Well, I hesitate to be real hard on the Freemans. When a cat wants out, he often finds a way out. And Ernie was definitely an outside cat before, being a rehabilitated homeless cat in the past. So I can't help but think the Freemans were as responsible as a cat family can be, as evidenced by the fact that they refused to have him declawed. I lost a beloved orange and white cat too, when he escaped one day and was never seen again. It is heartbreaking and frustrating, because you never know if they were killed or taken in by a well-meaning person thinking they were strayed, and then either not able to get back out or maybe even relocated when the new family moved. Who ever knows what becomes of these poor kitties when they escape.