My cats are indoor only and I've gone through this exact series of emotions within the confines of my own home lol
Comics
Us too, we are always worried our daughter will leave a window or door open. One time we were searching for hours to find that the cat had climbed into a drawer then behind the drawer into the dresser itself. I think we figured it out when we tried to close it and felt a soft squish and a meow.
I've literally had the same experience with the trundle under my daybed. "This is only physical space in the house left big enough for a cat to fit." Roll it back, squish, "meow!" Like, are you serious right now, animal??? I've been looking for you for HOURS
When we moved into a new flat, I had just finished unpacking the last of all the boxes and had a huge pile of flattened and packed together cardboard to take to be recycled. When I sat down I had a sudden thought, "where's my cat". She's strictly indoors only, and isn't usually interested in the outside world anyway.
So I call her, ans shake the treat bag, look in each room, nothing, and then start turning over blankets, anything she could hide in at all, nothing. We check the outside hallway, the balconies, nothing. Now panicked, I have my wife looking too and I freak out that she may have climbed into one of the now very crushed boxes without me noticing.
I'm making a mess of the cardboard pile I spent all day tidying, and my wife calls, "come upstairs". Sitting upright, perfectly normal, my cat, on the top shelf in the upstairs bathroom, all the way to the side, but in plain sight. Litterally this cartoon.
Yep, ours definitely has some kind of neat hiding spot in the basement where he essentially turns invisible. I've tossed it more than once looking for him... Only for him to just slowly jaunt by an hour later coming from the basement door lol.
I really would love to know where that spot is... but I guess it's just his lol.
The cat should begin every panel just sitting and watching.