Cats have an independence/dependence sort of a thing. Generally, if treated well, the will settle in quite comfortably with a family.
Sometimes, through accident, one of the cats will get outside. Only one time has any of them stayed out longer than 10 minutes, and they were anxious to get back in. We live in wooded area with possums and raccoons.
The exception was out about an hour before he came back. He never again, until the day he died, went near the front door.
Go figure.