The Russian word for cat is кошка. Many people in Russia own cats and they are especially loved by elderly women. My great grandmother had a loving cat who lived with her for many years. She woke up early in the morning to feed her cat milk «молоко». During the day, her cat liked to sleep by the window and as a child, I would ask my grandmother, «почему кошка любит спать возле окна?» “why does the cat like to sleep by the window”? My great grandmother told me that the cat liked to sleep where it was warm so the window was a good place since the sunshine came through the window.

Many cats in Russia don’t have a home and are homeless «бездомные». My grandmother’s cat used to be a homeless kitten «бездомный котёнок» and she decided to take him in and give him a home.