It is sad that so few people even noticed the cat, and only one person petted her. OK, as commuters they probably had a lot on their minds - but how much time and effort does it take to pet a kitty?
It's best to keep your cats indoors. This protects them from not just inclement weather, but also traffic, coyotes, dogs, other cats, and evil people who like to harm pets.
Years ago, a pregnant stray showed up at my house. I named her Ragamuffin - being long-haired, she was rather scruffy - and took her in lest her kittens wind up feral. I remember the night she gave birth in my bathroom. Happily, all of the little ones eventually found good homes, and I had Ragamuffin spayed.
Humans have always been explorers, willing to face tough challenges. We do need to build colonies on Mars, and on other worlds in our Solar System - and eventually move beyond.
It's fun to watch this and think about how much we have learned in the last six decades. Some of the information is woefully out of date, but it is still fun to watch.
Amazing what enough TLC will do for a scruffy-looking cat! Years ago I took a stray off the streets. Because she was a long-hair, her coat was quite unkempt, so I named her Ragamuffin. Too bad I don't have any pictures of her when I first found her, but after getting a few good brushings she was a very different cat. Gorgeous - and pregnant.
Rest in peace, you sweet cat.