okay.....how is it possible for my cat to get out of a locked cage???

 

There are times my cat becomes a terror for no apparent reason.....and will attack me or Noah.  This morning after I was petting him and being nice to  him he hauled off and attacked me again......got me good this time.....and my wrist is still bloody.

WHEN he is like this I will usually put him into his cat carrier or larger kennel cage for a "time out."  In the past on at least 2 occasions while in his smaller cat carrier......he somehow was let out or got out....and when I checked......his carrier door was still in a locked position....but removed from the carrier. 

okay.......that was weird enough........but......I recently got a larger, kennel/type cage from my parents to use for him as it is larger and allows him to see out all sides....etc.  He is in fact more comfortable if he has a time out and he loves being in there so much so that he will most times during the day when sleepy, crawl into that kennel to sleep instead of anywhere else.

Today I put him into the large kennel cage and locked the latch down tight.  This has a very strong, secure latch and it is not easily opened even by myself let alone is able to be shimmied open.   This latch one cannot just push back to open....you have to also LIFT UP on the latch while you slide it over.

I was ticked at Opie.......my cat........and could have so easily kicked his little ass out the door today to set him free forever!

BUT instead I put him in that kennel for a time out.   About 30 minutes or so had passed and I decided to go to the kitchen to heat up some water for tea.   He meowed of course when he saw me come through wanting out and I told him he could just stay in there till Noah got up.  After all this is Saturday and he does not have to wake up early especially after being up late last night.

I walked back to my office......and a short time later......here came OPIE strolling in big as you please.  I figured Noah had gotten up and let him out but Noah was still in his room sound asleep!

I went to the kitchen and checked the kennel.   The door was barely ajar.......and what was more obvious was the latch was still to the right and down in a LOCKED position.

NOW I tried closing the door again and seeing if I could push or pull it open.....ANYTHING.  NO.  I could not.  NOTHING would un-jam that tight-fitting door and lock.

SO.....can anyone offer any reasons as to HOW this could have happened?   AFTER this while I was standing at the stove making me a cup of tea.....Opie came out and looked at an area BEHIND me.......jumped up and took off down the hall like something had spooked him.  ALSO not the first time he has acted like that. 

SO I was sort of crabby this morning for some reason anyway....and now this weirdness has added to it.

Any ideas??