How to stop escape attempts?

Hi all. I've seen other threads with this topic, but none had any advice that would be useful to my situation so I'm asking in hopes of something I can use. I have a cat under a year old that I got in January. We had her spayed so she shouldn't want to wander, yet she keeps trying to escape outside. Last night my husband opened one of our windows "just a crack" (even though I've told him that window doesn't have a screen so not to open it. ) and she slipped outside. We were finally able to grab her because my dog was playfully chasing her and she didn't like it so she laid down to stop him and I grabbed her. Then today she dashed between my legs as I was coming in the door. I was able to grab her right away. My question is how do I stop her from trying to escape? The vacuum trick will not work as there isn't an outlet near the front door. Please help, thanks.

My Lilith escaped a few days after I brought her and Sophie home from the shelter. I was bringing the dog back in from a bathroom break and she darted out. I was so upset. She didn't know her name yet, didn't have a collar and it was dark out. Did I mention she's a black cat?   that was me. My DD was at school so she couldn't help look. I saw her run into the driveway and go under the truck. I went to grab a flashlight and went out to look under it. No Lily 

I looked all over. In the neighbor's yard, all over my yard all while calling her and shaking a bag of Temptations. Nothing. There's a fairly busy street in front of the house and a very busy one behind it. Finally I went to look under the truck again and I see something fluffy hanging down from the rear axle.   Either it was her or the truck grew a new accessory. I was able to crawl under and get her. 

The only thing you can really do is make sure the door stays closed  and if you have to open it, make sure she isn't close enough that she can dart out between your legs. I'd put a screen in that window if you plan on opening it again. I guess Lily figured out that inside is better because she hasn't tried to get out since. If she doesn't have a collar with an ID tag, I'd get her one of those, too. Cats are very intelligent. The fact that you had her spayed should help too. I have to be extra careful when bringing in groceries because they gravitate to the entryway to see what's coming in and to supervise me putting everything away in the kitchen. When I first got them I never left the house without taking a head count to see who was where and to make sure that no one was too close to the door. If they were, I'd distract them with a few Temptations which gave me enough time to grab my purse and keys and go. 

it's almost impossible unless you have an enclosed front porch or another door just inside the entryway. otherwise, every time you leave you would have to confine your cat to a room or section of your house. 

detmut said:

 
it's almost impossible unless you have an enclosed front porch or another door just inside the entryway. otherwise, every time you leave you would have to confine your cat to a room or section of your house. 

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Very true. When I first got the girls, leaving the house was like Mission Impossible. When she was home, my DD would lure them away from the door with a laser pointer, then put it on the shoe rack by the door and run out before they came back. 

I am very lucky that Henry hasn't tried to make a break for it. He is super smart and seems to know what I'm going to do before I do. He's also not impressed by food like the girls are so shaking a bag of treats would have no effect on him at all. Toys don't impress him either so I doubt the laser pointer would work. He's too smart for that stuff. Maybe he needs a laptop.   Then again, he'd probably hack into my Amazon account and order a bunch of stuff.