Inconsistent middening

I have a three-year-old cat, Pancake, who is having litter box problems and I am at the end of my rope. I've combed through several other threads looking for answers but I haven't seen quite the same issue described.

Pancake used her litter box like a champ for the first year I had her (I got her as a rescue when she was about four months old). Then she started pooping in the kitchen. She chose one specific corner and would always poop there. It was incredibly frustrating, but after her vet checked her out and ensured she wasn't experiencing a physical problem leading to the behavior, we moved on to trying to correct the behavior. I didn't have a second litter box at the time (since she had used just one with no problems for her first year) but I set up a second litter box for her and used Feliway spray to neutralize the area where she was pooping. It worked! She stopped pooping in the kitchen...and started pooping on my couch. 

For about six months now I have been struggling with her pooping on my couch, and occasionally, on my bed (I can limit her access to my bedroom, which pretty well curtails that behavior). She has now been to a second vet, who recommended a natural calming chew to add daily to her food, before we resort to kitty prozac. At present, Pancake's set up is two litter boxes, both use feline pine original. She gets the calming chew once daily, and I have two Feliway diffusers in the apartment, one in the bathroom with her litter boxes and one in the main area. I also continue to use the Feliway spray to try and neutralize the couch, since it worked in the kitchen, but it doesn't seem as effective this time. 

The second vet diagnosed her recent behavior as middening and along with the attempts to soothe her, I have added more playtime to her days and also make an effort to play on the couch with her, in hopes that she'll see it as a play zone and not a poop place. But we've only been partially successful with correcting this behavior. She'll use her box for a week, maybe two at most, and then she'll poop on the couch again. I've tried deterrents like foil, which she just eats, and currently keep a plastic sheet over the couch but that doesn't deter her, either. In fact, this morning I woke up to find that she had torn up the plastic so that she could poop on the couch underneath. When she does make a mess, I've been using Nature's Miracle to clean up and deodorize the area affected. 

I don't know what else I can do. Everything I've read about this indicates something in her environment is upsetting her and it's stress related, but my efforts to make her environment more soothing haven't permanently corrected the problem. She's an only cat, I haven't moved or made a significant change in my home since getting her three years ago. I've had the same couch all along (although at this rate, I am going to need a new couch). I can't figure out what's upsetting her, and I'm starting to think it's not going to be solvable and I'm going to need to give her away. I hate to even think it because it feels like punishing her for something I know she isn't doing to be spiteful, but I can't live with this much longer. I'm afraid to bring people over for fear of what mess I might find when I get home, and I'm afraid to leave her alone for too long, because if I'm here (and awake) I can redirect her to her box. I've been trying to deal with potential separation anxiety, in case that's the issue, but the weird thing about Pancake's problem is that she will use her box for periods of time like it's no big thing, then just suddenly she'll poop on the couch for a few days before going back to her box. I don't know what else I can do for her besides admit something in my apartment is just making her unhappy and the only fix left is to rehome her.

If anyone has any ideas, tricks or tips I haven't tried, I am all ears.

Welcome to TCS! Sorry that you're dealing with a frustrating problem. We've all been there. 

You mentioned middening. A few questions popped up at me, so I'm going to try a shotgun approach -- where I throw out a bunch of questions and see which one we can use to narrow it down.

The litter box

How often do you scoop? 

Did the litter change?

Have you tried a different litter, like Cat Attract?

Different kind of box? Tall, uncovered, deep litter, etc.

Have the boxes always been in the bathroom? Are they side-by-side? Have you tried moving one of them away to another place? The ideal location would be hidden but easily accessible, and have at least two "escape routes".

Insecurity

I'm inclined to think insecurity has something to do with it. You mentioned that Feliway worked for a bit. Sometimes insecure cats will pee/poop on their owner's things in order to mingle their scents with their owners'. This would be consistent with middening. Something about the environment is making her insecure, and she needs reassurance.

Of the places she pooped on, how frequent do you use those areas? In other words, are they saturated with your scent?

How much time do you spend playing and interacting with her when you notice her making a mess?

You mention "we", so I assume you are living with someone. Does that someone play/interact with her too?

 I have added more playtime to her days and also make an effort to play on the couch with her, in hopes that she'll see it as a play zone and not a poop place. But we've only been partially successful with correcting this behavior.

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I think partially successful is a great step forward, it means it's working in its way. Playing and interacting with her more often will help with her insecurity. She wants to maintain her bond with you, and grooming, playing, interacting, talking to her are good ways to do that. You may have to spend a lot more time with her.

the weird thing about Pancake's problem is that she will use her box for periods of time like it's no big thing, then just suddenly she'll poop on the couch for a few days before going back to her box.

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It isn't sudden. We just need to figure out what the trigger is. What I'd do is keep a log of what I do everyday with her. It's going to be tedious, since we don't really know where to start, but it's much better than having to rehome her.

In your log, write everything you do, around her or with her. What time you wake up, where you stood when you prepare meals, how long you sat on the couch and where, etc. Shotgun approach. Then when she makes a mess, you can check to see what occurred 2, 5, 10 hours before, or 2 days before. Pretty soon you can try to determine what the pattern is. There always is a pattern.

I hope you keep us updated!

Running down the list:

I scoop her litter box at least once a day. I clean it pretty much whenever I see she's used it.

The litter has not changed, I've been using Feline Pine all along. However, after reading different threads on this forum, I have decided to pick up a bag of Cat Attract and give it a go.

Her litter boxes have been the same. Her "main" box where she wees is a Breeze box, open but with a tall-ish back and lowered "entry point". Her secondary box is a Nature's Miracle biodegradable box, which is open with low sides. She seems to like both of them just fine. 

The boxes are both in bathroom but they are not side-by-side. They're in opposite areas, both with clear exits. Unfortunately, my apartment is too small to tolerate putting her boxes in separate rooms. I really only have the bathroom and then the everything else room. I've tried to put them as far apart in the bathroom as I can, but that's the best I can do. Maybe it's selfish but I refuse to have an open litter box in my living room.

I use the couch a lot--besides my desk chair it's my only seating option (seriously, my apartment is small). So yeah, to her it probably reeks of me. And the "we" I referring to is me and the vets I've been working with. I live alone, but Pancake is okay with strangers. She's a little shy but after a few minutes she'll come out and sniff around newcomers but generally leaves them alone. I will start keeping track of the days at home and see if I can spot any patterns that might be triggering her.

Thanks for your interest!

Okay, that's a start. I'm thinking it might not be a litter box issue; you seem to be doing everything right. The litter box arrangement, etc is only much more important with a fussy cat, or a household with multiple cats. It wouldn't hurt to change her litter and see if that fixes things -- again, as you said it's a on-off thing and not a regular thing, it might not be the cause. When changing her litter, be sure change it gradually over the course of a week or so. Change only one box at a time too, so that if she decides she doesn't like the new one, she still has the old one.

 I can limit her access to my bedroom, which pretty well curtails that behavior

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I would continue to let her in your bedroom. It sounds like she needs constant access to you. You may have a needy cat in your hands. Do you have old, sweaty shirts, or towels? You may want to try rubbing her every day with one of those. If YOU mix your scent onto her regularly, maybe she wouldn't need to mix HERS onto your things. 

Where does she sleep? If it's a cat bed, you can line her bed with a sweaty shirt. 

Any breaks in your routine? Again, something to watch out for in your journal. A break in routine would be something like feeding her at different times than she is used to, or going to bed later than usual. 

How is her personality like? Is she playful, timid, relaxed, attention seeking, etc? 

She's generally a sweet cat. She doesn't bite or scratch, and except for this pooping problem, she's not destructive. She's not super friendly with other people, but she isn't aggressive toward them, either. She'll investigate newcomers and then pretty much leave them alone. I don't notice her being overly attention seeking or anything. If she wants to play, she'll come over and butt my ankle or hand to start playing.

The old clothes thing is a good idea. I will try that. At this point, I'll try anything if it will help her level out.