Not a Litter Box
Our elder cat Pilikia occasionally uses something other than a litter box as a litter box. This seems to have nothing to do with the cleanliness of existing litter boxes, or with anything else that I can identify. She has used printers, kitty beds, throw rugs, empty boxes, and most recently, my unwashable zabuton-substitute cushion. Which I guess will teach me not to leave my meditation cushions out when I'm not meditating. [sigh] I'll have to try to make a zabuton. (They're much too expensive to buy.) But not till after we move, I think. I can make do with temporary ankle-protectors (a folded towel, maybe) till then.

What I don't understand is why Pilikia does this. She's not even choosing things that are in any way similar to either litter boxes or the sort of place a cat usually chooses who is allowed outdoors. I don't believe she ever did it before she was ten or so, and I cannot find any contributing factor. Unless it's a very odd protest of the existence of our other cat, the ubiquitous Lulu who is her arch-enemy; but as she did try to ruin a printer in this way before Lu came to live with us, I don't think it's that. She's not ill, and although she is remarkably stupid for a cat, she's not a drooling idiot: she knows what and where the litter box is.

Oh, well. There's nothing to be done about it that I can see, except discourage her from the furniture and hope for the best. Who knows what's going on in her tiny mind? I certainly don't.