I'm not worried the landlord will find out, but I'm definitely worried about paying another hugely expensive bill!

I completely agree with you-removing the cats will hopefully allow me to manage the problem.

With this and your other problem regarding him lunging at the cats around food, it may be that your dog is not as happy around the cats as you believe. This could easily be his way of marking his territory to make himself feel safe

Hi Chris, that's interesting, I never really thought of it that way. I just assume if anyone feels unsafe it's the cats. Since he acts aggressively, I assume he feels confident and strong, but I guess just like people, he could be making up for feeling not so great...

I just assume he's being a bully

But he is outnumbered-4:1...

Yea, 2 of them especially tend to like to him/growl at him when he comes too close, often times swatting at him too. But he usually barks right back, chases them more and gets in that play-ready stance. Doesn't seem to bother him but maybe it does.

He's been in daycare so he's really had no time to be bad, haha. However, I take him out around 7:30 before I leave for work at 8 and he does his business. But sometime between the time I leave and my sister leaves with him for daycare @9:15, he tends to pee and/or poop again, either on the stairs or the hardwood. Even though a potty pad is available to him, I guess the pee scent is still more appealing.

It's instinctive to do it where the smell is, even when the cats are boarded its still going to happen because I have no idea how you will get the smell out of the wood for a start. Maybe get a specialist firm in to do it.

Yea, my parents had to seal their floors

Do you take him out for a decent walk in the mornings so he can smell where other dogs have been and empty completely before going back inside?

Hi, no I don't. I'm always in a rush, and take him out for 10 minutes or so. He always goes, but maybe he has to go again? That used to be a problem when he was a puppy-I finally realized after lots of experiences and lots of reading/research that he needed to go out 15 minutes after the first time to completely empty his bladder, but I didn't think this should still be an issue at his age.

However, I know there have been several times where he will get a good walk in with my sister, and he'll still come back inside and pee...