I have resorted to locking him in the laundry room when I go to work, and then let him out when someone is home. I have only caught him in action once. He has plenty of toys and a window perch. I would like for him to have run of the whole house, but obviously can't allow it. I'll discuss these points in order.
Many behavioral complaints focus on non-specific signs.
From the short history that we have it sounds like this cat has a substrate preference for elimination. The necessary and sufficient conditions for a diagnosis of a substrate preference for elimination to be made include consistent elimination in an area or areas that are linked by some common sensory aspect. The soft fabrics mentioned in the letter meet this qualification. Substrate preferences for elimination can be innate or they can be the result of sampling and learning. If the latter is true these preferences can be secondary to aversions which may be associated with filth, illness or scary circumstances.