Is my rescue a strange cat?

[FixerUpperUp]

I rescued our cat Elsa almost three weeks ago now, she is lovely, such a friendly little thing. She is about 2 or 3 and neutered and is so chilled out.

She lets me pet her, headbutts my legs and weaves in between them etc but she also likes her space.

I have never owned a cat before so I have a couple of questions.

1. Catnip seems to have no effect on her whatsoever, her toy mice are filled with them, her scratching post and bed have been rubbed down with catnip to encourage her to use them but she isn't interested in it at all. I have even got her a pure catnip ball which is ignored.

2. She does love dreamies and will meow for them but she doesn't go nuts like I have read many cats do. She just munches on them eagerly and then goes back to whatever she was doing. She knows to meow for her wet food and does that in the morning until I feed her.

3. I have never heard her purr. I pet her lots and she seems to love it, she lays on her back (but doesn't want to be petted on her belly otherwise she thinks you want to play and the claws come out!) and I've read that means she trusts me so I just wonder why she has never ever purred.

Finally, she doesn't seem to want to spend much time outside at all, which I don't mind one bit but her foster carer had said that she liked spending time outside (maybe because there were lots of animals in that house and she is the only one here so feels more comfortable?)
She's been out a couple of times, for a max of about ten minutes (just hangs around the garden) but otherwise she will meow at the door to be let out I assume, but when you open it she looks outside then changes her mind.
I do love the way she comes running back to the house when I call her though (dreamies help I must admit)

She's been checked by the vet and other than being a little rough around the edges (nothing some TLC won't cure) she is absolutely fine.

Does she sound like an average cat?
Is there anything I can do to make her happier?
She really is a wonderful cat, I would like to pet her more often but I think she has had enough after about 10 minutes as she usually walks away as if to say "thank you minion, you are now free to leave" but at least I get to pet her for much longer than the kids before I am dismissed lol

Thanks in advance and sorry for the stupid questions
x

I made my own scratching post Fixer, because many of the shop-bought ones aren't tall enough. It needs to be tall enough for your cat to be able to stand upright on her hind legs, enabling a good old stretch. I call it cat yoga.

Britbird my cats do that as well if its raining, they will look in disgust out the front door and then at me as if to say 'well do something, can't you switch it off?' then in total confidence walk to the back door and be amazed it is raining out there as well

Fixer welcome to the world of cats

Elsa sounds brilliant. Our two are rescues as well and normally we barely see Huntercat as he is slaughtering and eating the local mammal population over the fields, but now it's cold he is in all the time and just pops out for brief forays and the occasional shrew. Feistycat just hugs radiators and sun spots.

One of mine loves catnip, the other not so fussed. Both love dreamies. One will only eat dry food 90% of the time while the other eats wet food 90% of the time. One loves being held and cuddled but won't sit on laps, the other rages if picked up but chooses to sit on your lap if you stop anywhere for two minutes.

They are great fun and so much less work than most pets! Catflap in, food down, scatter dreamies when the leg weaving becomes life threatening. Enjoy her!