My RB cat Pishi was over 18 years old and she was also one of those that were constantly crying loud and not cleaning herself anymore.

Besides having lost her sight and hearing, she was also having arthritis because of her old age and couldn't therefor care about cleaning herelf because it was too hard work.

She also wandered around the house and looked very lost. The vet checked her and he came to the conclusion that she was senile, just like old people sometimes are.

To me, it sounds like Bandit is facing something like that. Pishi also had her set fixed ideas of where she wanted to go, but once where she wanted, she found herself lost and started to cry because it was all suddenly so strange. If I took her back to her pillow, she was happy again and slept. Until she woke up and the same happened again.

It would be best if the owners keep her inside, maybe even in one room where the cat feels comfortable, say livingroom where her owners are as well.