at my breaking point!

[Chestercat7]

Can't remember if you mentioned how many litter boxes you have but you're speaking in the singular here. One box is insufficient for most cats and definitely so for a picky one. You should add another box if you don't already have two. Maybe put one upstairs. I have 4 cats, 5 boxes, and they will not poo in the box they pee in.

I have two, but he only tends to use the one in the basement. The other one is also cleaned regularly, he is just so picky!

 

[Pam Flachs]

I bet if you added at least one more litter box, either near by or next to the existing one in the basement, you will find he will poop in one and pee in the other....many cats of all breeds prefer this arrangement...and that will go a long way towards eliminating his peeing issue!

 

[MM3]

WA LA! over the weekend I actually have narrowed it down to him just being very picky. I have been paying a lot of attention to his body language/meowing habits and patterns. if there is ANYTHING in his litterbox, he will sit at the top of the basement steps and meow. I'll head for the basement and he will race me down there, and literally go to his box and walk around it....I'll clean whatever is in there and he will immediately get in and pee. the last time he peed outside the box I immediatley went downstairs and found it had poop in it. I have always kept it clean but it's now down to checking it every couple hours....OMG what a picky poo!!!! haha. HAve any of you had a picky cat like this?? I guess we will see if this truly is the issue. only time will tell!! we now lock him in the basement with his box, food and water while we are away from the house to thwart any chance of him peeing while we are gone also.

OH YES! I have one just like yours! She'll sit while I clean up whatever is in the box. The nano second I'm done she'll jump in (even over me if I happen to be in the way) do her business. If I'm busy in another part of the house, she will find me and announce that something needs tending to. When she sees me going toward the main bathroom where her potty box is .....she races me then sits and patiently waits until it's clean! My kitty has trained me well!

 

[morbius]

Great job! Sometimes I think you have to really pay attention to the cat's behaviors. Get inside their heads and figure out why they are engaging in undesirable behavior. It may sound crazy, but I'd give a crack at toilet training the cat. Toilet training in the beginning requires you to keep after things because it can make a huge mess. After a while in the later stages, most of the waste goes into the toilet and there is no dirty litter to contend with. Ultimately, the goal is to fully litter train the cat and install an automatic flusher. Voile! No muss, no fuss!