Cat has started weeing in house. Help!!!!

[Britishsummertime22]

Had my rescue cat 6 years now. He's about 11 years old. Over the last few weeks he's started weeing in the living room and I have no idea why. He's an indoor cat. Has always used a tray absolutely fine. We moved 4 months ago and he's been fine using tray in new house. Haven't changed tray or litter or location of tray. Doesn't seem in pain or unwell. Eating and drinking as normal.
What do I do??? I don't want my house to stink of cat wee!! The only thing I can think of is there's a cat that comes in the garden and stares at him through the window. Could he be marking his territory??

I would say OP is there a chance you could find a good friend who would take him in? Perhaps worth considering rehoming that way. Just in case. That way you know he's going to a good home rather than feeling like you're giving up on him. I would say keeping him shut in the kitchen seems a good plan.
Can't remember how old he is would a heated pad be considered a nice thing for his kitchen area? My old lady loved hers. My current cat has a large furry ikea cushion on the floor as his sleeping spot as he is generally shut in our kitchen area overnight. Although I appreciate space can be an issue. If younger would a cat tree be feasible?

I agree with the vet to block access to the living room. I think it's behavioural. It may have started as a stressful response but has become a habit.

@Britishsummertime22 I just read your first post again, more carefully.

He's 11 and you've had him 6 years, never any problem before, but he's always been nervous about going outside, yes?

So, he's already a nervous type of cat. Many cats are just that way (mine is also nervous, avoids humans except for me, frightened of other cats, does go outside but doesn't leave my garden).

The peeing problem started three months after you moved house. Cats hate moving house, and it'll affect a nervous, sensitive cat more. That's trigger number one. The second trigger is the bullying cat who stares through the window.

I've had the staring bully cat problem before, when I first got my cat. My cat would freak and run away when bully cat came and stared, (then luckily its owners moved away). So this really can cause a lot of stress.

Inappropriate peeing is a well-known feline response to stress. And, as a PP suggested, it might now have become a habit.

Yes, keep him in the kitchen for now, and put up some window film so he cannot see the bully cat, who might be coming round when you're out at work. A frosted film like in the link, or you can get ones with patterns. www.amazon.co.uk/Qualsen-Privacy-Natural-Non-Adhesive-Bathroom/dp/B0BD7SYQHN/?th=1

It sounds as if you're in a 1-bed flat? Could you allow him access to the hall and bathroom, so that he has somewhere to retreat to if he feels too 'trapped' in the kitchen.

Cats need to flee, then hide, when they're frightened. When I first got my cat, I kept him in the bathroom initially, as is recommended, to keep a cat in one room initially, as a whole new house is too overwhelming. My bathroom at the time had a very inaccessible hidey hole (unfinished building project!), and he immediately hid there and I didn't see him for two weeks. He'd come out to eat and use the litter box only when I wasn't there.

So, if you can't provide a retreat elsewhere in your flat, get him a box of some kind where he can hide, like a small kennel, in the kitchen. Put a really cosy squidgy bed inside it. It's calming for them to 'make biscuits' on a squidgy bed. Like this www.pawsomecouture.com/collections/pet-beds/products/calming-pet-bed

The only other thing I can suggest is consulting a cat behaviourist.
www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cat-behaviour/finding-a-behaviourist

@Britishsummertime22 P.S. just to add that, given he was fine before, for six years, I'm sure this is something that can be resolved with time and patience.

That's really good advice @RogueFemale

@Britishsummertime22 don't get wood! Id go for vinyl. We are having a serious problem with one of ours. It's been going on for 4 years now but has been manageable with lots of cleaning up to this point. We are currently ripping out skirting boards and having to replace internal doors because the pee destroys them, gets absorbed and the skirting board is essentially a spongey stench. Our vinyl tiling we have has been ok, the only thing that seemingly isn't destroyed by it.
In terms of solving the problems we have the same from the vets, it's behavioural. We've done literally everything we can to stop him, but ours isn't just one spot, he's got his favourite spot but it's essentially the whole house. So we muster on living in a depressive state of stink with no way out. It's awful. Sending hugs OP because I know what's it's like to feel at the end of your rope with this