scrathing wherever he wants

Question
QUESTION: i have two cats, a mix of tabby, calico, and something white. one of them, a boy named Jake, pees on anything he wants unless we just cleaned his litter box or put and expensive cat-attract litter in it. both are 4, almost 5, and he never did this when he was younger. what do you think he is doing, or why he's doing it?

ANSWER: Cats use inappropriate elimination as a method of communication sometimes. He could be telling you that he has a bladder infection, so a trip to the vet is a must to rule that out. He could also have decided that he doesn't like something that has changed in his environment. Did you recently move, add to your household (humans), change your litter, add an air freshener? How many litterboxes do you have? How often do you clean them? Has his litter box been moved recently? Any or all of these things can be factors in litter box avoidance. You could try adding 1-2 new litter boxes and see if things improve. Litter trays should be cleaned at least once daily, so more frequent litter box maintenance may help. Cats are very clean and do not appreciate a dirty toilet (picture yourself in a dirty public washroom), it feels the same to kitty when the litter is not properly maintained. You mentionned scratching in your subject, but I have no info on it, tell me more.

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QUESTION: my cats have a scratching post, and we tried a hanging door scratching post, but all he will do is scratch our new carpet (that we replaced because of his scratching), and our semi-new couch (also replaced because of scrathing). his "sister" only scratches the computer chair to get attention, and the scratching post.

Answer
Have you tried a product called Sticky Paws? This is quite simply placed in his favorite areas to scratch (the ones you would rather he didn't scratch). This product is double sided medical grade tape that will not cause damage to your furniture or cat. Sticky Paws is available at many pet stores and failing finding it you can also use double sided masking tape, but it doesn't work as well, the cat can see it. The reason that this product works well is that it is always there, even when you can't be. Cats do not like anything sticky on their paws. It is a humane way to modify your kitty's behavior.
You can also go to your nearest dollar store and purchase a spray bottle (the kind used for misting plants). You fill this bottle with water from your tap and every time that you catch kitty sharpening where you don't want him to, you spray him with a stream of water. The only problem with this is that it requires you to act immediately and consistantly. Your cat will not respond to this if he likes water, and some do. He may also learn that he only gets punished when you are there, so you may stop seeing the behavior, but not the damage.
It is also advisable that you go out and purchase a variety of scratching posts made of different materials and place them where he likes to scratch, you will soon learn what material he likes best. Catnip is a member of the mint family that cats just to sometimes eat and they really like the smell of it. It is not kitty marijuana as some people mistakenly believe. Catnip provides extra insurance that your kitty will use the posts, rub the catnip between your fingers to release the scent and sprinkle freely over the scratch posts in question being careful not to spill any on the surfaces you don't want him to use. The door hanging posts are not very stable so I don't use them. Any scratching post you buy should have a sturdy base so that it won't tip over on your cat when he is using it or he'll quickly learn that scratching posts are bad.
To prevent further damage to your house you could take the offending cat to the vet and ask about a product called soft paws. This is a soft vinyl cap that fits over his nail and stays in place for 4-6 weeks, which should be enough to start you on your way to modifying his unwanted behavior. He will not be able to do any more damage while wearing his new "nails".
I know that we consider behaviors like "sharpening" to be destructive and offensive. It is important to realize that this is an entirely normal and natural behavior in all cats from lions and tigers to tiny kittens. You will never stop this behavior entirely, you are looking to redirect it to something acceptable. It is actually a scent marking behavior, they aren't actually sharpening their claws. Cats have little scent glands in their paws, cheeks and on either side of their anus (called anal glands). Trimming the point off of his nails being careful to avoid the sensitive area called the quick may also help. If you require further instructions on how to safely trim the nails I can send pictures, or you can ask your vet to show you the appropriate technique.
If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.