I sent this to my mom earlier, but I thought I’d reach out for broader insight. Arlo is dumb as a bag of rocks but very sweet and never inclined to run away (until now). He’s 4. He was indoor/outdoor for the first two years of his life. Then I got him snipped and moved and he’s been indoor-only since then.

I have another cat (F3) who is an escape artist but also doesn’t go far and usually wants right back in. Arlo’s never that interested in being outside. Last night he kept staring out the window and meowing, like there was something he wanted to get to. Then a door wasn’t closed properly and he jumped out through a window left open for ventilation.

Don’t @ me about mistakes. Believe me, we’ve beat ourselves up plenty. What I’m here for is some understanding of why he’s acting this way and a clue as to how to get him back. He’s around, not lost. When I say he doesn’t seem hurt, I mean he’s not limping or crying, but I know injury can manifest in weird ways.

His behavior rn is to hang around, but always well out of reach. We tried coaxing him, but he was having none of it. I will buy a trap tomorrow. The vet doesn’t open until Monday, so we can’t ask them for advice until then.

Just… why? It’s such a sudden departure from normal behavior. Could it really be hormones, despite neutering, or should I suspect an illness? I’ll know more when/if I can catch him. Thanks in advance for any insight.