I was 9 years old when my cat ran away. Bugsy was a big, outdoor Maine Coon mix that we got from the MSPCA when he was just a kitten. We moved when he was about 6, and we had been told to keep him inside for the first few weeks in our new home. If I remember correctly, it had something to do with the cats getting a bit familiar with their surroundings before wandering away. We had only been there for six days when Bugsy made his escape out the window. The screen was shut, but he bent the metal frame of it, which served as a testament to his will to be free. Bugsy was an independent cat, and it's my hope that he lived a long, healthy life as a wild cat.