My experience of cats is that they don't want to die in front of the person they love most. If it's possible for them to run away and die away from you, they'll do it. If they can wait until you're out of town and they can die with a pet sitter - ideally a pet sitter they dislike - they'll do it. It's a weird sign of respect, as far as I can tell. Not that it makes it easier if Marinetti is gone. But it suggests to me that you didn't mess up, so much as that you were loved and an opportunity presented itself.