import re
l = ['cats and dogs', 'parrot', 'turtle']
a = 'I love parrots'
#print(sum(sum(1 for _ in re.finditer(r'\b%s\b' % re.escape(i), a)) for i in l))
print(bool(re.search(r'(?<!\w)(?:{})(?!\w)'.format('|'.join(map(re.escape, l))), a)))
aW1wb3J0IHJlCmwgPSBbJ2NhdHMgYW5kIGRvZ3MnLCAncGFycm90JywgJ3R1cnRsZSddCmEgPSAnSSBsb3ZlIHBhcnJvdHMnCiNwcmludChzdW0oc3VtKDEgZm9yIF8gaW4gcmUuZmluZGl0ZXIocidcYiVzXGInICUgcmUuZXNjYXBlKGkpLCBhKSkgZm9yIGkgaW4gbCkpCnByaW50KGJvb2wocmUuc2VhcmNoKHInKD88IVx3KSg/Ont9KSg/IVx3KScuZm9ybWF0KCd8Jy5qb2luKG1hcChyZS5lc2NhcGUsIGwpKSksIGEpKSk=