Urinating outside the box help

I need help in two areas #1 how to stop the urinating outside of the box and #2 what I can do to make my house not smell horrible.

Animals in the House: 12 year old male lab (he has his own issues that have sent me to a dog behaviorist along with working with my vet on a solution), 6 year old female lab, 9 year old male cat, 6ish year old male cat, 2 year old male cat and 7ish month old female cat.

All animals are fixed and UTD on shots.

The 6 year old and 2 year old have been urinating outside the box ever since I started to close the windows and deck as it's getting cold out.  Throughout the spring and summer, weather permitting I had my windows open along with the sliding glass door to my deck (it's on the 2nd/3rd story of house and is completely cat safe/proof) as my animals enjoyed being able to go out while I was at work.  Had some plants and stuff out there and it was really a nice environment for them to be in (lots of mature trees providing shade and usually had some sort of a breeze and I had this huge outdoor water fountain that both dog and cat loved equally).

So it's getting cold in Minnesota and I'm having to close up my windows and the sliding glass door and two of my male cats are being pissy about it (hah - see what I did there?).  I had to bring my male dog into the vet for bloodwork to see if his current prescription is causing any issues to his kidneys (it's not) and brought my two male cats to get checked for urinary issues as I know crystals and blockage is a thing for neutered male cats.  Health wise everyone checks out which is great...in a way.  I guess I was almost hoping it was a health issue as those are so much easier to fix.

Basically the 6 year old starting the peeing everywhere and now the 2 year old is following suit.  I'm pulling my hair out as this was never an issue before and I feel like they are just upset that they don't get their outdoor haven during the day and are letting me know.  Another fuel to the fire thing is - I am so burnt out after having to deal with my 12 year old male lab that mentally I feel like I'm about to snap. 

Quick background on the male lab - adopted him a year old, has SEVERE separation anxiety and thus far between a behaviorist and medication I'm still coming home from work to DAILY issues.  So add these two cats starting in on this and I'm about to go crazy.

I currently have 4 litter boxes all on the lower level of the house - because labs think litter boxes are big treat bins this is the only location that I can put these boxes in.  2 are automatic (Liter Robot and Cat Genie) so never stay dirty for longer then 15-30 minutes and the other two are just regular large open boxes that I scoop twice a day.  Because my other two boxes are automatic all the cats prefer to use those because they are always clean.  It appears (and I have only seen them) they use the other two boxes when the automatic ones are cycling.  The Litter Robot cycles after each cat uses it and takes a few minutes to finish where as the Cat Genie takes a bit longer. 

Need some help before I go insane...which is any day now.

Just caught the 9 year old male peeing where the 6 year old male has been peeing last night.

Woke up to having my work shoes peed on.  No idea which one it was.  I now have all 4 cats locked down on the lower level where the litter boxes are. 

Also my current shirt that I'm wearing right now smells like cat pee.

I can't keep living like this - any help would be appreciated.

Not sure how to edit my post, but I just want to add that I have Feliway diffusers all over the house and each cat is wearing one of those calming collars (even the non-pee'ers).

It really sounds as the issue could be territorial. Especially since everything was ok until the cats no longer had access to the catio area.

Did you have a similar problem last year?

Do you have cat trees or perches inside? Do the cats get along well? Do the cats get along well with the dogs?

As for cleaning the urine...I like Nature's Miracle. Make sure you get one of the enzymatic cleaners.

CatPack said:

It really sounds as the issue could be territorial. Especially since everything was ok until the cats no longer had access to the catio area.

Did you have a similar problem last year?

Do you have cat trees or perches inside? Do the cats get along well? Do the cats get along well with the dogs?

As for cleaning the urine...I like Nature's Miracle. Make sure you get one of the enzymatic cleaners.

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Last year I had just finished cat proofing everything as fall hit, so they didn't really get much time to be out there.

I have cat trees and perches inside along with those cardboard claw things with the cat nip next to each piece of furniture (use to have a problem with them wrecking the couch, after I put one of these next to each piece of furniture they use that instead of the furniture itself). 

As for getting along...not so much.  The 6 year old that started the peeing doesn't really get along with any of the others.  The 2 year old male and the young female are best buds, the oldest male will some times play with the two youngins but most times just kind of ignores them.  The 6 year old will go up to the 9 year old and try to initiate a fight - the 9 year old just backs off and goes away (the 9 year old is really 'chill').  However the 2 year old won't back down to him like the 9 year old one does.

Cats and dogs get along great.  Sleep together/on each other and even sometimes play together - well, only the 2 year old male and young female play with the labs.

Also I just sprayed myself down with Lemon scented Lysol so I don't smell so bad.  Was starting to not be able to stand myself with the way I smell.

Ok so I'm at work and I swear this shirt smells like cat pee too.

Could it be that there isn't enough high places?  I do have cat trees/perches/scratcher things but I think the tallest one is right around 5'5" tall - maybe something taller?

I think CatPack hit the nail on the head regarding that this is a territorial thing - basically have two fixed male cats fighting over territory and peeing everywhere in the process.  Feliway Diffusers and calming collars do not work.  I can't really separate them due to the fact that the litter boxes are located in one area.  So if I separate then only one will have access to a box and the other won't.

This has to be stressing for every cat in the house.  How can I get these guys to stop?  I have gone through GALLONS of Nature's Miracle so far and I keep on getting more because this smell is horrible (as I'm sure everyone here knows).

Sounds like you need to add some litter boxes in other areas of the house. Perhaps there is some litter box bullying going on while you are away or sleeping. I would put a litter box in the main areas that you notice the most marking. You could even try using some Cat Attract litter in the new boxes.

CatPack said:

Sounds like you need to add some litter boxes in other areas of the house. Perhaps there is some litter box bullying going on while you are away or sleeping. I would put a litter box in the main areas that you notice the most marking. You could even try using some Cat Attract litter in the new boxes.

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The problem is that I have 2 labs, if I put a litterboxes in the problem areas then I will have litter everywhere and two dogs that have cat poop breath.

Perhaps try the top-loader litter boxes in the problem areas. It would certainly keep the dogs from ingesting the contents.

If you're thinking about something like this then it doesn't work - have gone through two of those already. 

Two 70lb Labs > Plastic Litter Box

Ok. I think you're going to have to get creative. What about using a litter box enclosure that you know the dogs cannot get in to or figure out a way to elevate the litter boxes so that the dogs cannot reach them?

Elevated litter boxes....

Now this is something that I'll have to think on and get creative with.