Originally Posted by FurKids

I expected that reply and am very, very sad to hear that because so many cat owners are ignorant of this fact and from my experience and also what my research tells me, that is the top reason by far, for many male cats suddenly disappearing. They just catch a whiff of the scent of a female on heat and instinct immediately takes over. The instinct to mate & reproduce is extremely very strong in the animal kingdom, the males can fight ferociously to the death over females and territory, if they survive, they often suffer many injuries in the process. Also, when they chase the female on roads they can come in the path of on coming cars and other vehicles, and being fully focused on the mating game, they often get run down. This activity can go on for 1 week or more and if they survive all the dangers, you will find them return home looking thin, exhausted, hungry, all dirty from the chase, often wounded in fights with other males and can infected by diseases. That is why I always neuter my young boys before they reach maturity, even if they are kept indoors because you never know when they may suddenly discover a weak link in your house and manage to escape especially if they pick up the scent of a female in heat!