Just yesterday I returned from a 3 week vacation during which I left my cat at home. My parents came by every day for one hour to feed him, change his litter box, send me pictures of him, and give him some loving. When I returned he was afraid of me. I picked him up and he immediately sunk his claws in and scratched me to escape. He then hid under the bed and would not come out. I've raised him from a kitten until now (8 years). We've never been apart like this before. Does anyone have any explanation of his scared behavior upon my return? To be quite honest it hurt my feelings. He's fine now, and acting normal, but after how much I was looking forward to seeing him I was taken aback by how he reacted to my homecoming. Any thoughts?