This little one came home with me from the shelter. Had gone to pick up another, and saw Janey in the window on my way in. I didn't foresee anyone choosing her: she was older, her coat was bad, and she seemed depressed. Bless her heart!! She broke my heart. Took her ass HOME! Janey turned out to be a love, a quiet little woman, sweet and seemingly content. She kept to a very regular schedule, to the minute actually.
We were surprised when she started staying across the street, more and more, with our friend Connie. Connie was happy to have her, being a cat lady herself. Janey established a routine there too. One time she went missing, and I found her sitting on the sidewalk, on a busy street. I picked her up and took her back to Connie. Not long after, she left for the home of another neighbor, up the street! Also a friend, happily. Janey stayed outdoors, under the steps (??) until she moved on from there. My friend thought that the dog bothered her. She went back to Connie's, and the next time she disappeared we could not find her. Restless soul. I guess.
There are lots of stories like these. There's the one of a gathering ('member those?) when five families at the party thought the cat there was "their cat".
What I'm getting at is that, no news to some, cats have their own ideas about where and how they want to live. I think it's rare that they would choose to be in one house for their whole life. I think too that they deserve to have the choice.