HALP - Problem with cats

[Norse Princess]

Right, so I have four cats, not so bad. My house doesn't smell and they live like kings and queens. They're so spoiled xD

Anyways, so my cats used to go poo on the floor when their littler box was full, which is understandable. We tried to keep it clean as much as possible. Now we have new litter that clumps WAY better, so it makes it easier to scoop out. Anyways, so my cats are now in the habit so much that they now just go poo on the bathroom all the time. Sad thing is that we don't know which ones do it and which ones don't.

So, even though their litter box is scooped out every day and changed twice a week, they still go on the floor in the hallway. It's embarrassing because my room is in the hallway, so when I bring people over, and they see that, they automatically think we're dirty people. It's sad.

Anyways, so what I am asking is if there is anything we can do to help discourage this habit and get them to use the litter box again. I read in skunk care that to get them to stop going in an area is to wash the floor with white vinegar to get the smell completely out and then they won't know that was where they went before. Should I try that or something?  

[pompoennetje]

First of all. Do you have one litterbox for four cats? There should be one potty box per cat plus one, and they should be scooped at least once a day. Again, cats are very sensitive to scent.

Is your cat peeing right next to the litter box? Try cleaning the box more frequently and see if that helps. Try watching him/her pee to see if this is the case, or place newspaper or peepee pads in the spot where the cat pees next to the litter box to see if this helps.

Try to place the litterbox in the room where they poo on the ground?

They still don't get the hint?

Isolate your cat in the bathroom with food, water, blanket and litter box. Check on him twice a day for routine box cleaning. Leave him there for several days, until the behavior is corrected.
I suggest using this option as the very last.  

[Norse Princess]

They urinate in the box. Which is why I don't understand why they are pooing on the floor.

The hallway where they poo is right in the same area where the litter box is. Some times the poo not even three feet from the clean litter box.  

[pompoennetje]

Couldn't it be something medical?  

[Norse Princess]

I don't think so, it has been going on for a while, and none of them are showing any signs of illness at all.  

[pompoennetje]

Hm. Well when cats spray urine it is not normal urination like when they need to go to the bathroom. It is territorial and can be stress related.

Maybe they don't like sharing the same litterboxes.

Did you de-clawed any of your cats recently? Then it may be painful for him to scratch in the litter.

Some cats refuse to poo in a covered litterbox, but pee in it. (Remember, cats can be pretty weird). Aren't the cats chasing each other away from the litterbox?

When a cat poops just outside of the litter box. This is can be because the box is too small. So the cat actually stands inside the litter box, but their bottom hangs outside. Getting an extra large box solves this problem.

Make things as simple as possible. Create an environment where the litterbox truly is the most appealing option.
For example, if your cat has been peeing/pooping on soft surfaces such as blankets, pillows, rugs, etc. Make sure this new environment doesn't has any of those soft surfaces around for them to choose over the litter box.

Or have them checked up by the vet anyway. Some health issues can cause this kind of behavior.

Litterbox issues can be tricky.  

[Norse Princess]

I've never seen the two males spray upstairs before, I've seen them do it downstairs in the same spot for both of them.

They've had no problems before now using the same litterbox, they don't fight.

Only one is declawed, and he has been for almost six years.

The litter box isn't covered. There isn't any conflict over the litterbox at all.

They aren't doing it right outside the litter box, they are doing it in the hallway, the litterbox itself is in the upstairs bathroom.

We have the largest box we could get in the area.

Like I said before, they started doing it when the litterbox would get filled up, but now it never gets full, and the behavior has carried on. It's a behavioral problem, I know that much. I need to know how I could break the behavior so they don't do it anymore.  

[pompoennetje]

I've already given you some options you could try.  

[Vanilla eXee]

Try adding at least one more box, it should help. Had the same problem (4 cats, 1 box, not all using the box) we added another box and the problem ceased.  

[Azusanga]

Instead of just cleaning up the poo, heavily sanitize the spot AND put the poo inside of the litterbox, so there is smell association with it. By heavily sanitize I mean a vinegar solution, or an enzymatic cleaner.