Help with determining feral or stray?

A marmalade tabby/Norwegian mix showed up at our slider yesterday loaded down with snowballs so big it couldn't walk. We were in the middle of a huge snow storm. I opened the slider to help it and it fearfully ties to run and hide under a wood bench. As I approached it hissed and groweled. I gently tucked a towel around it for warmth and offered it some Tuna and it let me get close as it voraciously ate. After that it would gently meow as I came out and checked on it. I was able to coax it out enough with food to pick it up and it let me but wanted to instantly hide its head in my arm. We have it in a small heated room outside in our garage, with food water and a warm bed. It stays in the very back corner though and won't come forward if I offer it food anymore. It did run and hide facing the corner and hissed briefly after it was in the room but will still let me reach my hand and feed it. Any suggestions about stray or feral? Don't think we can keep it but want to make sure it's in good hands. No one has come forward to claim it. Help!

Hello allison77, welcome to TCS

Thank you for saving this kitty from the snow storm. Dosen't sound feral to me. Looks like an abandoned cat or a cat that got out and got lost in the snow storm.
A feral will run away if being approached and will not hide its head in your arm or let you pick it up and eat from your hand.
It is good that you are giving it a warm home and food. hopefully someone will come forward to claim it or you have to foster for the time being.

allison77 said:

A marmalade tabby/Norwegian mix showed up at our slider yesterday loaded down with snowballs so big it couldn't walk. We were in the middle of a huge snow storm. I opened the slider to help it and it fearfully ties to run and hide under a wood bench. As I approached it hissed and groweled. I gently tucked a towel around it for warmth and offered it some Tuna and it let me get close as it voraciously ate. After that it would gently meow as I came out and checked on it. I was able to coax it out enough with food to pick it up and it let me but wanted to instantly hide its head in my arm. We have it in a small heated room outside in our garage, with food water and a warm bed. It stays in the very back corner though and won't come forward if I offer it food anymore. It did run and hide facing the corner and hissed briefly after it was in the room but will still let me reach my hand and feed it. Any suggestions about stray or feral? Don't think we can keep it but want to make sure it's in good hands. No one has come forward to claim it. Help!

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My guess he is a stray, abandoned or gone astray.  Was alone a good while, and learned its safest to be shy and beware of humans.  Not all are friendly, as we know...

It will take some time to fully resocialize him, but you had done a good beginning.  Please proceed with it!

It might be someones timid house cat. You should take it to a vet to have it scanned for an id chip. Someone might be missing the little fur ball. All my cats are chipped and if it were mine I would appreciate getting it back as soon as possible. Someone might be very distressed over the cat, especially if the weather is bad. If you don't have a pet carrier possibly a neighbor could loan you one or maybe the vet.

If you have a hard time getting it into the carrier post a message back here and possibly people can give you some helpful tips.

Thanks for taking the cat in, if it were my cat I would absolutely adore you for it.