Comment by Grazester | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Grazester | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

I have had probably more than a hundred cats throughout my childhood more than 13(kittens) at one given point. All my cats were outside/indoor cats free to go and come and I am convinced that the cats that would go out and not come back were either killed by dogs in the surrounding neighborhoods or simply didn't not want to come back. The cats that would not usually return were the older ones. If a younger cat did not return then I assumed it was dead.

We had given a few cats aways and they would sometimes come back home after a week or so. We lived on a mountain and my Aunt miles away in the valley and a cat we gave her came right back home. We gave away another few that did the same thing this time in even further locations.

Cats have personalities.

I'm sure you know this, but maybe have not considered it in this context.

There have been humans in my life I did not like, or who drove me bonkers. Perfectly good people, but just a personality conflict. Who's to say, that it isn't the same for some cats? Just a personality conflict, and so they seek life elsewhere.

And only a 100 years ago, most cats were farms cats, as most people lived in rural areas. Many cats were barn cats, familiar with humans, but mostly wild, living off of mice and other vermin.

Those genes don't vanish in 100 years. Maybe some of those older cats just preferred independence?

Male cats are usually the ones to go out and then come back in a few days, next time few weeks, then months... and then they disappear for good. I've never had a female cat go away like that.

Does that apply to neutered males?

Probably not, that would be my guess.

My neutered male cat sometimes disappeares but with exception of that one time I had to fetch him from the top of a 14m tall pine tree he always returns. My other cat (also a neutered male) never goes away for more than half a day.

> The cats that would not usually return were the older ones.

Cats that are about to die will often go off somewhere by themselves.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com