Great advice, smilingcat. Thank you. You're absolutely right; I need to put my feelings about these organizations aside and do what's best for Matilda.

I did email our local human society yesterday. I was wary to reach out to them again, because they'd ignored my last request for help and hadn't been particularly helpful before--although they were always complimentary of the care my husband and I were giving to our strays. I got a response last night saying that had been given some incorrect information from a vet tech at the vet practice I use that the cat had already been rehomed. Well, in a manner of speaking, it had been rehomed...with us.

In any event, she asked for my phone number to contact me and offered some assistance--although she was vague as to what type of assistance it will be. So, I at least have the faint outline of a Plan B (or we up to Plan C at the moment?).

If one more person (my coworkers mostly) tells me that this should "teach me not to take in strays," I'm gonna explode. I don't regret for a second becoming a guardian to my strays. It is costly and inconvenient at times? Sure, but the reward of knowing we've helped save an animal a sad or painful fate is worth it. Plus, I've gotten so much love and affection from these critters.

Anyway, thanks for letting me unload emotionally in this thread and for all the thoughtful advice. I hope for a happy ending.