Old cat pooing on the kitchen work top

[Swingball]

17 yo cat. I've been suspecting she's a bit demented but she has started pooing outside the litter tray including on the kitchen work top! Kitchen is open plan and no way of stopping her from getting up. There is nowhere else in the house she can be or she'd be happy. Can't have this though obviously it's disgusting! She seems ok make aside from this apart from staring into space, occasionally falling off the couch, seeming to forget she has been fed etc. What if anything can we do?

No real advice but we recently had a situation where our 8 year old cat was peeing in bath, on cooker and work surfaces. Vet says sometimes when they're ill they don't feel safe to pee/ poo outside. Other animals can smell their illness and it makes them vulnerable.

Do you have a litter tray? We recently got one and even though he's never needed one before its solved the problem and he uses it.

Sorry missed the bit where you already have a litter tray. Maybe install another one and perhaps a trip to vets.

It's possible that she's getting a bit 'senior' but pooing outside the tray is often a sign of bad arthritis. (It was with my own Seniorboy - I guess the pooing just becomes so physically demanding that that, combined with possible mild age-related constipation, means that they're reluctant to use their tray because they associate it with pain. (But it has to come out eventually, so it does - wherever they happen to be.)) I'd vet her for a senior health check with special emphasis on possible arthritis.

Here's some general guidance on the topic. It includes environmental assists which you can undertake which are generally good for an old cat anyway I think.

We had that with a cat we inherited when we bought the house next door (neighbour went into home and was going to have her PTS). We managed for a summer, but it got worse so we had her PTS quietly at home. She was 17. I think it's harder for you as she was not a cat we'd had and loved for years (we did care for her of course) so it was easier to make the decision.

Have a chat with your vet? It is perhaps quite common. See if they can suggest anything?

Interesting about the arthritis I wouldn't have thought of that. I haven't had her to the vets for about five years because she gets incredibly distressed but we will have to bite the bullet and take her.

Thanks for the replies.