Cat trouble.

[Sapphire Silk]

Quoth Amethyst Hunter

Getting rid of any of my cats is NOT an option. That's what my parents initially tried to do to me, and you better believe I raised hell over it. They stabbed me in the back once when Elder's beloved brother died in early 2010; I REFUSE to put up with it a second time.

Edit to add: Here is the story that explains it.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to touch a nerve.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Quoth Panacea

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to touch a nerve.

It's cool, don't worry.

Quoth auntiem

If he is re-marking places after you clean them - did you use a cleaner with ammonia?

Let's see...I hit it (the rug, that is) with bleach and vinegar, maybe something in those irked him. Those are pretty strong-smellers.

I did have to pour bleach on the black stain on the hardwood floor, both to clean it and get rid of some of the stain. It looks a little better than it did, but that stain is always going to be there no matter what. But at least Elder Cat hasn't shown any sign of wanting to mark again, thankfully.

I'm contemplating throwing out the rug entirely, which disappoints me because I liked that rug, but I don't want this repeated. So for now, the rug is sitting outside. I may end up cleaning it the best that I can and using it for filler when my family has to move (again) - my dad has decreed that Baby and Mama Cats are not allowed inside New House (and, if he continues to act up, Elder may join them - not my choice, but alas, I don't make the rules), so they will have to live inside the garage on the property. This is quite displeasing to me, but since there's nothing I can do about it, all I can do is make said garage as inhabitable for kitties as I can.

(That said, anyone want a roommate with 3 goofy cats? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) (Just half-kidding. I wouldn't even dream of inflicting my insanity on other people.)

If it helps to not get frustrated with him - if he is marking mostly your stuff and entrances that you use - then he is just trying to "claim" you as his human.

Wouldn't surprise me if this was the case. Elder Cat has always been something of a neurotic type! But I love him anyway.

Does Elder cat have a little box of his own?

Yes he does, and he's always used it faithfully - even now. The other two cats have their litterbox downstairs in the foyer. Baby Cat however isn't picky about whose box he uses: the one he shares with Mama Cat, or, if he happens to come upstairs, Elder's box.

What I may do is find a smaller litterbox and put that in my room, and keep Elder inside my room when I'm not there (for now, he's been put in the bathroom, where his current box is, when I'm not around). He seems to like my room the best (as opposed to the bathroom, which he hates).

[fireheart]

If your backyard is fenced in and your cats know how to go to the toilet outside, are you able to let them out occasionally? We've done that with our two, especially because younger fuzzbutt kept peeing all over the house.

[Dasota]

There was an older lady who lived up the street from me when I was growing up. When she was gardening, she would put her cat in a harness and attach the leash to a dog stake in the lawn and "picket" the cat and the cat absolutely loved it.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Quoth fireheart

If your backyard is fenced in and your cats know how to go to the toilet outside, are you able to let them out occasionally?

Nope. Mine are strictly indoors due to the risk of picking up bugs, and we live right next to a busy street.

[depechemodefan]

I don't have any practicle advice, though I just read two books on cats. One is by Jackson Galaxy, who has a show called "My cat from Hell". Both books mention place a litter box (not the original litter box) in the spot that the cat is peeing in. Then slowly (a few inches) move the box toward the original box (which should have been left where it was) until new litter box is next to old litter box, then remove new litter box.

Or else just leave new litter box where cat is starting to pee, unless you don't want a new litter box in spot cat is peeing in.

Or maybe you are using a new type of clay in the old box? Or the clay is rough and cat doesn't like it any more.