Cat peeing and pooping out of litterbox LONG

Sorry so long, but else people always have follow up questions.  My cat Spitty, who is 14 and has IBD and being treated with metrodizamole (sp?) an antibiotic commonly used for IBD, is peeing and pooping around. Her blood tests are normal, tested for diabetes, kidney failure (albumin and creatinine) and some other things, as the vet was trying to get to the bottom of the chronic diarrhea and vomiting, which is much better on the medication (I tried dietary interventions, but she was literally starving to death because she wouldn't eat the food. She originally got the IBD when I was feeding her Merrick dry food)  Now she is on Friskies wet food that I put some squash in there for fiber.  She just won't eat other stuff and only 6 lbs and should be like 10 or 11 pounds.  She is doing very well on the Friskies and gaining weight.  When she fattens up, I will probably try an elimination diet, but she has to gain weight or she will die pretty quick.

The litter boxes are in the basement. There were 2, one being a very large one, for 2 cats who like each other. No way is the other cat ambushing her - they love each other and are from the same litter of kittens.   I set up a 3rd box when she pooped in a corner of the basement, but she would just pee in it or walk past and poop on the floor.  I scoop 3 or 4 times a day in the past few months because she's been sick with the IBD and her poop stinks to high heaven.   I think I have the recently developed pooping problem more or less solved - I poured Nature's MIracle around and covered a large area with 3 mil plastic and set up another litterbox over there, and she is now using those boxes.  Previous to the new, FOURTH litterbox, she went thru GREAT effort to defeat all the barriers I set up to prevent her from using the corner of the basement as a litterbox, so I don't think it's urgency in any way. She had to pass by the perfectly clean litterbox with the brand of litter she's used for 10 years, in order to navigate over and around profound obstacles and poop in between them.

OK now for the peeing. Over her life, she has occasionally had peeing around problems, always behavioral.  But it was never this bad!  She is peeing all over the couch, and for example, last year I had to throw away a couch, which she peed on because my husband had a major surgery and couldn't pay attention to her normally as he was recovering.  So now we bought a new inexpensive couch, and she is peeing all over it.  I'm going to bring her to the vet to check for a UTI, but I'm pretty sure this is behavioral, because we covered the couch with plastic, and put MANY MANY obstacles on the couch, on the arms of the couch etc. and that cat went thru great effort to jump up on there in between stuff and pee.  I have been treating with Odormute unscented so I can tell that I got rid of the stink (I can't tell if I put fragrance on there).  I've not succeeded yet, and going to do another treatment.  This is my second time getting rid of the pee smell in a month, which is a lot of work!  

I have a very tiny old farmhouse and I don't have a small room I can confine her in - it would have to be a dog crate and I'd have to have my husband build a wood platform for the cat. If I put a litterbox upstairs, the only place it can fit is literally under the kitchen table, which would be ok for awhile, but a very poor long term solution. I do have one room that's not carpeted, but it's a sewing room and I'd have to clean out the whole thing because maybe she would pee all over my fabric, thread etc. my husband is very irate over all this and wants me to give up on her because she is the 3rd in a line of cats I couldn't save (cancer, next one got kidney failure and the sub Q fluids didn't buy that cat much time) and the whole thing is overwhelming me because I caregive for a disabled relative and I'm disabled with serious and chronic depression as it is.  I have been having to wash litterboxes after every pooping because she gets it all over the side most every time ( I have a trick for that now with a spray bottle and paper towels but it's still time consuming and I constantly have to mix up food with pumpkin to feed her etc).  She is a very sweet cat and with the medication, she is putting on weight and a lot more comfortable (little if any stomach discomfort now, it appears).  I am so overwhelmed with all these problems, it's crushing me.

**OK, so what are some realistic things I can try to get her to stop peeing on the couch?**

I did order a scat mat, and that will come in a couple days, and my vet's office says try feliway, but I tend to think that's a placebo effect on the owner type of thing, because I tried that on this kitty's brother Huff when he was distressed over their brother, Puff, dying of cancer, (Huff abruptly got a thunderstorm phobia) and it did nothing to calm him down. (He's since recovered from the Tstorm phobia, but it took a couple years).

Thank you, and sorry so long! I tried to preemptively address any questions.

Forgot to say, her thyroid was normal too

How frustrating and worrying that Spitty has started to do this, and it has carried on since replacing your sofa.

It is not uncommon for cats with a history of bowel or bladder problems and discomfort to toilet inappropriately but I am not sure if this is behind Spitty's behaviour or if it is more about anxiety and marking space associated with people like soiling  a bed.  Or that it is comfortable and warm, or some redidual odour in the area.  It can be very difficult to figure out.  

I have not heard of anyone using a Scat Mat with cats before and I am anxious that you could cause more distress and perhaps cause other problem behaviours, but this is my own views on anything which a cat can experience as punishment.  There is an article on the site about cats and this type of training though: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

Are there any other changes or things that have happened recently, before the bahaviour started, that might have caused Spitty to feel stressed in some way, even if it was outside like another cat being visible at a window? Or someone coming to stay, or bringing a dog to visit?

If you clean your sofa very thoroughly and try covering with a waterproof blanket or picnic blanket for a while, plus something citrus scented this might help. There are some good ideas and things to think about in this link:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/9563/inappropriate-peeing-problems-answered

I hope there is something in here that helps.

Hello.. sounds like a nightmare.. You've done really well to sort out the poop problem tho. Can I ask, is your cat an indoor cat? Putting aside my own thoughts of indoor-outdoor cats, sometimes behavioural problems can be made better by allowing them outside.   Anyway, the only other things I can think of is to try a different kitty litter to see if helps, and with the couch is to put cat food or treats there.  I read it online when our cat sprayed after coming home from the vets with a UTI and it did work with ours. Seems that some cats think twice about spraying near their food!   We had feliway too and no change or help to our kitty but there is a spray, a small bottle of the stuff designed for travel etc and perhaps it's worth trying that out? Much cheaper than buying the plug ins, esp if it has no effect.

Oh, and not sure if a crate will help, it may make matters worse if she's not used to being in one. I understand your frustration, but I truly think it will make her more stressed.

I wish you luck and hope you can find a solution soon. Don't want you to lose your kitty but understand you can't live like this forever.

One thing I would revisit with the vet is the long term use of metro  It has nothing to do with the inappropriate elimination.  Metro is used in IBD because it is an antibiotic with anti inflammatory properties.  It is still an antibiotic with all the issues that come with constant long term use.  A better choice for an anti inflammatory to use long term would be a steroid.

Thank you for the thoughtful replies!

I am worried about the stressing her out with confinement and a scat mat too, which is why I am hoping that she has a UTI, but I don't think so since she's done this before (just not so bad). My husband is really upset and wants me to give up on this cat because I'm so overwhelmed already, but I am loyal to my cats and she was a feral kitten I tamed.  She was on her own a few days as a feral kitten, and I think maybe that caused an anxiety disorder.   I think the confinement will be worse than the scat mat, because last year when my husband was recovering from surgery, that was the worst ever litterbox problems until this latest episode, so taking affection away is a huge stress for the cat.

Two causes - the first time, we had an out of town guest for a few days, which Spitty likes him and he's good with animals. But when he left, I didn't get his bedding put away right away - just folded up the blankets and sheets and put them on the couch in the corner, and she peed on them.  She pees in laundry baskets and bathroom rugs, but I no longer leave rugs on the floor or laundry baskets with clothes lying around and haven't for many years.  

I also think I stressed my little cat out when I yelled at her once (VERY uncharacteristic of me!) because she was badgering me when I was overwhelmed with life or death caregiving responsibilities.  My husband and I have been arguing a LOT more than usual in tandem with my breakdowns over stress, although that has improved greatly in the past month since the meltdown that involved Spit.  I see no way to fix this stress or even reduce it.  It depends on how much help my relative needs and how I'm doing at the time.

I am putting orange air fresheners (e.g. Glade) on the couch, but she peed on there anyway. I think maybe they were too dried up and I put a fresh one on there today, and will be covering the couch better with a brand new vinyl shower curtain I had laying around.  LOL when I'm done, I can hang it up and hose it off in the shower!

I take her out for supervised outdoor time in the summer, but it is northern Minnesota and it is much too cold to take her out now.  There is one two timing cat that comes here for food, but I doubt she has ever seen this feral cat since it doesn't hang around, just gets its food and leaves and there are no tracks in the snow near any windows she can see out of.

Thanks for the links and I'll read them. I do plan to try other litter, although she has liked this litter fine for 10 years.  

As for the metro, that is for the IBD, I know, and she has been on it 10 days so far. The vet did discuss steroids but didn't want to go there yet.  I got the impression she thought long term use of the metro was better than steroids, but I dunno if I got her drift on that or not.  The vet seemed pretty down on steroids except as last resort, I thought.  But I will ask about that on Monday when I bring Spitty in for the UTI check.

Some people think Feliway works - does anybody believe in that?  

I do think Feliway works for a lot of cats, but the plug in is not a quick fix, it is more of a gradual build up subtle effect.  The spray is a short term quick stress thing that works for stuff like travel in carriers. I use both with Mouse.

I first used Feliway with 2 tabbies when I moved them from my place to a friend's for a few months then brought them home to a completely renovated and much changed apartment.  I do think it calmed them a bit. When I got Mouse he was very skittish and had been very stressed by a long car trip, I used Feliway for several months with him and when it would run out I could tell because he would be more jumpy again and really clingy when I came in from work.  The spray definitely helps him in the car!  I haven't used it for inappropriate urinating or scratching, just overal stress.

Feliway works really well for some cats and doesn't seem to affect others.  I think stress rather than diet is the main trigger for my kitty's IBD and I tried Feliway and it didn't help my kitty but it has helped other kitties.  They are on the pricey side but would be worth a try.  I take my kitties to a feline specialist and they have one plugged in in each exam room.

Vets seem to fall into two camps with steroids they either avoid them at all costs or use them for everything.  The main risk with long term use is diabetes, my kitty has been on them for 3 years with no issues.  Before going to this vet, other vets would treat each flair with metro.  He would get over a flare only to have another one in a few weeks or months.  My kitty would get very ill with anorexia and vomiting.  The last big flare he ended up with fatty liver.  That's when I took him to a feline specialist and he was put on the steroid.

I covered the whole couch with the shower curtain and put new orange air fresheners on there, but I only had two. Apparently she levitated over all the obstacles I placed on and around the couch, and peed on the end of the couch where I didn't put an orange air freshener.  Seriously, I put so many obstacles on that couch, I dunno how she does it.  But it seems the orange air fresheners are working, and I have to buy a bunch more.

The new litterbox in the basement is being used - she hasn't pooped on the floor again since I covered everything with plastic and set up a litterbox on her "accident" site.  So far so good, for 2 days now.  Still holding my breath.

Is she only peeing on the couch?  And is she peeing on it when you are out or in bed, or when you are in and observing aswell?  

Have you tried a litter tray / box in the sitting area, possibly right next to the couch she is using?  Another thought is trying puppy pads as they have the soft texture rather than litter if there is some negative association with litter texture and trays?  If nothing else puppy pads would absorb any pee if they were placed over the couch seat, arms and back when you're not sitting on it.

I too have a couch pee-er.  Hers is caused by a low grade chronic uti with possible cystitis.  I am treating her with long term antibiotics (clavamox) on a pulse therapy basis (5 days on, 5 days off).  I keep her confined to my office when I'm not home as that seems to be the time she likes to do it.  She also pees on fabric, cats beds etc.  I have tried Feliway and it didnt' seem to make too much of a difference. Mini Dee is not a cat that gets stressed out about anything.  She literally purrs at the vet lol. 

She probably would pee on there when I'm there, but not when my husband is there. But I only just discovered this and sent my husband to bed before me.  I just gently called her name and called her down to the basement, and she did her peeing down there. I really praised her and petted her good.  Then I went to bed and this morning, there was pee on the couch.

I prefer not to put a litterbox in the living room because there is carpet and her poop stinks to high heaven from the IBD. I think maybe I will try feeding her on there if my other efforts fail.  Else maybe I will manufacture a large covered litterbox out of a Rubbermaid tote.  

 LOL I was dreaming one night about talking to some 12 year old kids, and in my dream, one of them started smelling like she pooped her diaper, so the kids suddenly got a lot younger in the dream.   I woke up and Spitty had pooped in the basement and I could smell the stench in my bedroom because the furnace intake is right by her new pooping spot!

It HAS to be marking doesn't it? She goes thru tremendous effort to get on that couch and pee on it. I cover the couch with obstacles everywhere and I don't see how she gets up there.  

She has slipped up with laundry before, but I make sure I don't leave it out. Otherwise, she's good. She peed on a couch last year and we threw that one away because in summer, we couldn't treat it and get it to dry without molding.  In winter, the couch dries out quickly after I give the OdorMute 4 hours to work on the pee (i cover the couch 4 hours, then uncover it and put a fan on it and it's so bone dry indoors it takes only 8 hours to dry)

It does sound much more like spraying / marking than a health issue but always best getting these things checked so good to know she has had thorough vet checks.  This has been going on for quite a while so even if there isn't any physical issue underlying the behaviour it could be difficult to change, but that doesn't mean it is impossible.  It might be easier if there was some awareness of why she at least started to do it.  

I do think more litter boxes might help, and although you are reluctant to have them in your living area, if they helped then the odours would improve.  From what you describe of her IBD and smell from her poop it can not be pleasant for her either and likely litter boxes are not her favourite places, particularly ones she has already used!

@Fleabags Mom's idea of the Feliway spray is worth a go too as an add on after throrough cleaning of the couch.  It is cheeper than the plug in and site specific so you could just use on the couch?  It might not work but is is less expensive than the plug in. 

So I took Spitty to the vet, and she did not have a UTI.  I got Feliway spray and the thing that plugs into the wall.  I dunno if it's working on her, but her brother Huff was in bliss - I got some on my hands and he flopped in my lap in a more relaxed posture than I've ever seen!  I thought this stuff might be a gimmick, placebo for the cat owner, but maybe not.  The vet thinks her urine is so dilute now that she ran bloodwork for kidney failure, which her kidneys tested normal 7 months ago (but the vet said the abnormal tests are when the kidneys have lost nearly all function).  I don't have those results yet.  The vet said to use the metronidizole another month for the IBD and see what happens and said she does not have a philosophy about steroid use - whatever works, she said. She said the next step would be to add a low dose steroid.

So far so good with the pooping in the litterbox, and not on the floor.  She peed on the couch another time but I didn't have the plug in feliway going yet.

That wait for the tests on kidneys will feel like an age so hope they come back quickly and not anything bad.  Also that there is some indication of why she may have been starting to pee like this, perhaps not feeling too good and seeking reassurance and comfort. 

Did you try spraying the Feliway on the couch?  If not I would definitely do that.

Oh my, loving that image of Huff!  Never thought of spraying my clothes or a lap blanket, but now having the idea maybe I should and see if I can get Mouse to come sit on my lap:  I know Feliway helps sooth him but he's never reacted like that!