What could’ve caused this? 🤔

Hard to tell from the pic, but looks like the weather stripping is damaged?
I have seen squirrels do damage like this over time, their claws are so small that they don't usually make big gouges, they're very fine scratches. Also their tiny paws can reach in there and tear up the weather stripping.

Caused by friction. In this spot you can see the direction of travel and the change in wear layers of paint

Different direction here.

I would say this happened over the course of a day or 2. Most likely scenario being the home owners left a female dog inside that room and a neighborhood male dog was determined to get in. The timing had to be just right, if you know what I mean.

I am on running with the pet idea.

They let a pet outside, left the door mostly closed but not latched, and the pet pushed its way back into the door when it wanted to come in. They probably did this every day or multiple times a day for a long period out of habit and just never noticed or ignored it.

We had similar stains/wear on an interior bedroom door when we had a cat. We left our bedroom door slightly ajar to hear our daughter as an infant down the hall if she cried overnight. The cat would sometimes work its way into the cracked open door at night to sleep under our bed. It lightly wore the paint off the door frame and door over time causing a very noticeable spot after many months.

Wider part at the top is the body, lower/narrow part is the legs.

Deputy819 said:

Another officer said this as well, but not sure on the source of the heat.

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I'm no expert by any means, but about 10 years back taught an urban breaching class to soldiers. Without any further information and looking at the picture in a cellphone my first impression (mind you I'm cynical and think worst case) was poorly made/placed home made explosives (HME). Add in you stated this house was broken into, I don't believe it coincidence. However, a blast would likely have broken the window on the door…unless it were shatterproof.
By chance is this house near the border, or Aurora CO, or Springfield OH?

Bravo 4 said:

By chance is this house near the border, or Aurora CO, or Springfield OH?

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Ha! No, but we've had intermittent "problems" with a South American group committing burglaries in our area. We're sure of the ethnicity because of audio recordings on ring cameras, etc.