Hmmm. I sympathize, but (and I hope I'm not asking the obvious), have you had them checked for bladder infections or kidney stones? Have you trawled through the AskMe threads on inappropriately peeing cats? There must be dozens of those threads.

On review:

AskMe: Inappropriately Peeing Cats.
("IPC" for short.)

How about those "Cats! Don't Pee Where I Spray This!" sprays you buy at the pet store?

Are there any territoriality issues, and do you have one litter box for each cat plus one more? Have you tried having two litter areas so each cat can claim the one it likes as its own?

Sorry, I guess you've probably tried these, as you said you've tried everything.

I hope these aren't stupid questions. I know how tough it is when you're assaulted by urine.

No, I appreciate the suggestions, but yes, all that has been tried. And the little bastards, er, darlings, are in perfect health. I have given up trying to figure out what goes on in their little tiny brains.

I don't mean to be discouraging but I had a cat who peed in inappropriate places continuously (behind my tv/entertainment unit on all the cords and cables!!) and I ended up having to get rid of him. It was a shame and I'm still sad about it as he was a super cat otherwise but I rent and can't afford to keep an animal that thinks the litter box is optional. I'm sorry for your situation Janetland, I know how hard it is and I hope you can find a solution!

Aw, I'm so sorry to hear this, Janet. :( Incontinence is a common problem for elderly cats- we had one who went through this for several years before passing away from (unrelated) cancer. I never figured out a way to put an end to it, either.

No answers, but I do feel for you and your cats. It's a depressing thing to have to go through.

I hope you hang in there, JanetLand!

I'm boggled. I wonder if there's anything like a cat "attractant" that makes cats want to pee in their litter?

Do you have a non-carpeted room in which to confine them, or is making one an option?

I am feeling for you JL. I can empathize. My male cat - for no reason will pee right next to the litter box. He does this only in the very early morning, but I will give him credit, I know he tries to wake me up, but I don't want to get up and let him out at 4:30 am when there is a perfectly good, clean litter box right over there... Then he'll pee right next to the litter, as if to say "Oh yeah?, well we'll see about that!".

In a round about answer to your question, I have noticed mine are picky about what litter is in the box. My female cat seems to hate the clumping variety and refuses to use the litter box if that's what is in there, she will INSIST on being let outside. I mean, she gets violent and will start caturwauling and poking me in the eyes with her claws and scratching my face if I won't get up.

So do you think it could be the type of litter or scented variety? Do they share a box, mine do not like to, but they will... Could there be something new in the house or neighborhood making them spray territorially?

Nah, this has been going on for years, like, 5 or 6 or 7 years at least, and lots of things have happened between now and then. They happily use the litter box sometimes, and sometimes they don't. There's nothing that determines when they do or don't. I've doped them up on that Comfort Zone stuff, I've tried different litters, I've used all the cleaners, I've tried everything. Sometimes I think, "oh, this or that whatever thing is stressing them out," but then in the end the behavior doesn't change when the possible stressor is gone. I suspect now it's just become a habit, but even as a habit there's not enough of a pattern to make any sense out of it and try and fix it. I guess I don't really have a question so much as I just felt extra discouraged this morning and am wondering how much more I can take of having my possessions ruined. I mean, they're otherwise very sweet and loving cats and I've had them since they were kittens, and for years I've told myself that sweet kitten love is more important than mere things, but when I have to carefully check the sofa cushions every time before I can sit down, and I begin the day by stepping in a yellow puddle, I start to wonder.

Eh, sweet kitten love rules.

Remember, someday YOU might be old and incontinent.
;-)
Um... ugh.

JL! I really am feeling for you. Sorry I was not able to provide an answer, but I can provide an ear and a shoulder for you.

One of our cats started peeing in various non-litterbox places about a year ago, and we ended up giving him "kitty prozac" on the recommendation of our vet. Worked like a charm, although it's tough getting him to take a pill every night.

A friend had this problem, her cat would pee in the hall, on the wooden floor. She tried everything, all the stuff sold in the pet stores and at the vets, but nothing worked. Then she moved to a quieter house, and the problem stopped. The old house was on a busy road with lots of traffic. It might have stressed the cat out. After the move, Tara never peed anywhere other than her litter box.

I don't really have an answer for you, JanetLand, but I am full of sympathy for you.

I appreciate the sympathy all, thanks!!

[goes home and lines entire house with plastic]

Sometime it just becomes a habit for them. I've had friends also who tried everything, but in the end had to get rid of their cats. They would pee and poo in inappropriate areas, and my friends had a toddler at the time who, of course, was at that everything-in-the-mouth phase. My aunt had a purebred who also wouldn't use litterboxes and ended up being an outside cat. If you've been suffering this long, unfortunatly, I don't think you'll be able to get them to stop.