I see there is interest in this so I'll link to my animal communicator's website. The communicator, Gayle Nastazi, has always been very helpful to me. I have used her services with many of my cats in various situations; from dire emergencies (missing animal- found after 3 weeks!), to behavioral issues, to intergration and rescue issues with feral and abandonned cats that come into my care. I always learn something from every session. Although I know the whole idea strikes some people as pretty far-fetched (and that's OK), I feel comfortable saying that it has worked very effectively for me, and that I think it makes resolution of some difficult issues much easier. One thing I can say for certain is that Gayle is completely legitimate. I have met her in person. I also have no financial interest in this referral - just a hope that my suggestion might be useful. Click on the clink below and look for the Animal Communication link at the top left of the page. Carry on from there if you are interested. RE: Various Animal pee cleaners/destinkes - I think many (most?) employ some kind of enzyme. My conclusion after using all of them is that after the bottles are opened and partly used that it's possible that exposure to air in the emptying bottle degrades the enzyme significantly. It always seems to me that they work like gangbusters at first and then less so, particularly if not used up in a short time. Then I try another brand and it seems to work better (even tested side by side), but eventually poops out, too. I have tried Odor-X, Nature's Miracle and Get Serious, along with scads of others. The pattern seems to hold for all, so now I only buy in quarts not gallons, even though it's 'way cheaper in big jugs. I haven't experimented with decanting a gallon into smaller jars and keeping them closed until I've used up the other portions. Also I find it's helpful to vigorously shake the plastic bottle before applying. The idea mentioned by olychik about using rags is v. interesting and I will keep it mind. I hope that my link may be useful to you. Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Gayle Nastazi, Animal Communicator's webpage

I would say it is a sick cat -- maybe has worms or a blockage. In my experience it is not in a cat's nature to poop where it likes to hang out, and incontinence is a clear sign. She is so weak that you have to carry her? or she just doesn't want to go out? I've never noticed that heat caused my cats to lose weight, it causes them to shed! Having the 3rd lid visible at all times is also not normal, if it is so when the cat is awake. They will urinate when upset or annoyed or whatever. My very elderly cat started to do so on my bed where she had slept for a decade, after we had another cat and a dog move in, possibly because she had difficulty negotiating the stairs and other animals in the dark, or because she was just upset at the changes in her environment.

So what if you go through the list, and are still having problems? Because our 3 year old cat was so playful, and we thought it would be nice for him to have a buddy, we adopted a 2 year old neutered, declawed male cat from an animal shelter. After their initial adjustment, they seemed to get along well. The new cat was never very affectionate with us (our first cat is), but I don't think that's all that unusual. All was well for a few months, then the new cat started pooping outside the litterbox. My vet said he had colitis, and gave him some prescription food to try, which worked well - I kept him on the prescription food, and he always pooped in the litterbox from then on. A few months later, though, he started occasionally peeing on our beds. Thinking it was another medical issue, I took him to the vet a couple more times. He didn't find any medical issues - said it was most likely behaviorial, and gave us some Feliaway and advice similar to the above article. We had two litterboxes, and both were in the laundry room (upstairs). I could imagine that the location and/or noise might be an issue, or maybe privacy (our bedrooms are all upstairs), so I bought two additional litterboxes - one for the main floor (covered), and one for the basement (uncovered). I scooped all litterboxes daily, changed litter, tried different brands, etc. He continued to pee on the beds, and then later started peeing on our leather furniture, and carpet. I ended up returning him to the animal shelter, but have always felt terrible about it. I know that being a good pet owner means that you are willing to spent a certain amount of time and money when necessary, but after paying for several trips to the vet, Feliaway, replacing mattress pads, carpet pad, sections of subfloor, pillows, and buying gallons and gallons of Nature's Miracle and Urine-Off, I just reached my limit. Thank goodness for our first cat, or my confidence as a cat owner would be completely gone. Still, I don't think I will ever get another cat - I feel horrible that our second cat's behavioral issues were just beyond my capacity. Every time I see an article like this, I read it and think, did I do all I could? One of the most frustrating experiences I have had.

I can't remember from the previous posts......is the cat neutered? Also, is he peeing only outside the box or does he use the litter box sometimes? If he's not using the box or is peeing only small amounts in the box, then he needs to see a vet. Older males can have urinary tract/bladder infections. My first thought is he may be wanting to go out during the day while you're gone and is marking due to stress, but it can due to many factors. Personally, I would put in a cat door so your cat could go out during the day, then you could keep him in at night while you're there (In my areas, the night has many more predators). He may adjust better with you around every evening. In addition, provide him with a cat tower, toys, and a scratching post, and sprinkle cat nip on anything new to the home. I won't get into a discussion of 'totally inside cats vs outdoor cats' since I have both. My older cat was found as a stray and it became apparent he had spent his life outside and loved it. After 4 months of keeping him indoors, his health and our sanity became a major issue, so he is now allowed out during the day (if he wants) but is closed in at night. He stays on our property and never ventures further. Do you have other outdoor cats in the neighborhood? If so, your cat is probably marking due to those cats marking the outside of your home. If an outdoor cat senses a cat indoors, they will mark around your home. To correct this you'd have to block off areas so your cat can't see outside and you'd also have to try and keep the other cats away from your home. There are ways to do this with motion-activated sprays that use water, air, or other liquids. If you haven't already done so, purchase a black light and clean all the pee spots. For now, I prefer Jackson Galaxy's cleaner from Petco. With 3 cats I find it cleans the odor and stain much better than Natures Miracle. Here is a must read: Litter boxes, etc.