Want a better life for one stray cat..

This is Fluffer.

I used to care for a colony of stray cats until I moved away to college. My mom & sister cared about the cats too and fed them in my absence. That was until my dad hauled them all off to some guy's house. I don't know where this is or how they are...I was and still am devastated 10 months later. Fluffer used to be a member of the colony until one of the cats started to be aggressive to her, and she ran off. In that way she became the only one of the cats left in the area, as she was gone when they were all taken.

I see her every couple months or so. I cannot even describe how happy I am when I do. She's all I have left of my cats. However I'm very concerned for her this winter. I know the best thing to do for cats that have to stay outside is get them a winter shelter, but this is my parents' house and it would not go over well with my dad. He was already criticizing me excessively for feeding her tonight, complaining that I'm encouraging her to stay. She doesn't really stay, she just moves on to wherever she can get a meal at the time.

Now to get to my point. She needs a better life than searching for meals and shivering all winter. She may or may not have a place she hides elsewhere...I really don't know. All I know is I looked in her eyes tonight, and even after I fed her she did not look happy.

There is a really great no kill shelter in the city where I go to school. I doubt they have openings, but I know I need to try something. My question is, how can you really know a no kill shelter or sanctuary is the best option for a certain cat? She was born outside and has never been indoors a day in her life that I know, though I wouldn't call her feral. She's a bit skittish, but she loves the attention when I pet her, and she rubs up against me. She knows me though. She seems scared of strangers, definitely dogs, and (maybe) most other cats. She loved the other cats in her family, but she's always hissing in fear at the neighbor's very sweet boy cat and never really got on with their female cat when they had her either. I don't know if she has many friendly interactions with other cats now as I don't know what her other life away from here is like, other than she's probably in the trailer park across the street.

I would love any suggestions about what to do about her. I don't want to give her a terrifying experience, but I don't want to let her live outdoors her whole life if that's not good for her. I just don't know what to do. But thank you for reading this.

Hi... The fact that she lived all her life outdoors doesn't mean she won't adapt and be happy indoors...
My Little girl Hope was outdoors all her life, little feral girl, and today she is happy happy inside, has LOTS of love, plenty of food, is healthy, play tons with her buddy Lucky... She is a HAPPY girl, and a guarantee you that if she could speak, and if someone asked, she would NOT want to choose the hard life of the outside.

It sounds to me that your girl is very friendly... likes petting... IMO she would have no problem adapting to an inside life.

There is a lot you can do to enrich their lives - toys, window sills, shelves, cat trees, scratching posts... and LOVE!

If you can take her to your home - the place you live (away, in college), IMO that is the best thing to do for this girl; not only you will be adding MANY years to her life, you will be increasing considerably her quality of life as well. And for you... Awww..... there is nothing like having a kitty to come home to
As for your dad, gee... it is just a cat...
Good luck!

Thank you.

Well I'd love to take her but my dorm has a strict no pet policy. I wouldn't have anywhere to keep her until next summer after I graduate and get my apartment. So I guess I need to work on finding her another place to say. That is encouraging to know they can go from feral to inside kitties. My cats used to sneak inside every once in a while but they would freak out once in. But yeah I guess she could adapt. Maybe I should be taking her to the humane society where I go to school and see how she does in that environment. I will be working with the cats there starting in January. Would be amazing to see her and help with her. That's if they have any openings at all..