Cats leaving home to return to previous territory?

[Straysmommy]

What are the chances of a cat that is very happy and loved leaving the home to go back to her previous territory? I hear so many stories of people whose cats disappear just before or after a move, it scares me to think of when I have to move... Would the instinct to go back to his territory override the love and safety of his home?

[Vivid Dawn]

I guess it depends on how far you move, and/or how attached your cat is to you.
When I got divorced, my ex-husband took his cat to his new house that was only 8 miles away... but since he was there with her, I guess she never tried to leave.

However, he got a job in another state and couldn't take her with him. So he gave her to his parents...who live across the street from me. Well of course she eventually figured out "hey, that place over there used to be home!" so she came to my house. I kept trying to take her back, as my dad really doesn't want me having more cats, but she kept coming over... I finally kept her, not to do my ex any favors, but because I didn't want to risk the cat getting hit by a car if she kept trying to come across the road to "home".

here's the story of "Joint Custody" and Xanthe returning to me

[Straysmommy]

Where's Xanthe nowadays?

[Vivid Dawn]

Currently, she's sleeping on the couch in the living room.

While my dad is plenty annoyed at me, I guess he's tolerating me letting her stay in for the cold weather. But my ex let her get so many bad habits (stealing table scraps, getting into stuff, scratching anywhere/everywhere), that as soon as it gets to be about 40F at night, she's going back out!
Yesterday she got into the kitchen garbage and tipped it over and it was spread out all over the floor >_<

I'm all for the whole indoor cat thing, but it's my ex's choice to have her be outdoor/indoor, not really mine. If she had better manners, I might be more inclined to keep her inside all the time, but she's ruining the house (has already completely torn up carpet near the door wanting to get into the other room). She's had all her shots and used to being outside, so I'll keep it that way.
My own cats, of course, stay inside where it's safe and comfy!

[Straysmommy]

Out...you mean she'll be an outdoor/indoor cat at your home?

[Vivid Dawn]

Yup. Once the temperature hits a steady 40F during the night, she goes back to being mostly outdoor. Big softie that I am, I let her come in if it gets too stormy (wind, rain, thunder/lightning, etc.) sometimes.
She does have an insulated sleeping box filled with straw, so it's not like I'm just shoving her out to fend for herself. Kibble and water, and canned food when I set the trap (have to feed her a whole thing, otherwise she goes in the trap and steals the stuff meant to bait the ferals)