Morning,
I took in a cat some 15 years ago. She was an adult stray who was very very shy. It took me a month to get her indoors and it was fall by then, cold and wet here in Ohio. Once we had her inside we of course had her fixed, declawed and all shots. Olivia lived with us for 10 years before dying of diabeties. She never wanted to be held, ever. She never lost her fear. If she was eating and had her head in the bowl if anyone walked into the kitchen she would run out. Once or twice in all the time we had her she jumped on the sofa and laid by someones feet but to pet her was very rare. However she enjoyed her life as much as possible with the other two cats. She never learned to play with them. Olivia just didn't understand teh concept. But she was warm, fed, loved and we enjoyed each others company even if it was from across the room. I don't know what happened to poor Olivia to make her this way but we did the best for her that was humanly possible and we missed her when she died.