13 year old tabby not using the litter box

Question
QUESTION: Hello!
   I am having a problem with my cat Tater. He's an older kitty. Maybe around 13 years old. He's always been kind of skiddish, but he comes up to me and loves me to pieces and I love him just the same in return. For the past couple of months, Tater has been going to the bathroom outside of the litter box. This includes peeing and pooping. We've taken many steps to try and prevent this, as we have 6 other cats and we don't want them picking up his habit. We've placed 3 litter boxes in the basement (two large and one small) and have placed one large box on the upper floor. For a while, this seemed to stop the problem, but Tater still hasn't gotten the idea of where to go. He seemed to do most of his functions in our living room, but will do each one in separate corners. He'll go to pee in one place and usually only that place and then poop in only one other place. I've tried retraining him by carrying him to the box when he starts to head over to these areas. After he'd go in the box, I'd give him a treat. This seemed to be working, although he did seem to be relying on my to carry him over. However, today he went back over and pooped on the floor. I'm not sure what to do at this point. My parents are considering taking him to the pound and no one that I know would want to take him if we got rid of him (not that he'd trust them anyway). I don't want him to be taken away.
  I know that the other cats seem to bully him at points and he has places to go for security to try to help with that. He sometimes fights back. He seems to have anxiety but we cannot afford medication for that. We also can't afford a huge vet bill from him.
  I'm just really not sure what to do anymore and I could really use any advice that you have to offer. I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

ANSWER: Good for you. You have done an excellent job trying to help your cat. Everything you did is something I would suggest. I have two litter box suggestions. Try putting one in the safe areas the cat goes to, and/or one in the living room corner. Be sure the boxes are low as there could be some arthritic problems. I think it is the bullying, so I would suggest going to SpiritEssences.com and trying the different flower essences (100% safe) that seem to apply (I think safe space would be a good one, and maybe bully for the other cats. Not too expensive would be a session with an animal communicator (www.animaltalk.net has referral list).

Also, Dr. Jeff and I do a free blab.im webinar every Thursday from 2-3 and I do a free chat from 2-3 the 2nd Mon at facebook/animalwellnessmagazine and the last mon at facebook/healthyanimalvet. You can email in questions if you are in school then.

If by any chance, your parents do give up on this cat, ask for one more week and call EVERY holistic vet in Indiana and EVERY cat rescue. I have links to vet organizations on my web site, MyHealthyAnimals.com.

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QUESTION: Thank you so much for your fast reply! I will be talking over these options with both of my parents.

My mom did have a question of placing a new box in the living room. We worry that all the other cats will start to use that box religiously instead of all the other ones. We had this happen when we added a box upstairs. They hardly use the downstairs ones now but sometimes will.

Also, is there some way to migrate the box over towards the other one so that Tater will maybe feel better about using the large one in the future? Or should this be a permanent fixture?

I also had a concern with Tater's peeing. As far as I know, he seems to only go once a day and when I have caught him in the act, they're extremely long pees. Should there be any concern about this or do you think maybe that's just normal for him?

Answer
My mom did have a question of placing a new box in the living room. We worry that all the other cats will start to use that box religiously instead of all the other ones. We had this happen when we added a box upstairs. They hardly use the downstairs ones now but sometimes will.
They might, then they will go back to other boxes. You may need to isolate this cat along with a litter box for several hours a day - times when you think Tater may need to go. Until the Reiki, flower essences, other energy healing has cured the timidity he may be better off having 50% of the time by himself.

Also, is there some way to migrate the box over towards the other one so that Tater will maybe feel better about using the large one in the future? Or should this be a permanent fixture?  You can migrate if that works for him. Again, working with a communicator (should cost about $70).

I also had a concern with Tater's peeing. As far as I know, he seems to only go once a day and when I have caught him in the act, they're extremely long pees. Should there be any concern about this or do you think maybe that's just normal for him?  
This can be completely normal. It could be, though, that he is holding due to fear, so that would not be good. If he has always done this, it is fine.