AIBU to expect 4 cats to stay in utility room/study?

Sounds like they’re all trying to mark their territory. Rehome two of them and try to train the other two. With 4 you’re never going to win.

Also good advice from @AnnaMagnani !

I can’t imagine why any couple would have FOUR cats even if both parties loved cats… but when half that couple actively doesn’t like cats, and then all four cats aren’t house-trained, this set-up is bananas.

Christ knows what it’ll be like adding a baby into this crazy mix.

Do not rehome without his permission!! Oh my goodness!! Do not do this. He will never forgive you. Understandably.

Yes it would be unreasonable. How would you even rehome them? You and him need to start taking ownership of your responsibilities. The only reason they are causing issues is because neither of you have bothered litter training them properly

Four cats all soiling in the house is highly unusual unless the environment they are in is not suitable or they all have some sort of illness/are elderly. Your husband needs to clean the litter trays daily or find somewhere who will look after them properly.

Good advice from @StMarieforme !

If your DH loves the cats then part of love is meeting their basic needs - their litter needs changing every day!

Plus at a minimum you need 5 litter trays.

It's very likely they don't get on and are stressed, and are probably as unhappy as you are about the current toilet situation.

Am seriously concerned about your DH - he 'loves' his cats but can't do basic cat care. He 'loves' his forthcoming baby but can't create a safe environment for his wife to live in or the baby to grow up in. He needs to get his act together and fast.

Waiting for someone to be as sad as i am about this

the cats are unhappy and neglected. Rehome them. DH clearly won't care for them and you never wanted them.

this is quite mad.

New litter trays. Decent quality litter. Scooped every day. Changed every other day. You need 1 more tray than cats, so you need 5. Get feliway plug ins too, to reduce stress.

How on earth did someone who is not a cat person end up living with 4 cats??!! Did your DH own them before you met?

How many litter trays do the cats have?
I think you need several litter trays if you have that many cats.
And someone needs to clean out the litter trays, often!

Rehoming is tricky with cats with toiletting issues. I think people do re-home them and lie about why, which is hugely unfair on the adopters.

The cats are pooing and weeing elsewhere because your husband isn't keeping their litter trays clean enough.

Poo needs to be scooped as soon as spotted and the litter needs changing frequently.

The cats are probably quite stressed.

Then this is on you and DH, you need to train them and ensure they have clean trays to use. They don't like weeing and pooing in an already soiled place.

I can imagine. Especially with a baby on the way. I think DH needs to really look at it, it’s unhygienic them using the house as a litter tray, it’s unfair on you & soon you’ll have a baby & it’s quite frankly gross. I think it’s unfair to only keep them in those rooms also though, especially as they have always had run of the house. I once bought a kitten years ago, to keep my older cat company. Everything was great at first until one morning I came into the frontroom & smelt piss. She had been pissing behind my tv for god knows how long & I hadn’t noticed!! Then she started pissing on clothes, vets couldn’t find anything wrong with her. I just think she was unhappy & didn’t like my older cat. I had to rehome her as I was also pregnant at the time.

I'm a bit confused by the "confined" but also 24 hour access to the outdoors. They're not really confined if they have the whole of the outdoors, so that bit's fine, but they might turn a bit feral without much human contact.

Also if their only prime real estate (ie warm indoors space) is limited to 2 rooms then there is a good chance they will be stressed and having turf wars, which will very much encourage them to be toileting outside the litter box. Some coils be bullying others, eg not letting them use the litter box or go outside. Corralling them into a smaller space is likely to exacerbate all the things you find difficult about them, because it is likely to add to their stress.

You should make alternative hang out spaces as much as you can, so they can rest without having the share the space. Is there a shed you could insulate and add some high perches and blankets? An extra room you could put a cat flap through into? Buy an insulated outdoor cat house etc.

Your husband should be changing the litter trays more frequently, probably on a daily basis. Especially because of the risks they present to you in pregnancy (toxoplasmosis).

I would seriously consider finding ways to toilet train the cats as soon as you can.

I think you need to rehome the cats. This isn't working. Cat litter trays need to have the poo removed as soon as possible after it happens - every 3 days isn't enough.