Help with a Cat Problem, Please.

Last year, right before we got pregnant, we got a kitten. We were going through infertility treatments, and during one very challenging time when it looked like everything was going to be canceled/we'd never be parents, I fell in love with a beautiful black kitten. I had lost my two "older" cats a few years before (Storm at 19, Sky at 18), and during this emotionally trying time, Onyx the Wonder Kitten came into our lives. She is a beautiful, sweet natured animal, and she has brought a lot of joy into our lives.

Unfortunately, she is also bringing a HUGE problem: my job was the litterbox cleaning (my cat), but then I got pregnant (which got me out of litter box duty, per the vet's instructions), and then I got put on bedrest for five months. Not being in the habit of taking care of things, plus trying to take care of "everything else" that I normally took care of, plus a bunch of hospitalizations during this time for me and the babies, my husband was not as diligent as he should have been, and the kitten started using a corner of the living room for her business. The dogs would eat the evidence, but the smell eventually outed her. The babies were born early, with a whole lot of preemie stuff going on for a while (plus the whole pre-eclampsia, emergency c-section, no sleep because we have twins), and let's just say my return to litter box duty wasn't as diligent as it could have been, and Onyx is now happy to believe that she can take care of business wherever she wants even when there is a Clean Litter Box.

This is 100% our fault. I haven't had a problem like this for a LONG time, and I'm not sure what to do. She's beautiful and sweet natured, and its our fault she got into this bad habit -- but I've now got crawling babies, and before one of the dogs "ate the evidence" this morning one of the twins started making a beeline for it, and daddy had a small freak out about the situation. He wants the cat GONE. I think he'll calm down if I can start taking some concrete steps to get the situation back under control, but honestly, I'm at a loss -- I think we've gone beyond "clean litterbox" at this point AND I KNOW ITS OUR FAULT. I've "decontaminated" the area(s) she's been using, but I could use some suggestions.

Suggestions? Please?

I'm assuming kitty was peeing and poopin' in that area. If so, the carpet must go. The padding is likely ruined and it will always be a beacon to kitty that this is 'the spot'.

I suppose you could try getting one of the kitty boxes that looks like furniture and place it in that spot?

spot, and then we moved furniture on top of it. The latest area is Right In Front of the Door -- and she's an "indoor only" cat.

Like a comfortable room she could live in for a while? Maybe if she was shut in with it for a while she'd take to using just it, not the floor around it. Then she could get back in the right habits maybe.
Cats are great about wanting to use their boxes but if she's gotten bad habits it could be hard to break.
Do you know anyone out in the country who would feed her and watch out for her if she had to move out?

I hope she'll be okay.. I bet she really doesn't want to piss your husband off and worry you :(

has to be where she will continue to find it once she is out and about. The alternative is to put a box in her fave areas to do her business, but unless you want a box in every corner of the house this might not work too well.

it's guaranteed for 100% litter box usage.

On edit: also treat the soiled area with another product; "Nature's Miracle".

But I would add that you should have your cat examined by the vet to rule out any medical issues. It's possible a medical problem could have coincided with the timing of all of the changes around the house.

There is a product called "Out!" that is the BEST stuff for getting rid of cat pee odor. For me, it worked way better than Nature's Miracle. Unfortunately, I've only been able to find it at Wal-Mart, but it's really good stuff.