I have a cat,a female,and when spring comes, she goes. I'm lucky if I see her 10 minutes a day. I know she doesn't eat right when she leaves, because she gets thin. She will be like this until fall hits. Then she comes in fattens up and sleeps until spring ( well... practically) . She is 10 and does it every year, but I still can't get use to it. I wonder what she does on her trips. She aint talkin'!!( She is fixed, btw, Just 110% cat.)