Outdoor cats and getting lost?

Cats like to know where they are. It's like when you get a cat, they want to hide. If you try to disturb them, they get angry. She/he probably didn't know where he/she was, and was scared. They pant because they are tired. I have played with my kitten for a long time, and she started panting. The meowing part was probably because he/she was scared. I hope this answers your question!