Please, please help, kitten/ litter tray

[Just2MoreSeasons]

Can anyone help? We have an 8 month old kitten who isn't toilet trained properly. We have a litter tray in the bathroom (I would rather he just go outside) but as well as using that he sometimes poos in our under stairs cupboard. I really don't know why he doesn't go upstairs but I think I know why he doesn't do it outside. The neighbours cat seems to 'bully' him for want of a better word.
Also our bedroom stinks. It's an unpleasant, little bit sweet sort of a smell. I think it may be cat pee. We usually keep the door shut but obviously pop in and out and last night I saw a small wet patch on the bed (it didn't smell of anything though).He have seen him wee on this bed before too. I have used simple solution spray all over the carpet, lower walls, skirting, curtains etc as I just can't work out where exactly the smell is. Seriously the litter tray is 5 meters away! I can't move the tray as my young toddler is straight in it trying to eat it .

How the hell can I sort this? How can I know for sure the smell is cat wee?
How can I stop him doing it? I would seriously rehome him (he's very cute and I'm sure a home would be found quickly) but my 6 year old would be devastated . And I think I would be pretty sad too [ sad]

Feliway plug in.

More litter trays and have you tried a different litter?

Vet to rule out anything medical?

Me Muscle pet Odour destroyer is fab for accidents.

You can buy a UV torch really cheaply on eBay which shows up the pee if there is any.

He sounds stressed. Have you tried different litter? Multiple trays? Feliway?

And is he neutered?

Cats peeing in places they shouldn't is usually an indicator of stress or something physically wromg with them. Go get the vat checked out at the vets. Is he neutered? What type of litter are you using? What kind of litter tray do you have - open/hooded e5c Has he always been like this? Does he have a quiet place away from your dc?

Oh yes of course, obvious question, is he done?

One of ours started using the understairs cupboard so we relocated our trays there, we can leave our door ajar but if that's not possible you could put a catflap in, keeps it away from toddlers too.

Oh my goodness, replies, I'm so grateful.

He was neutered as soon as he got to the minimum weight.

I haven't taken much notice of the litter type, but the current bag says clumping.

The tray is quite small and on a windowsill.

The cat flap saga:
We had our old swinging Cat flap from our old cat, which new kitten could use. Neighbours female cat (2 year old, had kitten herself before she was one!) learnt how to use it and kept coming in so we taped it up so it couldn't be used.
We bought a magnetic chip type catflap and put in in the back door. Neighbours cat has definitely entered our house through it .
Neighbours cat will sit outside one of the flaps looking in.
Our kitten will sit on inside looking back at the other cat.
Today our kitten slept right by the taped up flap (guarding territory ?)
Today we are putting in a new microchip flap to replace the old swing one.
We are going to contact the people we bought back cat flap from to see if they think it may be broken (it also sometimes activates when there are no cats near)

Sorry cat flap saga is long

Litter tray in upstairs bathroom.
Kitten is very agile, has no problems balancing on side of bath.

Could be a bit too exposed? One of ours likes a covered litter tray (it's a bit bulky, but has the bonus of a carbon filter in the top). The other one uses an open tray in the bathroom but will glare at you until you politely leave the room so that she has some privacy.

Oh, also, where do you keep the cat litter bag? One of mine (not a very bright cat) sometimes wees next to the bag instead of in the tray, so if your spare litter is under the stairs, you might need to move it.

That's a good idea whoknows we could put the old swing flap in the cupboard door.

Still, it doesn't solve the peeing on beds problem. He has even slept on our bed a couple of times too -always thought cats were too clean to wee wher they (sometimes) sleep?!

I agree I think he is stressed.

I don't think it's the Dc though. He is amazingly tolerant of them (they don't tease him) if for example the toddler strokes and then pulls his fur. And he has places to get away from the children if he wants quiet.

I have spoken to neighbours cats owners. They immediately said they'd have our kitten (told you he's cute!) and were wanting to help us sort the problem. They said they'd keep their cat in in the day if we'd keep ours in at night until they are of an even size and can just battle it out. Their cat just gets out though.

Ha ha bird! No, the bag of litter is also in the bathroom.
There was a carpet in under stairs cupboard, but it got thrown out today. Perhaps he won't like the bare floorboards ( but please god lets hope he doesn't just start doing it elsewhere)

The thing is bird he does use the litter tray aswell. Often when I'm in the shower and watching him-I think he doesn't mind styling it out

I think that having the litter tray in front of a window is probably part of the problem. Moving it somewhere more sheltered will maybe help.

Cat picture to entice the readers

Thanks room I never even thought of that. It's three stories high though through that window so any cat he saw would be far away (kitten only has to go up one floor to get to it though -strange house).
Do you still think the window is a problem?

Oh and our vet reckoned feliway would not affect our old cats grumpy mood whatsoever but would happily take our money if it would make us feel better . We paid, tried it, didn't work, we binned it -grrr.

How long did you try the feliway for? It's not instantaneous ime. Really helped my stray.

Agree window could be a problem.

How often do you clean the tray? Some cats will only use it once, even for a pee and then go elsewhere.

On the occasions my cat has sprayed it's been under a window/ door and outside wall- so territorial marking. So yes, move the tray and see if it helps.

My cats pee in odd places if they think the litter tray is not clean can you clean it out more? If agree that the tray looks too exposed - Id try moving it to a corner / on the floor and away from a window. Your poor cat does sound stressed but is sooo cute :)

Wrt cat flap, if it's a sureflap one, web had to fit 3 as two were duff!! Good customer service.

I'd move that litter tray to the the under stairs cupboard. Once he's using it regularly you can then try and move it somewhere more convenient. I have two who are fussy about which brand and style of litter they'll use, however I've found that even the fussiest or feral type cat is happy to use garden soil in a litter tray. Of course again when the habit is there you can use normal litter. Fwiw one of mine will use the litter tray in the middle of the room if I'm in the room with her, but if I move it from behind the door and I'm not in the room she'll wee where the tray usually is.

The flap is a cat mate not sure flap. I will definitely be on to them.

Right, will order a feliway and try uv light later (apparently we have one already in the house -who knew!)

I'm listening to the window theory I really am, but it's where to move it to as toddler can access all on the floor spaces...

The cat litter was put in fresh yesterday and there's been a wee and a poo since both not in tray.

I feel bad. The cat is stressed and I Am stressed. With hindsight we should have waited until toddler could understand no and stoppe putting things in his mouth. But my daughter was so so upset at losing her elderly cat last year (nightly tears for many months) and wanted to make her happy. Sigh.