Neighbor Dispute Ownership

We kind of adopted this stray black cat that looked kinda scrawny and seemed super hungry all the time to our home. Definitely preferred to be an outside cat, but was brought inside when it wanted to. It disappeared for a couple weeks right before we had the money to take to the vet. Knocked on several neighbors doors but almost no one answered when we did. Called cat shelter 2 days after it went missing but no sight of it yet.

It showed up 2 weeks later back to our house with a collar on it today. Called the number and they claimed it was chipped and they had it for 7 years, but over here not too long ago.

Here is what is weird to me: -cat seemed kinda super hungry when we first found her

• cat spent 95% of nights outside (we live on the coast by ocean where it doesn’t get too cold, she preferred outside) on our porch. Prefers to spend nights outside on our porch than at home? -claims they have had the cat for 7 years but trailed off when mentioning sharing the photos. -apparently they just got the cat back from the shelter and it went DIRECTLY to us.

Outside of seeing if the shelter would like to indulge us on whether or not it was chipped, I don’t know what to do or if I believe the lady.