Cat not using litter

Question
I have a 11 year old male Devon Rex. Recently he has starting going to the bathroom either in front of the litter box, or a specific corner of my living room. He still does use his litter at times. I would say 50% in litter and 50% outside of litter. I keep a very clean litter box, and nothing has changed in his environment recently ( a move, another cat, new litter, etc.) I am willing to take him to my vet of course, but I know all the tests would cost a bundle of money I don't really have, and was wondering if perhaps it was a common problem among aging cats (senility). I would just like some advice or tips I can try before making a vet appointment. Thank you

Answer
Shannon,

My guess is that it is probably a medical issue of some type or another.  I would have him checked out by your vet.  It should be fairly simple for your vet to check for a urinary tract infection (if the cat is peeing inappropriately) or for clogged anal glands or parasites, if your cat is pooping outside the litter box.  In this latter case, make sure you take a stool sample.

In any case, you need to make sure you clean up any area where he messes up using an enzyme based cleaner specifically for pet stains and pet odors (available at most pet supermarkets and/or farm stores).

I am also including a link to an excellent article on inappropriate bathroom habits in cats, written by a vet who is also a cat breeder).

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

Please let me know how it goes.

Best regards... Norm.