Stray or outdoor cat?

I posted recently that a cat has been coming to my house recently. I have fed it and given it shelter outside. The next step is to try to get it in a crate so I can take it to at least get spayed/neutered. I have yet to determine if it's male or female.
In any case, the cat is EXTREMELY friendly. It rolls over and wants to play. It is not at all afraid of people and comes right up to everyone, even reaching up to put its front paws on you. It also appears to try to meow or hiss but nothing comes out. That concerns me a little. I don't know what kind of cat illnesses could cause a loss of voice. Also, after it eats, it coughs. It doesn't bring anything up.

So, is this a cat that needs care, regardless of whether it belongs to someone or not?
Because it does seem to come around at the same time everyday and is so friendly, I'm inclined to believe that it does belong to someone. It is not de-clawed, so it could be an outdoor cat. On the other hand, it could be a stray. I'm not sure what to do. It looks like it would make a very nice pet. It also appears to be pretty young.

Oh, boy - a real pickle.  First thing I'd do is check with the neighbors about the cat.  If you find no one who claims it, there may be a couple of reasons - it would be a kitten from someone with an unspayed mom.  Lots of times, people who can't find homes for their kittens just put them outside when they get bigger.

It could be "owned" by someone who is irresponsible, uninformed or just plain lazy.  In any case, once you determine there's no real owner, please take her to the vet.  She probably has an infection (this can cause the lose of voice and the coughing).  She should also have her vaccinations and be spayed.  If she's that friendly, you may be able to find a decent inside home for her, if you can't keep her yourself.

If you do locate an "owner," you could come prepared with info for them.  Do a little research on your local resources - no-kill shelters, spay/neuter programs, etc.  They may not pay heed but it won't hurt to have the info available.

Having said that, I have had at least four neighborhood cats spayed and neutered.  I knew the owners of two and they never knew the difference.  They just assumed the cat was on an adventure when it went "missing."  Those two were males who consistently sprayed my trashcans, so I had no qualms about neutering them.  The other two were females and I had no qualms about spaying them - one had already deposited a litter in my yard and the other, her daughter, was getting old enough to do the same, so ...

I found homes for both of them and all the kittens, though.  No one claimed them when I did the neighborhood survey and no one ever came looking for them, so I suspect they were dumped.

If the cat is regularly coming for food and not just occasionally/random, you can pretty much bet it is an abandoned cat. LOTS more of this in the past few years, more than I have ever seen before.

I can only imagine what the cat feels, "where did they go? What do I do?" It's a whole new world for a cat who loses their safe home base, no matter how much time they spent outside prior.

This kitty is lucky to find you. Definitely needs a vaccine, spay/neuter, and clavamox. If you can afford it, a covenia shot. (longer lasting 2 week antibiotic shot, in lieu of clavamox)

Thank you for being so caring