Great news! Maybe he was shut in someone's garden shed, or something like that?
Thankfully we no longer have the problem you have suffered for the last few days! Our cat, clearly nearing the end of his life, he is 18 years 6 months old .... now has only 3 legs! He is missing one back leg, so now cannot jump very high. When he does go out he only ventures into the back garden, and that is surrounded by a high fence, and no way can he jump over that!
The missing leg? About two years ago he came home trailing a leg ... took him straight to the vets, who x-rayed, and reported it was badly smashed, probably in a road accident. No way of saving leg so it was amputated. So our previously silent cat, now you can here him moving around, particularly as he thumps his way up the stairs!
