Peeing and Pooping issue (I have read the stickies) NEED HELP!!

I need some help with a new cat we have had for about 6 months. She was a feral cat and we received her after 7-8 wks old (was with her mother). We already have one cat (4yrs old) prior to getting the new cat. We kept the new cat locked up in the bathroom at night for the first 2 months until she was adjusted to the older original cat, after which they seemed fine together. After a month or two went by, the new cat began to pee in our bed at night and sometimes during the day (even while we were in the bed!). We punished her by swatting her and showing her the litter box (while praising). A month went by with no bed wetting, then it began again 3 or 4 times. We began locking her up at night again and keeping her out of the bedroom. We also had her checked for a UTI as so many posting recommended (came up negative).

Now the past week she has began to poop all over the bathroom (in the tub, on the counter, toilet, floor, and sink!). After the first night, we changed the litter in both boxes (each cat has their own litter). This happened several nights (but not during the day). Again we punished and showed the litter box. Now tonight she pooped out in the living room just before we went to bed. Right after I swat her and show her the box, both times she pees right away (and I praise her).

Other than these issues, she uses the litter box just fine (and was completely potty trained before). Also, we did have her spade in between the peeing incidences (not because of this issue, because she was at the correct age). Clearly this is a behavioral issue and the new cat is jealous of the original cat (or the attention the original cat receives).

What can we do to fix this problem!!!??? We are in deep s**t!!! (literally!)

Since you have had her vet checked, I would say, your new kitty is very stressed. Please do not hit your kitty, "swatting" can cause A LOT of stress to a cat.

Since she was litter box trained before, her stress more than likely came from being in a new surrounding, then added stress being "swatted". Instead of swatting her, help her become acclimated to her new surroundings and when she has an accident, place her "poo" in the litter box.

I would also recommend have at least 3 litter boxes for 2 cats. Some cats just do not like to pee and poo and the same box, or share a box.

I would also suggest that you clean her accident areas with an enzyme cleaner, to totally eliminate the smell.

It also may be a good idea to get a 2nd opinion cats who are ill, generally have outside elimination issues when they are ill. And if with a 2nd opinion, she continues, try to eliminate her stress as much as possible.

I know what's happening is disturbing, but ur being a bit hard with the cat, swat ? no no no, it's even worse to treat it like that !
Why don't you buy some litter powder that attracts cats and you put in the litter box? or when you confine it to the bathroom, put her litter box too? Or like I did, every 1 hour pick up the cat and put it in the litter box? even if it may take days or weeks, continue to do that. It worked for me. Please don't smack the cat, it doesn't do that on purpose.

A second vet opinion is a very good idea. Also, take a fecal sample with you to the vet. Make sure the vet checks her paws to make sure there isn't a problem there. If the problem is confirmed not to be medical, the problem isn't jealousy, it is stress.

If you confine her to the bathroom at night and she doesn't use the litterbox you put in there for her but she poops in the tub, put another litterbox in the tub.

With two cats, you should have at least three litterboxes. Some cats like to pee in one box and poop in another - so there's certainly no harm in having four boxes for two cats. Consider adding one that has a cover and one that doesn't.

Do make sure you've used an enzyme cleaner wherever kitty has gone. The one we were referred to that works the best (for us) is http://www.nokout.com. On furniture and carpets, place aluminum foil over where she's gone until the enzyme cleaner is completely dry.

Consider purchasing Feliway plug-ins and/or flower essence stress relief formula: http://www.catfaeries.com

You can also consider purchasing "Cat Attract," a litter additive that seems to work especially well with ferals because of the smell it adds to litter: Cat Attract at PetMed.com

Give her extra play time and attention every day. Negative reinforcement really doesn't work with cats - it simply adds to the stress and makes them afraid of you. If you catch her in the act of peeing or pooping outside of the box, a stern "no" is OK, but swatting, squirting with water, &etc. simply stress the cat out more. The point is to help reduce her stress levels, even if we can't figure out what they are.

Extra attention and extra play time every day can go a long way to help.

If the above don't work, then you need to try litterbox retraining. She would need to be confined to one room with at least one litterbox, food and water (as far away from the litter as possible!). Two litterboxes is best if you can. And make sure you enzyme clean any place she goes outside of the box - and cover the area with aluminum foil.

Spend as much time in the room with her as you can. Giver her lots of attention and lots of play time.

When we had to do this with our Spooky, she began obsessively licking - and I mean to the point of bald spots with scabs. And we let her out of the retraining room after two days when it was apparent she was going nuts with the licking. As a last resort, the vet prescribed Elavil, although there are others. Spooky was on the Elavil for a few months (it made her sleepy at first). We then weaned her off - and she's been fine every since - both from the licking perspective and from the using the box perspective.