stray cat; alley cat; brazen food-stealing cat
Refers to a stray or alley cat, often with a nuance of being bold, mischievous, or a food thief. The どら part comes from どら息子 (prodigal son) or どら (lazy, good-for-nothing), giving a negative or rough connotation.
A stray cat from the neighborhood ran off with a fish from the kitchen.
That alley cat is always rummaging through the trash cans.
Katakana variant of the first part, sometimes used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
Compound of どら (from どら息子, meaning 'prodigal son' or 'good-for-nothing') and 猫 (cat). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since at least the Edo period to describe stray cats with a thieving or unruly nature.