12 yr old cat peeing outside of the litter box - HELP

[webmiss]

My 12 yr old male Himalayan has had a long track record of urinary issues. Background info: He has had the pu surgery several years ago, he is on royal canin urinary so - a god send. And since the surgery and the royal canin food we have had no infections. We are a two cat household, with 4 litter boxes total, two upstairs and two downstairs, same litter in both.

The 12 year cat will occasionally pee right outside the downstairs boxes and it drives me crazy, in front of the box, next to the box. I cannot figure out the issue. He goes in the box upstairs fine, hell use the box downstairs sometimes fine. I clean the litter boxes like a mad woman to try and keep him happy.

Any thoughts on why he would use the boxes upstairs fine but downstairs its hit or miss. Again everything is exactly the same in both boxes, same litter, in a private room, boxes are cleaned daily.

I cannot fathom this being anything but behavioral as if it was a health issue he wouldnt use the upstairs box as well. 

Any thoughts on how to break this behavior would be a blessing.

Thank you

 

[cinqchats]

Probably behavioral, maybe it's a habit by this time. Have you cleaned around the boxes with an enzyme cleaner to try and get rid of the lingering pee smell? Try getting a larger litter box, like one of those under-the-bed plastic organizers?

If this was my cat and my house, honestly I'd put some puppy piddle pads around the basement litter box. If he pee'd on them, toss them in the trash and replace. It's a predictable behavior and waaaay better than him peeing on the furniture, clothes, carpet, etc. I wouldn't fight it, not a battle worth my time. 

 

[webmiss]

I have cleaned with both a bleach cleaner and a urine gone product . I already use the pee pads and I have the extra large storage bin style boxes.

 

[yayi]

Are all your litter boxes the same size, brand, shape? Have you tried switching upstairs boxes with downstairs boxes? Maybe he has some issues with a particular box or location. I know that some cats get eccentric with age (like people)