Is her ear notched at all? Sometimes they are strays that are caught, fixed and then released again. I would love to know her story too. She could have been a house kitten that was too much for someone and was tossed out.
My mother cat was a stray. She’s been with us 2.5 years and was maybe 3 months when she showed up and has come a long way too. She lets me pet her all the time but is still skiddish around the guys. I picked her up the other day and that was too much so I’ll stick with petting.