(11:30 PM). She hasn't eaten the food, and I scoured the yard and she's no where to be found. I left a message for the out of town owners on their cell, but they didn't return it. I'm sort of freaking out.

I don't know how normal it is for an outdoor cat to go missing like this, or if she's ok being out all night. Merry Christmas. I can't keep going back over there. idk what to do

it's a she, not a he

older cat. I'm sure exactly how old, but they've had her as long as we've lived here, so at least 14

Cats have different habits, but I can tell you that none of my outdoor cats ever bothered to come home every night.

Sometimes they're just busy. Hell, I've had cats who were "busy" for weeks in summer. XD

I know from our cats that they stop eating when we are not around. Even if there is a catsitter - they just do not eat for days.

ok, that's good. I've watched her before and not had this problem, but not very many times (I think this is the third)

They are coming home tomorrow night, and my heart just dropped thinking something had happened to the cat on our watch (even though there's really nothing at all I could have done about it)

Wait and see, cats just do this kind of thing sometimes....and yr right, there was nothing you could have done differently anyway.

yep, wait & see outdoor cats can be independent, and stay away during the night just because they felt like it.

how cats reason: "Am I hungry? Nope. Cold? Nope. Don't need humans. Can't be arsed to go to them."

Hopefully you'll find she's been curled up sleeping I some obscure comfy spot in the house the entire time.

Don't worry <3 hugs.