ferile cat?

Question
my cousin recently moved out of my house, but she left her two cats
here because one of them was pregnant adn we didnt think it would be a
good idea to move her. well she had her kittens but while this happened
her female friend was out side. she came home a few days later and when i
picked her up she leaped at the window like she wanted out again so i
let her out. she didnt come home for five days after that. when she
finally did come home i had to coax her in. and when hse was introduced to
her friend who had had the babies she hissed and growled at her.  she
stayed in hte corner and everytime i came near her she snapped at me.
this is not at all like her. but i am having a hard time believeing that
all of this crazy behavior is just from jealousy of kittens. plus
everytime i see her outside she runs away. i dont know what to do with her.
she doesnt wnat to come home adn when i make her shes evil. she has been home for two days now and hasnt come out of her cardboard box i made her...not even to eat.

Answer
Actually, this isn't very unusual at all.  I would keep her inside, but keep them separated at all times.  Once the kittens have gone to their new homes, you can work on reintroducing the two.  Right now, it's too stressful and too dangerous to allow them to see each other.  But I wouldn't let her outside because of the possibility she may run away because she's upset.