strayed

An animal that has wandered away from its owner or home is called a stray. A lost cat might be considered a stray.

You'll often hear people talking about strays when they're discussing animals that don't have homes. In cities, shelters usually take care of strays until someone comes to adopt them. If you see a stray wandering around your neighborhood, it's best not to approach it - sometimes these animals can be scared or even aggressive if they've been on their own for too long.