So many cat owners put up with behavior problems that could have been prevented with the right knowledge and early intervention. It takes a lot longer to break a bad habit than it does to form one. And once a behavior happens for a prolonged period of time, the habit is activated in memory and considered automatic - neural circuits perform the habit without conscious thought. In other words, your cat may not be choosing to avoid the litter box any more - eliminating outside the box is an automatic action.