a kitten in a knitted blanket.

This ruined square is widely considered to be the site of Julius Caesar's assassination, but that's not the only reason it's famous. After Largo di Torre Argentina was rediscovered and excavated in 1929, it didn't take long for throngs of Rome's famously feral felines to take up residence within the archaelogical treasure. There are now more than 250 cats currently living in or around the site, and tourists and local cat enthusiasts flock to watch them sunbathe and socialize amongst the ruins. In response to the growing feline population, a nearby no-kill shelter called Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary does its best to keep up with the care of these charming kitties, from tending to sick or wounded individuals to organizing trap-neuter-release programs. 

Willie Ortiz, a senior citizen living in Hartford, Connecticut, has dedicated his life to caring for the city's stray cats. When his GoFundMe for the animals went viral, he raised more money than he could have possibly imagined.

Unfortunately, there's an overabundance of stray cats across the globe. And, sometimes we can't take them in, or the local shelters are too full. So, in those situations, you can at least help them by making them comfortable, joyful, and making sure their tummies are full. Here are some clever hacks to make any stray cat happy.

At least 5 stray dogs in India have turned blue after swimming in a heavily polluted river near Navi Mumbai.

Riga, the capital city of Latvia, launched a unique project called "Outdoor cat houses" where 80 tiny homes have been built all around the city in order to help stray cats survive the harsh winter. The wooden houses are built up against apartment buildings, have two exits and can fit up to five cats. All houses were built by a native Latvian master, using donations made to a non-profit local cat organization called Cat Care Community. Big like!