Middening - What is causing it?

by Pip
(Melbourne, Australia)

We moved to our new house about 2 months ago. The cats are outside during the day (they always have been) and for the past few weeks, one of my two cats has started pooping at the front door. She does it when we are there and when we are not there. When we are there, she often preceeds the poop with scratching ("running") on the glass pane by the front door, like she wants to come in. I dont know if her pooping is then a "bully to you, you should have let me in" or if it simply her having to go and not being able to get inside to the litter.

She never did this at our old house though, she always went happily in the garden. She did, however, on occasion poop or pee in various spots around the house overnight (the worst being peeing on the kitchen bench a few times).

There seems to be a cat next door but i have never seen it (i heard one of my cats fighting with it the first time we let them out at the new house). Could it be spraying near our door? Or is there likely some other explanaton for her new and strange behaviour? I am pregnant and so cannot clean it up myself and my husband is going crazy from having to clean the front porch most days!

Thank you VERY much for your help.
Pip

Answer by Kate
Hi
yes it sounds to me like your cat feels the need to mark her territory. this is probably because the cat next door is scenting there too.

There is no risk for you if you do clean the mess up if you wear some protective gloves. the disposable rubber or plastic gloves are good because you can just throw them away after each clean up.

Also what you could try to do is to clean the area with a solution of bicarbonate of soda, this is very good at removing all races of scent. then spray the area with a strong citrus smell, lemon juice and water, or some other citrus spray. this will help to prevent the cat next door from wanting to come to that area and scent.

i know this is a problem as I too have a stray tom cat who comes and scents around my door, which drives my very placid cat mad, forcing her to scent. Luckily it has stopped now, so she can relax again.

best wishes kate

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