Medical alert collar has been suggested but things got really strange. I took my kids away over Easter while DH was v busy with work. He called to say he hadn't seen the cat for three days and no food was eaten and thought she must have been hit by a car. He felt terrible, v worriwd for our kids. I sent the neighbour a message to ask if she'd seen my cat and here is her reply: (I have redacted for everyone's privacy)
Hi, I hope you are having a good Easter break.
Sorry for the delay in replying. Your cat was here last night but left in the morning (and is now here again). There has been a yellow weather warning over the last few days and I think she chose to shelter here rather than brave the rain and high winds.
I am glad you wrote. We have tried our best to keep your out, as requested, but it has been very, very stressful all around; your cat has refused to leave, running away, hiding, breathing heavily and biting if we tried to coax her out. When we did pick her up and bring her outside, she would cry, paw and meow for what felt like hours and go to the various windows on the different floors. We had to turn off the lights and hide inside. My child and myself have been in tears on many nights, and even our nanny was very upset when we got home one night, as we had asked her to try to take your cat outside.
Most importantly, at the centre of this is a sensitive being, your cat, who was getting very distressed. I just don't have the heart to make her (and my child) go through that again and again, I am utterly useless as cat police. We have always kept a window open on the first floor for ventilation and in the warmer months we keep our bi-folds open throughout the day, which we don't want to stop doing.
We don't feed your cat and have never forced her inside or made her stay inside. For whatever reason, she keeps coming inside, probably because she knows she can always get company, and so over the last two years has bonded with us and us with her. We truly weren't trying to make this happen, it just happened.
You seem like a lovely family and we appreciate this is an awkward situation, and you are not getting the benefit of the cat you paid for. This of course may be better as a face to face conversation (if you wish). Could we invite you over for a coffee this Sunday?