Sudden agression

We have two kitties, Tiger who is a 31/2 year old long hair female tabby and Matthew, an 8 month old long hair black male kitty. Both are strictly indoors, as we live in downtown Phoenix and it isn't safe out there. Tiger has lately been determined to get out, and is getting quite good at it. She used to stay out for only a few hours, then come back offended that I didn't chase her more. Now she escapes and is gone all night. She is behind on her shots by about 6 months, so I am worried. Matthew needs his as well. A few weeks ago Tiger escaped and came home in a really bad mood, suddenly agressive. Upon checking her over (and risking life and limb) I found that she was covered in fleas. We immediately bathed her and everything was fine. Two weeks, no more itching.
Today we came home to find that the back door somehow was open (no clue) and Tiger is gone. What is more wierd is Matthew is in a really bad mood. No one can touch him. Usually he is willing to be carted around in a doll stroller by our girls. He threatens the life of anyone getting w/i 2 feet. I risked life and limb and checked for fleas, ear mites, found nothing. I am worried that Tiger's escapes have brought home something bad.
I keep thinking rabies. Help. I know they need their shots and they will get thim next week. Any other thoughts?

Is Matthew in a bad mood all the time or just certain days? When you take them to the vet next week, have a thorough exam done.
It could be something simple that Matthew is stressing terribly when Tiger escapes. Do you lock your doors when you leave? You may have to put a deadbolt on your door if Tiger has learned to open doors on his own. If there is a deadbolt on the door, and you know you locked it, I would also consider getting your locks checked out or even changed.

Since you're a good mom, attending to their vaccinations, I suspect you've had them both neutered... haven't you? If not, that could cause both the determination to get out AND the moodswings.

But if they ARE neutered...another theory: if your doors and/or windows are regularly standing open (either through someone's forgetfulness or through the amazing dexterity of cats), it might be that some other animal is coming right into your house!

And once another animal has been there, its scent will remain... and that scent could be keeping your kitties in a state of Red Alert.

So... I would have a housecleaning spree to get rid of any foreign smells (using Zero Odor or something similar), then establish some failsafes for keeping your house secure. You might also use one of the Comfort Zone diffusers so many people here recommend, at least for awhile, until your babies settle down...

Here is the "signs & symptoms" section from the Center for Disease Control's Rabies Information: Signs and symptoms
The first symptoms of rabies may be nonspecific flu-like signs — malaise, fever, or headache, which may last for days. There may be discomfort or paresthesia at the site of exposure (bite), progressing within days to symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, progressing to delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia. The acute period of disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days (6). Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive. Disease prevention is entirely prophylactic and includes both passive antibody (immune globulin) and vaccine. Non-lethal exceptions are extremely rare. To date only six documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been reported and each included a history of either pre- or postexposure prophylaxis.
I strongly urge you to check out the CDC's entire section on rabies, for more info., and then call your vet with any questions or concerns. I think that CarolPetunia is most likely right - another animal probably entered your home, because that is how my cats behave when a raccoon breaks into our house - they will even fight each other! And the 'coon will urinate along objects, too, which esp. infuriates Joey! you can use Tiger & Matthew to pinpoint the contaminated objects, and clean them - when cats smell marked territory, they sniff, look up & hold their mouths slightly open, using those extra sensitive olfactory sensors.

Yes both of my babies are fixed, from 3 months or so.
I think that the problem with Matthew is that he was stressing about Tiger's escape. We are trying to be really careful with them until the shots are taken care of. Tiger is getting bolder every day, and now she is a furry blur slipping past. My husband is putting slid locks on all the doors and windows, and we have taken to only using the front door, so the rest are firmly locked.
Mathew has never been agressive with us, even in play. The girls have kept him wrapped in baby blankets and pushed in doll strollers since he was tiny and he just goes along. If they arent bothering him he tends to look for them. His agression yesterday have everyone worried. He seems to be more normal today. Tiger was waiting this morning, cold and huddled, my husband let her in and she came and warmed her cold paws on my chest.
Now everyone seems fine.
I am anxious about getting the shots done, asap.
Thank you all for your input.

sure does sound strange - how is everything going today? still all back to normal?