took in a stray cat... turning my apartment upside-down..

[Pammyd]

Originally Posted by vapour_trail

well, about ten days ago, the first night of a storm that lasted about 3 days, when i went to check my mail, i saw a cat sitting on a cushion, barely out of the rain, it was getting a little wet but it was just laying there. i patted it on the head and it got up to visit with me, and i saw that it was skin and bones. i thought to myself, this cat will die during this storm, so i took it up and brought it to my apartment.
i got it a litter box, some food etc. the thing is, i let it lay on the bed with me, and it peed, like 3 different times, so i had to take all my bedclothes off, and since i dont have any money till friday, there i am laying on a bed with no sheets/blankets, and its been like 30s/40s for the low at night.. eventually i'll have to flip the mattress, but not till i know she wont pee on that side too. also, my dirty laundry, she peed on it, so here i have a huge load of dirty laundry/sheets etc, that smell like pee...
it uses the litter box, but sometimes for whatever reason, it just sh*ts in the middle of the living room floor, and of course i have to clean it up. i see now that it will take an emormous amount of work to keep this place clean and sanitary, and not stinking.
also for whatever reason, she likes to kinda take a nap/sleep, with her face right in her waterbowl.. this of course causes water to overflow from the bowl and get on her food, and on that part of the kitchen floor, so i have to come through, take up the bowls, dry/clean that part of the floor, put down new paper, and lay her bowls back out..
part of me wishes id not have gotten her, but i know if i hadnt she'd be dead now.. i cant turn her back out that would be cruel, but helping her, is causing me alot of work/trouble, its taking alot of work to keep my apartment sanitary with her here
any thoughts?

It sounds to me like this little kitty was abandoned for her bad behavior. It appears that she wasn't wild as she did let you pat her on her head when you first saw her. A kitty who has been living outside since birth and is wild would probably have bitten you or clawed you. Someone definitely let her go after having owned her.
Normally, when you take in a new kitty the best idea is to keep the in one room until they get acclimated to their new home. We have adopted two kitties and in both cases, we put a litter box and food in a separate room for them and shut the door. We would go in and visit and play with them but did let them get use to their new surroundings first before they got the run of the house.
This kitty's behavior does sound strange but who knows what she has been through and bless you for taking her in.
Try putting her in a separate room (not the bathroom), food, water maybe some toys and a place to sleep. Go in and visit with her from time to time. If she poops or pees outside the box, make sure she sees you cleaning it up, show it to her then put her and the poop in the box. After a few days, take her to see a Vet. Sometimes a bladder infection may be the cause of her peeing at will.
Good Luck and God Bless you for caring.

[catsmom21]

The OPs update states they took the cat to a shelter.