Dyson's new trick

I'd be the first to admit that Dyson isn't the world's most intelligent cat (that's probably Snowball!), but I think he's got more sense than he's credited with. Luc says he's got the brain of a sausage.....

We can't have a cat flap so, when he wants to go outside (Dyson, not Luc), he goes to the door and maows loudly. If no-one goes to help, he comes back into the main room and MAOWS, then goes to the door again and waits. One of us opens the door, escorts him downstairs, and lets him out of the bottom door into the garden. (Alternatively, if the window in the main room is open, he might climb out of the window onto the railing, and give us quite a scare - then one of us goes to the door and he follows).

Coming back in is another matter, as he can't easily get our attention.

Normally, if he's out, we go and check on him from time to time, and let him in if he wants. Sometimes, if the weather's good, the bottom door is propped open so he can come back into the communal hallway. If it's closed, most of our neighbours know him and will let him in to our block if they see him.

So once inside the block, he will curl up on our doormat until he hears movement inside the flat, and then scratches at the door to be let in (somehow managing not to damage the paintwork).

At least, that's what used to happen. Recently, there's been a change.

Four or five times over the last month, our doorbell has rung. I've opened the door, and Dyson has come in. No-one else in sight. We're guessing that, when one of our immediate neighbours comes in, he stretches up to the door ..... Yes, Dyson has trained our neighbours to get him let in.

Who's a clever sausage then?