Six months ago during one of the worst winter storms our area has seen, I found a skinny orange tabby cat huddled under my porch, shivering and clearly starving. I'm not even a "cat person" (always had dogs), but I couldn't leave him out there to freeze. I brought him inside, dried him off, and gave him some tuna from my pantry which he devoured instantly.

The poor thing was in rough shape - matted fur, ear mites, and so thin I could feel every rib. No collar, no microchip (I checked at a vet the next day). I posted "found cat" notices online and around the neighborhood, but nobody claimed him. The vet estimated he was about 2 years old and had been on his own for quite a while based on his condition.

I named him Rusty and gradually nursed him back to health. At first, I told myself it was temporary until I found his owners or a good home. But Rusty turned out to be the sweetest cat imaginable. He follows me everywhere, sleeps curled against my neck every night, and greets me at the door with happy chirps when I come home. He's transformed from a terrified, sickly stray into a healthy, playful companion who's honestly helped my mental health during a really tough year.

Fast forward to yesterday. A woman knocked on my door saying she saw Rusty in my window and that he's actually her cat "Pumpkin" who ran away 8 months ago when she moved to a new apartment across town. She had no photos of him on her phone (said they were on an old phone), no vet records (claimed she took him to a clinic that closed), and nothing to prove ownership except her description of a "friendly orange tabby." She said she's been "looking everywhere" but didn't explain how she went 8 months without finding him despite my posts online.

I politely but firmly told her that after 8 months of no one claiming him, extensive veterinary care (over $800 for vaccinations, neutering, dental work, etc.), and the bond we've formed, Rusty is now my cat. I said I sympathized with her loss but couldn't give him up. She became increasingly upset, eventually crying and saying I was "stealing her baby." Before leaving, she threatened to return with police.

I feel terrible about her distress, but everything in me says she either isn't Rusty's original owner or was a neglectful one (given his condition when I found him). Rusty showed no recognition of her at all and actually hid behind my legs during the confrontation. I can't imagine giving him to someone who let him end up alone and half-starved in a blizzard, especially with zero proof of ownership.

AITA for refusing to give Rusty back?