My wife and I are very frustrated. We've had a single cat home for quite a while and for our first anniversary, I got my wife another kitten (the first one was mine, or more so, I was his) so this cat was for her. We first noticed that he was pooping in the shower and the bathroom sink. It was irritating, but fortunately easy to clean up, and with patience and training we got him to stop. Now, however, he has resigned to pooping NEXT to the litter box. He will only use it when it is completely cleaned out and unused. We've been through three litter boxes, one with a door, one without a lid of any kind, and now a self cleaning one yet he just will NOT stop going to the bathroom on the floor next to the litter box. He was four months when we got him and is now seven months and we are near our wits end. I've gotten to where we're trying to clean the litter box two to three times a day for two cats just to keep him happy and it's not working.
Our other cat has had one accident in his entire life when he was three weeks old so I'm not sure what to do. Any help and training advice would be great.

Some behavioral cues:
He's a Russian Blue, who is very sweet and loving and adores my wife and I and loves our other cat. He only poops on the floor, but never pees. He KNOWS he's not supposed to, I know when he's done it because he will run and hide before I've even seen it. He also knows he's supposed to use the litter box because it's always right next to it, never in corners or other places around the house.

A second litter box is simply not an option, I won't even consider it. We can only bend over backwards so much for a cat, he needs to learn to obey the rules. *sigh* Please help, I don't want to get rid of him.

There is always a reason for cats doing this. Well......if the second box is not an option your cat may never stop doing it. The golden rule is one cat litter tray per cat plus one. Ideally you should have three in different parts/rooms. Have anyone noticed - most cats doing No 1 in one litter tray and No 2 - in another?

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"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will pee on your computer." --Bruce Graham
There are no rules, rules are only for people who fit inside a box, if you want to think out of the box there is no hope... Life has no Box. (Tony Howells)

I agree with elena, a second litter tray would probably give you a solution. I'm sorry if this is not the answer you were hoping for, but I can't think of a better one.

I agree with elena, a second litter tray would probably be the best solution.

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Mazpahs Siamese & Orientals

I agree with two litter trays. if he is doing his pee in there and not poo maybe it is the cat litter and not the litter trays you should be trying to change. my cats wont use wood pellets i think it hurts there feet

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Adorable Ragdoll Cats

Hey all...You can get around this problem once and for all by training your cat to do the loo on your HUMAN toilet.. I use my downstairs loo and the guide did work.

Check out the link below:

CLICK HERE

my cats the same he hates the wood based ones I buy the light weight one he seems to prefer it

I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it

lol I can see your point and its a good one my female uses a different one to my male

ROFL , exactly lol.