I have a British Shorthair cat, he's 3 years old. His litter box is clean and it's in the bathroom. But he keeps peeing on the couch in the living room, even if he just used the litter box a moment ago. The vet ruled out any medical issues. Could this be some kind of behavioral problem?
Unfortunately, if the vet has ruled out illness, then it's most likely actually behavioral, but owners often miss one thing: a cat can perfectly well know where the litter box is and still pee on the couch because it's simply more convenient or comfortable for him. Try putting a second litter box right in the living room next to the couch - not to indulge him, but to completely eliminate the "it's too far away" factor, and at the same time start treating the damaged spots on the couch with enzymatic cleaners that break down scent markers. If your cat starts ignoring the new litter box in the living room and still pees outside of it - then you can be sure it's about territorial marking and behavioral issues.
Most likely it's territory marking, not just not knowing how to use the litter box. Cats do this when they're stressed, jealous, or just want to "claim" the smell in the house as their own. Try putting a second litter box right in the living room next to the couch - sometimes animals hate using the toilet in one place and living somewhere else. If it's stress, the problem might go away once the cat realizes there's a litter box in his "living zone."
From there, play it by ear. Treat the couch with something that covers up the cat smell (not just a cleaner, but a special enzymatic one) - otherwise the cat will smell his own scent and keep going there. After treating it, you can put foil or a special anti-cat mat on that spot - they usually avoid textures that feel unpleasant on their paws.
If nothing changes after you put the box in the living room, think about what might have scared the cat or thrown him off balance over the last few months - new people in the house, renovations, rearranging furniture. Sometimes pheromones help (like Feliway) - you spray it near the litter box and couches, and the cat becomes calmer. But if time's passed and nothing works, it makes sense to take him to a cat behaviorist rather than just a regular vet.
It might not just be territorial marking, but also a simple dislike of the litter box location - cats are generally picky about the distance between the toilet and where they eat or sleep.
Try putting a second litter box right in the living room next to the couch (sounds weird, but it'll work), and then gradually move it to a more convenient spot. Another important thing: make sure you're using a special enzymatic cleaner for the urine stains on the couch - regular cleaning doesn't completely remove the urine smell, and your cat will keep seeing that spot as his toilet. Regular cleaners won't help.
I had a friend with a similar situation - his cat was peeing on the soft furniture even though the litter box was fine. Turns out the cat just didn't like having the box in the bathroom, and chose the couch as a place where he felt safer and more comfortable. Try moving the litter box to a different room away from the bathroom, or add another one right next to the couch for a while - sometimes cats start using the toilet if it's closer to where they like to lie. Also, it helps to regularly treat the couch with an enzymatic cleaner to completely get rid of the urine smell - otherwise the cat will keep going back there out of habit.
The thing is, the couch isn't just a "second choice" - it's actually really attractive to your cat. Soft furniture absorbs smells way better than litter box filler, and your cat might see it as the perfect spot to mark territory. Try not only putting an extra litter box closer to the couch (like people suggested above), but also treat all the "crime scenes" with a special enzymatic cleaner - regular wiping leaves microscopic traces that your cat can still smell and keeps coming back to.
Also, you should check whether your cat can get into the bathroom freely at any time of day - sometimes owners accidentally close the doors and the cat just can't reach the litter box when they need to go urgently.
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