Can someone help MIL keep her cat?

Maybe try changing the litter? Maybe the cat doesn't really like that particular litter or feel that it's suitable for burying poops? Alternatively, maybe he doesn't like that litter box? Is there anything weird about it?

Try changing the box either more or less frequently? (Maybe it's too dirty, maybe it doesn't smell enough like poop?)

Maybe add another box, like if it's a two story house to have one on each story?

Maybe try putting the box in a different location, maybe the cat doesn't feel like he has enough privacy? (Seems less likely, since you said he doesn't use it primarily when nobody's home.)

Do people leave the house for long periods of time? Could they restrict the cat to, say, a bathroom with the box in it? A bit more of an extreme solution, but it might help to see if the cat poops in the box then or if he still would go elsewhere.

All wild guesses, I'm not at all a cat expert. I hope something works out!

Maybe try changing the litter? Maybe the cat doesn't really like that particular litter or feel that it's suitable for burying poops? Alternatively, maybe he doesn't like that litter box? Is there anything weird about it?

Try changing the box either more or less frequently? (Maybe it's too dirty, maybe it doesn't smell enough like poop?)

 
I will bring this up to MIL and see if she's tried changing any of this. I know she only buys cheaper-end things, like from grocery stores or wally world, but maybe the cat just doesn't like it?

Maybe add another box, like if it's a two story house to have one on each story?

It's a ranch style house, but the litter box was primarily kept in the basement.  Previously she had a two story apt, but the box was on the first level and the cat would poop literally 5 feet from the box, just not in it.  The cat rarely if ever went upstairs. 
 

Maybe try putting the box in a different location, maybe the cat doesn't feel like he has enough privacy? (Seems less likely, since you said he doesn't use it primarily when nobody's home.)

 
I wonder about this, the cat has lived in three places in as many years, and has had this problem at all three.....  once n the main floor of the 2story apt near the living room, once in a regular apartment on the same floor near the bathroom and now this time in the basement.  I just think she's a weird cat!

Do people leave the house for long periods of time? Could they restrict the cat to, say, a bathroom with the box in it? A bit more of an extreme solution, but it might help to see if the cat poops in the box then or if he still would go elsewhere.

Grandma is home nearly all the time, the cat used to be left alone for a normal workday and it would happen but more recently she's only been home alone while both MIL and grandma are out shopping, etc - so maybe 2-3 hours most? 
 
Thanks for the ideas, though - I will relay each and every one to MIL, since I'm not 100% sure what she has and hasn't tried.  And like I said, I've never had a cat before so litter box training just seemed as simple of showing the cat the box to me! 
 
I just something would help this cat.....  MIL just got her shaved, and they gave her a lion cut so she looks evil, wouldn't be good for finding her a new home [&:]  I think she's a Persian or something, the cat has horrible long fur that gets matted constantly and she always had poop stuck to her butt [:'(]

My (again, seriously uneducated) guess would be that it's either the type of litter or the litterbox environment itself that the cat finds unpleasant, so she decides to poop elsewhere. Maybe the animal shelter folks will have some suggestions too?

Hmmm.....it's actually very weird for the cat to poop outside the box.  Peeing is another thing (marking, UTIs, bladder infections, etc.)  The only time I've had a cat poo outside the box is because she was blocked from getting to the box (my bad). 

Since the cat is pooping next to the box or pooping in the same spots, it sounds like the cat had some kind of experience that makes it think the box is bad/painful/threatening. 

First, get the cat to the vet to rule out a medical cause.  The majority of litter box issues are medical, not behavioral.  Bring a fresh stool sample in case they need to test it.  Since the vet can see the cat and we cannot, the vet may be able to make more suggestions if it is a behavioral issue.  Also ask the vet about diet.  Maybe the cat's stools are too hard and it has associated pain with the litter box.  Maybe a new food will help.

Second, experiment with the box.  Get a different litter.  Make sure it's cleaned once or twice a day (some cats can be very picky).  If it's a covered box, add an uncovered one (the cat may have been surprised by the cover and is now afraid of the box).  If it's an uncovered box, add a covered one.  Add one box on each floor of the home.  They could even put out a bunch of boxes, one with a different type of litter (clay, clumping, carefresh type, etc).  If they are using a litter box liner, they should stop using them.

Third, try to dissuade the cat from pooping where it likes to poop.  Cats generally hate tin foil or certain scents.  You could cover the area with tin foil and/or buy a deterrent spray from a pet store.  Make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned with an actual pet cleaner, not just a household cleaner.

If the cat was adopted as an adult and was previously stray or feral, it's possible that it never learned or fogot proper litter box manners.  Since the issue has gone on so long without being addressed, the cat might not know how to use a litter box.  If this is the case, you'll have to try to train it, which may or may not work since it's well into adulthood.

If none of these help, maybe try putting puppy pads down where it likes to poop.  Then you can just roll it up and toss it.

If the cat is turned in to a shelter, it will most likely be euthanized because of its age and the undiagnosed liter box problem.  If they do turn it in, make sure they disclose this problem.  If not, someone might adopt the cat and then physically punish it if it starts doing the same thing.  Or, the cat could have a serious medical condition.  We adopted a cat with a litter box problem that we were told had a manageable UTI.  We treated this and worked with her on litter training, only to disover the cat had a fatal illness that our other cats were exposed to and now most likely carry.  If the cat must go and they won't take it to a vet first or try to fix the problem, honestly it would be best to have it put to sleep so it can avoid the stress of a shelter and being adopted into uncertain circumstances.

Thanks so much for the reply!  I have gotten a lot of good info from the posts so far, and I will pass it along for MIL to think about. 
 
It's not looking good, though.... gma is in her 80s and set in her ways, has never had a pet and now recently has decided from people she knows that the cat just cannot be trained and must go.  It's so sad for this poor cat, that no one but MIL even likes.  The reason it would go back to the SPCA is that when she adopted her, they told her she had to bring the cat back if she couldn't keep it for any reason.  We know someone who rehomed a dog and is now banned for life from the SPCA for not returning it to them first. 
 
I will try to push to at least try some of these things and see if it doesn't help.  Obviously if the cat associates the litter box with pain or something bad, that's different than not liking the litter.  Maybe it will be something easy.  Unfortunately, the situation is just sad all around, and I'm not sure how much good I can do.

If she signed a contract not to re-home it and is not willing to try to help the cat, she should have it put to sleep, IMO.  That's not a breach of the contract.  It's her animal and she can make that choice.  Bringing it back to the SPCA will likely result in the cat being very stressed by the new environment, locked in a cage all day, and then put to sleep anyway because of the litter box problem and the fact that it is older.

How weird.
 
I guess grandma was using the cat as an excuse to tell MIL to move out!  and MIL didn't want to leave gma all alone..... sigh. 
 
Anyway, thanks for the suggestions since now MIL can move out and keep the cat and work on all the problems.  Once everything settles down I will let you all know if there's progress. 

How weird.

I guess grandma was using the cat as an excuse to tell MIL to move out! and MIL didn't want to leave gma all alone..... sigh.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions since now MIL can move out and keep the cat and work on all the problems. Once everything settles down I will let you all know if there's progress.

 
Sorry about all of your problems.  Our senior kitty has the same problem.  I think it is her age that is the problem.  I have been using puppy pads aroung the liter box and this protects the floor and makes it easy for you to clean up. I understand your frustrations.  If you can get them to the vet it is probably medical. Good luck with everything.

Sorry about all of your problems. Our senior kitty has the same problem. I think it is her age that is the problem. I have been using puppy pads aroung the liter box and this protects the floor and makes it easy for you to clean up. I understand your frustrations. If you can get them to the vet it is probably medical. Good luck with everything.

 
I also would like to see the cat checked out.  However, for someone who was going to give the cat back to the SPCA one day and "allowed" to keep it the next, I'm somehow doubting that this is her priority.  When MIL was basically told one day she has to move out ASAP, all her money is towards affording 1st and last months rent plus security at a new place she didn't think she needed.  for now the cat is lucky gma changed her mind and the cat is alive yet.
 
Weird family dynamics.  But, once the dust settles I will try to push the vet checkup and some of these ideas as things for her to try, perhaps the cat can also have a happier life using her littler box!  I will also suggest the puppy pads at the least so that cleanup is easier..... 
 
Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions, I do appreciate it all.

Sorry, I know this is an old thread.  How is the kitty, is she still with MIL??
 
I just wanted to say that my cat did this before and it was the size of the litter box.  Once we got a bigger one, she had no problems.  Just another thought.
 
I hope everything turned out OK.

Hey, thanks for the interest.  Grandma came to her senses enough to allow MIL to keep the cat until she moved, which is next week.  However, the cat HAS to stay in the bathroom in the basement and may not come out until the point at which she leaves gma's house.  Poor kitty.  Grandma is an odd person, I guess, and just set in her ways.
 
So, MIL is going to keep the cat.... not sure if she will do anything about the cat's litter box problems or not, doesn't seem to bother her oh-so-much to clean up occassionally, but I did send her all the suggestions from here in case she wants to pursue it.  I just didn't want to see the poor cat PTS over something like this, you know?

Guess I'm coming to this thread a bit late and it now sounds as though kitty will be staying with MIL. Just a couple of suggestions anyway, that MIL might want or others that might have this same problem. Seeing as this has been going on for some time, it probably isn't a serious medical problem.....One of my cats that did that...just the poop outside of the litter box had cancer. But it may still be a medical problem, even if not something as serious as cancer. Several years ago, I had another cat that did the same thing and there would always be a little blood in her poop. Vet couldn't find anything the matter with her. I put her on a home made diet for several months and then finally switched her back to a dry food, after she had been doing fine for some time. She never had the problem again. So something simple like playing around with some different foods might work. Another thought, I wonder if kitty does this after she is shaved. The poop stuck on her all of the time I'm sure isn't very comfortable and when cats are uncomfortable with things, that's when they go outside of the litter box. If she seems to do this only when no one is home, another thought is get a kitty condo, put a litter box in it and leave her in there when no one is home. Just a few thoughts. Hope all is working out okay.  

I'm late too but here's a book written by Patricia B McConnell about cats and litter box problems.  If cat still has issues maybe this can help.
 
[linkhttp://www.amazon.com/Fastidious-Feline-Prevent-Problems-booklets/dp/1891767046/ref=sr_1_12/002-9549882-5080014?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177703620&sr=1-12]http://www.amazon.com/Fastidious-Feline-Prevent-Problems-booklets/dp/1891767046/ref=sr_1_12/002-9549882-5080014?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177703620&sr=1-12[/link]

Actually, I really like McConnell's booklets  and own several of the dog ones.... maybe a mother's day present is in order here?  Sounds like just what she needs!
 
Thanks for the tip.