How do they know?

Following the death of Old Puss something really quite amazing happened today. I have no idea how cats transmit their messages to each other, be it telepathy or something we have no idea about. Maybe they see things we don't. It started when Feival-Bob moved in with us, our two young cats took an instant disliking to him and left home. We called, went looking for them, managed to coax them in only to have them run again as soon as the door was opened. Eventually, Mouthy Alfie - he with the question mark tail and plenty to say for himself - made friends with the old fella and they were more or less OK. They'd greet eachother when they came in and feed together. Slinky Shadow, refused and the old fella, sensing his anxiety around him, would chase him off at the earliest opportunity. I was at my wits end and and had no idea what to do, my poor little black puss was living rough and barely ate a thing if we did manage to get him in. I felt guilty because I couldn't leave the old cat to be put into a rescue centre, at his age and health I doubt if would have been re-homed and he belonged to us. It must have been hard for him to come to the town from the country and he couldn't get out of the garden for the arthritis in his back legs and he had very poor eyesight too, so I guess he sort of ruled the garden. The cat next door was ok to come in but no other cats, including our own little men. How did he know? What did he know?
Anyway, the morning of Feival's passing, Harry went off to work at 5.30 as usual and there to greet him at the back gate was ..... Shadow. He walked back in the house with no fear, demanded food which he ate up, amazing because he was the fussiest eater ever and we have tried every food on the market to get him to eat, took residence on Tabby's bed had a good nap and kept me company for the rest of the day. He'd come home!
Something told him that it was safe to come home on the exact day that Feival died, within a few hours from midnight to the morning. Not even a time when Feival would have been outside at all. Did he sense it? Did he sense our sadness even from where ever he was? What is it that cats can do that we as people can't? I feel so guilty that he had been living rough and yet here he was filling the space that Feival had left and acting like he had never been gone. Bless him. He isn't the same as Feival, his engine is much quieter, we could hear Feival purr as soon as we came into the room, Shadow is more dominant and demanding whereas Feival was quietly patient, waiting for us to give him our time. He cannot replace all the years we all had with the old fella but it is wonderful to have his company again.
The house no longer feels so empty, ok it was for just a short while but never the less even that short catless time all served as a reminder of how much pleasure, love and company our feline friends give us and just how independant and how many decisions the cats can make for themselves. Needless to say, I am delighted equilibrium has been restored among the felines and to our home and I will never regret giving our old Feival his last year in the comfort of our home and with our love. I just wish I knew how they do what they do...