Both dogs and cats will stay with you even if you're not there. I guess they consider it family or something. Me and many others have left our cats (and someti

Both dogs and cats will stay with you even if you're not there. I guess they consider it family or something. Me and many others have left our cats (and sometimes, dogs) alone at home to go work abroad, and they're still there when you go back, surviving by hunting/scavenging. They always recognize and happily run to you. Thankfully there are shelters/carers now, but over a decade ago it was the wild east. On the other hand, cats won't stick around if they don't like you, I've had cats from neighbours (burnt out alcoholics) run away and hide at my place any chance they got. They'd literally run away when the owners tried to catch them. Fucking sad. Dogs will stick with you. Which is probably even sadder.