You can't "discipline" a cat as you would a child. That's absurd. They don't think like humans do, nor do they reason like we do. To hit or abuse a cat, will create a very frightened animal that will be traumatized for the rest of its life. It will jump at its own shadow, and be constantly petrified in anticipation of the next beating. Why do that to an animal? People need to understand why cats defecate and urinate around the home when there is a perfectly clean litter box nearby. I have a cat, she's now 15 years old and she's been doing this on and off for the past 15 years. We've read up on this, done research, listened to dog/cat experts and none of their advice worked. I've "figured" this out on my own. Cats in the wild (lions, tigers, etc) "mark" territory using their feces and/or urine. When a domestic cat does the same thing inside its home, it's "marking". The question is: why does the cat mark? My best guess is, to help its owner "find it". Translation: I've found whenever me or my husband (or both of us) leave the home for extended periods of time, our cat will "mark" our home using both her feces and urine, usually on my husband's clothing, or a towel. In her little cat brain, she's leaving us a "scent" for us to find our way home. She doesn't like it when we leave the house, she would prefer we stay at home all the time, so we could pet her all the time, which is how she expects us to spend our time - petting her. In her mind, petting her comes above everything else. So when we're gone from home, she doesn't like that one little bit. And if we're gone long enough, she's figured we're "lost" and we need to find our way back home. So she "marks", using her urine, and/or her feces. Our cat has used both to "mark" for us. So would 'beating' her help? Would "discipline" help? As already mentioned, NO. You have to figure out animal psychology to understand just what makes them tick and what doesn't. Our latest way of handling our cat, is to lessen the amount of time petting her. It's hard for us, because we like to pet her, but this is a last resort for us. I'm sorely tempted to pet her, but I don't want her soiling our home. And rather than have her euthanized, we'd rather have her around a warm home with good food and clean water and live out her life. But with minimal petting, because the more we pet and spoil her, the more she soils our home. We'll see where this latest "theory" takes us. More later.

Another reason some cats stop using their box, is because they have a "bad association" with it... either it's painful for them to eliminate, or it's not clean, or it's being used by another cat they don't want to share with. So by pooping or peeing on the carpet, they are basically trying to get your attention, especially if it's out in the open. I suggest you separate the offending cat(s) into a locked un-carpeted room(s), such as a bathroom. Put a "totally cleaned" litterbox, bedding and food in the room with them. Leave them there at least 3 days, 4 or 5 is better. Of course, visit with them often. And while the cat(s) are sequestered, take the opportunity to give the carpet and other dirty spots a thorough cleaning with Nature's Miracle. And do whatever necessary to keep that stranger cat OUT of the house!

I'm guessing the DE isn't helping because of the rain. The vet said that the Advantage takes awhile to work through their system, too. (I didn't treat prior to last week when I noticed they got bugs). I am still finding one or two on my cats when I comb them. There might have been a little "user-error" with the product, too. My one cat used her back paw to scratch the medicine the second I applied it, distributing it across her fur. (I washed her paw as well as I could right after this so she wouldn't lick it). I have to wait 30 days to retreat at which time I'll make sure they don't touch it. My one cat loves getting combed so I can get her thoroughly and the other I'm only able to get a few pass-throughs. I've got DE nestled into my carpets right now in case of emerging eggs. I haven't noticed any in the house and have been doing the vacuum-a-million-times ordeal. Yes, I have wild animals around here. I had a woodchuck living under my front deck (cats are in the back). I haven't seen him in the last couple of weeks. I bought a trap to catch him but got distracted catching the stray cat and then the woodchuck disappeared. We also had an infestation of moles in the early part of the season (which was what lead me to get the DE to begin with). They've all been exterminated early season by the cats as far as I can tell. Wouldn't these still be dropping fleas in the kennel, though?

Well this is a timely thread, as I am having the exact same problem! We have 7 cats, and one is a "problem child." This little guy is so cute, and he is the youngest, and was the last addition to the family. All was fine while he was still young, and we kept him separated from the others while he was little. He is neutered like all the others, but he isn't social with them, and there is a LOT of aggression between him and one of my other cats which is a large, dominant black male. "Corky" is peeing and marking up a storm all over the house! And this morning he ruined my laptop, which I am cursing myself because I told myself I needed to keep it put away and I got lazy. I know it is definitely behvioral, and I see a lot of recommendations for some anti-depressants. I guess I am going to have to do this, because NOTHING is working. We recently moved and it stopped for a week, then started back as bad as ever. I am using gallons of that "Nature's Miracle", and it helps with the smell but nothing else. There is no way we can give our little guy up, my husband is crazy about him and vice versa, and he is so cute and sweet outside of this. He does pee in odd places - on the floor, on plastic, on electrical stuff, wet clothing, rugs, etc. It is very frustrating! I do have one other cat who occasionally will pee in an odd place, but I think it's because he smells the other one's "marks." Had cats ALL my life (58 years) and never had this problem before. I am thinking I may need to keep him out on the enclosed porch by himself, at least at night or when I am gone. Most of the "accidents" are during the night.