Cat fouling right outside my front door

You'll have to shove a cork up its ****.

Hi there, I suspect there might be an unspayed female nearby. Your cat can smell her but doesn’t necessarily know exactly which door she's behind. Or maybe it’s another unneutered male winding him up with his scent. Perhaps you could ask your neighbours on the same floor about it? Otherwise, you could put some newspaper down where he’s doing his business. It’s easy to clear up and won’t bother the neighbours.

I was wondering how the cat managed to get into the communal areas, but now I’ve got my answer: your flat door opens straight outside... So I definitely see why you’d rather keep it shut! Mind you, that changes everything because for all we know, this cat might not live there at all... and maybe he’s even a stray! The idea of trapping the cat was more about giving the owner a bit of a scare, but the problem here is that they might not even realise their cat is doing this. You shouldn't catch him because even if he isn't microchipped, there’s a good chance he belongs to someone, and you’d end up making a lot of people very miserable (the cat included, but also his whole human family). Honestly, I’m just as stumped as you are. To my mind, if he’s doing his business on your landing and nowhere else, he must live there or at least in your building. I can’t imagine a cat coming from another block, climbing three flights of stairs just to go right outside your door, and then heading back down again (even the most far-fetched tall tales sound more likely than that scenario 😎). So I think the best thing would be to try and catch him in the act one evening and follow him to see where he lives. In my opinion, he won't be very far away...

Hi everyone, Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply. Just to clarify a few things. This whole situation started at the end of August. Since I eventually started spraying vinegar every evening, he stopped doing his business there. However, he's recently gone back to his old habits. I did wonder if it was a case of him targeting my spot specifically. But lately, this cat has messed on the same floor several times, just further along, right in front of my door (perhaps because I'd sprayed peppery vinegar). I don't have a cat myself, and I don't have a balcony either. Last night, I taped down some aluminium foil. This morning, I found some poo on the stairs (not far from the door) and I saw his paw prints in the pepper. So, while the foil stopped him from getting right up to the door, he just stayed nearby to do his business. He seems really set on this spot. Regarding the repellent granules, aren't they much the same as the vinegar? I've been told he's claimed this area as his territory and that I'll have a hard time shifting him. But I don't understand why he isn't more attracted to the soil in the garden instead. The only scent that might have attracted him (but is this even plausible?) is an insecticide I used at the entrance back in the summer. How do you actually catch a cat? Is it even doable? As for leaving the door open, that's out of the question. The flat opens directly onto an outside staircase; not only is it freezing, but it would also be a security risk. Reading your replies, I can see you’re all just as stumped as I am. So, it looks like the only solution is to spray peppery vinegar every night. But in your opinion, how long will it be before he finally gives up?

No worries @Le Bronzé. You’re right. I didn’t mention the range: 6 to 9 metres depending on the weather. It covers an area of about 80 square metres. I can confirm that if it’s pointed outdoors, there’s nothing to worry about (I have two cats and it doesn’t bother them at all, but it’s set to ‘fox’ and only at night). Alternatively, there’s a mixture of white vinegar, pepper, mustard and water you can spray on the balcony. It’s usually a pretty effective repellent.

You could put an ultrasonic device on your balcony, set it to the frequency that deters cats and point it outwards. It’ll stop coming back without being harmed at all. I use one myself to keep foxes away. The device has five different ultrasonic settings depending on the animal and is solar-powered (it costs about £25 on Amazon; just search for 'ultrasonic cat repeller').

Do you have a cat yourself? Maybe that’s where the problem is coming from? Otherwise, you can buy some cat repellent granules; they cost around £3.50 or £4 (the kind you put in flower pots or flowerbeds so cats don't do their business in them). Usually, if you use them for a week or so, the cat will get into the habit of going elsewhere. If no one is replying to your polite notes, try sending some slightly firmer ones. State that if the person responsible for the cat doesn't do the decent thing by keeping it in or at least getting in touch with you—which is common courtesy—you'll have to have the cat trapped, assuming it’s a stray. If the cat does belong to someone, that should get a reaction without starting a row, as you’ve given them a fair warning. If it really is a stray, you can easily catch it yourself just by leaving your door open (when you're home); it’s bound to wander in eventually. Mind you, I find it really weird that it comes right to your front door to do that. It reminds me of that classic prank where a group of kids put dog poo in some newspaper, leave it on a doorstep, set the paper on fire, ring the bell, and then leg it. When the person comes out, their instinct is to stomp on the fire to put it out and—SPLAT! Do you have any enemies in the building? Or maybe just some kids being pranksters?