Between a rock and a hard place

My very first adult pet is a cat named Scarlett.  He/she (he is a boy with a girl name) became my first baby way back in 2001, my first year of law school.  However, for the last 3 years, I have been fighting Mr. Scarlett tooth and nail to get him/her to use the litter box.  This is a fight I consistently lose.

Eventually he/she adopted one of the extra bedrooms as his/her own sanctuary and pee-palace.  Out of sheer exhaustion, I retreated and allowed him/her to do as he/she may in there.  Our retreat to neutral corners ended with the beginning nursery construction in that room.   After ripping up and replacing the carpet, this room has remained closed off from his/her use.  Her litter box (as if he/she bothers to use it) was moved into the common room.  Everything went surprisingly well, for a while...

During the week we were staying with my sister in Florida, Scarlett decided he/she would start using the couch as his/her personal toilet.  We returned from vacation to the overwhelming scent of ammonia and a now-worthless Thomasville sofa.  As you can imagine, momma was NOT happy.  We immediately took Scarlett to the vet to see if we could get some answers.  He/she has been on medication, had a change in diet, and yet none of these things have fixed the problem.  The final straw is that he/she is now urinating in the corner of our bedroom.  I really can't take it anymore.

I have been reluctant to make drastic changes up until now because I love him/her.  No matter how much of a burden he/she has become, he/she was my first baby.  But today, I decided I cannot go on like this.  And I will not bring Lana into this world just so she can sleep and crawl around on cat urine.  So today, Mr. Scarlett was moved outside.  He/she has been moved to the back deck for now, and will ultimately be let out into the yard.

I know how ridiculous it is, but I have been crying ever since.  He/she has NEVER lived outside. Every time I walk past the sliding glass doors he/she is standing there glaring at me.  I know he/she is scared.  I know he/she is confused.  I feel so guilty.  I feel like a cruel, uncaring human being.  I hate this. 

I know there are SUCH bigger problems in the world, but I am truly broken-hearted over this.  And it's not even raining or snowing.  I don't know if I did the right thing.  Does anyone else have any ideas?  I'm willing to try just about anything at this point.