Many years ago, when my cat wanted to go outside in the middle of the night, she would walk up and down the keys on the piano and wake up the entire house.
Buttons was an outdoor kitty for the first 3 years of his life. Completely food insecure and would wolf down a bowl of dry cat food like he’d never eaten.
Then, after someone took him to a vet where he lost somethings, he decided he would finally come in when I offered.
Perfectly healthy kitty (I took him for a full check up and blood work).
He was soon food secure (leaves food in the bowl), then finicky (wet please, not dry) and those times a door has accidentally been left open he look at it like “oh, heck no, I’m not leaving, close that before another cat gets in!”