street slang, a “cathouse” typically refers to a brothel. If you mean housing for actual street cats, the most common terms are cat shelters or feral cat shelters. [1, 2, 3, 4]

For real-world terminology and care, the context of street cats depends on their lifestyle: [1]

Key Terminology

• Community Cats: An umbrella term for unowned, free-roaming cats that live outdoors. This includes both “feral” (wild, unsocialized to humans) and “stray” (lost or abandoned pets) cats.
• Cat Colony: A group of community cats that live and gather together in a specific territory.
• Catio: A secured, enclosed outdoor “patio” that allows cats to safely experience the outdoors. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Housing & Care Solutions

• Feral Cat Shelters: Weatherproof, insulated outdoor boxes (often DIYed from plastic storage tubs or coolers) designed to keep street cats warm and dry in the winter. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• TNR Programs: The standard for managing street cat populations, standing for Trap-Neuter-Return. It involves humanely trapping community cats, getting them vaccinated and spayed/neutered, and returning them to their outdoor home. [1, 2]
• Cattery: A professional boarding or breeding facility for cats. [1, 2]

If you are looking for local shelters, you can find regional Trap-Neuter-Return groups or resources via organizations like Alley Cat Allies. [1, 2, 3]