Older cat staying outside

[sillysmiles]

We have 2 cats. Cat 1 is about12/13 yrs old. Cat 2 is about 2. We've had the younger one about 18mths. They are both indoor outdoor cats, with the older one sleeping on our bed at night until May. We went on hols and they were outdoors but minded and the weather was really warm. Since we've come back from holidays (about a month) cat1 has refused to come back inside, prefers to sleep and eat on the back step.
Anyone understand cat behaviour?

Are you saying you left them outdoors when you went on holiday?

My cat sleeps on my bed all winter but now sleeps out all night. It’s her preference, she might come back in if one of us gets up for the bathroom at 4 am or something & gives her a shout, but she mostly just looks at us and stays where she is. She might nap inside during the day or come in if it’s raining but I don’t expect her back on my bed again until it gets cooler & darker at night.

You left your cat outside while you went away and now you wonder why they don’t trust you enough to come back inside?

Your cats going to find a new owner and I don’t blame them.

Yes, the cats are indoor/outdoor cats. Sometimes they come inside and sometimes they are outside. We live in a rural area. They have beds both inside and outside. While we were away, they were outside. For some of the time we were away there was a person in the house, so that they could be inside if they wanted, she chose not to.
The inside/outside thing has been her usual since she came to use. Prior to us taking care of her, she was outdoor only. It seems that for some reason she has adapted back to outdoor only.

My thought was that the younger cat has somehow forced her out. And if that is the case, anyone any thoughts on how to get her to want to be inside again when we can't separate them inside.

so that they could be inside if they wanted

What if the person that was inside the house actually shooed them out and wouldn’t let them in? Maybe that’s why she won’t come in now.
Who was feeding them the rest of the time you were away if that person was only there some of the time? Choosing to stay out is one thing. Not being able to get in because you’ve been left is another.

What if the person that was inside the house actually shooed them out and wouldn’t let them in?
I 100% know this is not the case.
Even so, we have been back over a month now and she hasn't decided to come back in. This morning it is raining her and a picked her up and brought her inside but she wouldn't settle until she got back outside into a box we've left on the back step for her.
I genuiely think that as she is getting older she doesn't want to be inside as the younger cat has claimed it as his territory, but I'm not sure how he has done that, why it is happening now or if it is possible to reverse it.

We have a small house without the capacity to make one part his and one part hers.