Mylitespeed,

Maybe your neighbors can stay a while in your house when they peek in on the cats? Shy cats will sometimes come out if someone gets food for them and then sits calmly and quietly. The cats are lonely, they'll break down to get some attention. When we go away, I feel worse for them because they don't get attention. Food and water are important, granted, but as asocial as some cats can be, they are so social in many other ways.

Mimitabby, I don't know what I'd do if a cat died while I was gone. I guess the only thing you can do is carry on but still, that has got to be so difficult.