Stray cat questions

Hi guys!

Here is my story my mother in law last month had a stray cat wonder into her yard. So she fed the cat and now the cat is hers! But she cant keep it because the cat is actually to friendly and winds between her legs and my mother in law  is afraid she will fall so I said I will take the little kitty to my house and keep her outside. This is where my dilemma begins the cat is definitely in heat, so I plan to keep her inside until I can get her spayed (about a month due to needing two distemper shots 3 weeks apart and then needing the cone of shame/healing time) my boyfriend is only willing to keep her in our guest room until all this is done but since he is allergic we sadly cant let her stay inside

I pick her up tonight and take her to get her rabies distemper and frontline, and then after her spay and recovery her permanent home will be in my small mud room and the great outdoors via a cat door

So here are my question,

1. How do I help the poor thing while she is in heat I have many strays in my neighborhood and I'm afraid this will upset her. I saw online that a heating pad and cat nip may help to comfort her?

2. I have a make shift litterbox for her, it is a storage container with a door cut on the front. When she goes back outside can I clean this cut another door insulate it and keep it in my mud room?

3. What is the best wet/dry food to give her since she will be outside? And if I feed her at 6:30 every night when I put her outside will she come back at that time for food?

First of all, thank you for helping her!

You will need to confine her inside, and possible outside, for a few weeks to help her get used to your place (her new territory).  She will otherwise use the first opportunity to get back "home" (your mom's place) and might possibly be hurt in the process.  This is especially critical because of the other strays in your area - they will see her as invading their territory and will most likely chase her off.

So, how to do this?  Keeping her as an inside only cat isn't an option but can you explore medicine or shots for your boyfriend and give that a try?

If not, can you build her an enclosure outside the cat door - it does not have to be eleborate - a large dog crate or a dog kennel with a wire roof can both work.  It can be connected to the cat door by a wire tunnel.  Either will keep her safe.  Use it permanently or until she's acclimated to her new home.

Routine is critical to both her safety and her adjustment.  Cats are such creatures of habit, any change will spook them.  So feeding her at the same time every day is a great idea.

re: the litter box - keeping in mind that some cats won't use a covered litter box, you might want to give her a choice to see what her preference is.  If it remains a litterbox and stays inside, there won't be a need to insulate it.  (unless you meant to use it as a shelter?  I was a little confused about that ...)

I do plan to make the litterbox into a home for when she is ready to go back outside I want to make sure thou that she will see it as a home and not a toilet.

So pretty much what I'm asking is when she is ready to go outside should I start from scratch while building a shelter or can I repurpose the old "litterbox" since it will already have her scent on it.

and I will make her an enclosure too

You would probably have to really scrub the litterbox clean - cats are pretty sensitve to smells and she may not recognize the new purpose.  Can you make her/buy her a new shelter?  They aren't that expensive, especially the ones you can make out of Rubbermaid totes.  Even a small doghouse with a cat door inserted into the opening can work.

Whatever shelter you use, make sure you line it with plenty of straw (not hay).  The straw will keep it snuggly warm.