NTA

How are any of you calling a 6 and 8 year old the names you are?

Everyone can get forget to make sure the door is quickly closed, regardless of age or expieriance with cats.

I've had two completely indoor cats, which I still have, run away for over a month.

My first ran for 3 months in the dead of winter., after an adult friend of mine was walking out the door. It took two seconds. She calmly walked back into my house in the beginning of spring, like she had never left.

Her daughter destroyed a screen and jumped from the window, played around in the forest around my house for over a month and came back none the worse - both were checked over by vets after their return.

Both incredibly loving cats who had never been outdoors. You left your cats in a chaotic situation and your blaming them for the cats disappearance?

I get your freaked out. Leave their litter box outside, or a blanket they sleep on all the time, with a little food a bit away from it. Cats don't run far usually but they are very good at staying hidden until they want to be found.

I really hope you have the best outcome, and your kitty comes back home happy and healthy. I get you're upset, but you aren't handling it in a great way.