This is the second time I’ve seen Pepper do this. I was sitting here, perusing the Boards when she walks in and lays down near one of my dirty socks on the floor (I’m a guy; that’s where dirty socks go). She starts sniffing it, then she grabs it, pressing it to her face while rolling around on her back. Clearly, she’s in the throes of some kind of feline ecstasy, oblivious to everything else around her. I have NO idea what’s so wonderful about my dirty socks to her, but it must be something, because this goes on for several minutes. She rubs it all over her face, presumably as much to get the scent on her as to transfer her own scent to the sock. But, why? I’ve never seen her so enthusiastic with anything else, and this the second time I’ve seen her do this; it was just the same, then, too. Silly Pepper!
Anyone else’s pets have strange obsessions like this?
My springer spaniel Dottie has developed a used-panties fetish. :eek: We practically have to keep the hamper under lock and key, otherwise bye-bye panty crotch.
Was it a Doper’s dog who liked to retrieve unflushed turds from the toilet bowl and play with them under the dining table? Ewwww.
Maybe it’s something to do with spaniels, but a springer-cocker mix I had when I was growing up did that with panties as well, ew.
We had a ferret who would collect my husband’s socks that were left around the living room - used or clean, as he’d raid the laundry that wasn’t put away yet too - and stick them all in a particular spot under the futon. He would appear frustrated with you if you’d “steal” the socks back, and take them at his first opportunity and put them back in the spot he thought they were supposed to go in.
Our ferrets like to check out shoes and boots, and especially climb inside them to explore, but we think this is probably a holdover from instinctive burrowing behavior - though apparently they either aren’t bothered by the smell or actually like it, considering how eagerly they climb into the shoe to look around. However, the dragging off of shoes/boots behind the couch, we can’t quite figure out.
One of my indoor cats loved to join me in the bathroom. While I’m seated, he would climb into my lowered trousers and underwear and make himself quite comfy. Try raising your drawers with 15# of cat in them. There’s a picture of a gray cat in a fellow’s pants under similar circumstances on the internet-that’s not me or Max.
One of my cats has the sock fetish big-time. I don’t know if he prefers dirty ones, but I have a kid whose socks are often on the floor in the living room. However, if no loose socks are available, he will steal them out of the dirty clothes. He might steal clean ones, except he can’t open the drawers.
My other cat has a thing for kneaded erasers. She can’t open drawers either, but the minute I open the drawer where they are kept she’s right there, and she’s fast. If there’s ever one sitting on the desk, it is gone, gone, gone. Only to be found days (or years, given my bad housekeeping) later in a corner, covered with kitty hair.
Not a sock fetish, but I had a cat once who would clean my unwashed feet. I’m not talking a casual lick; I got a thorough between-every-toe licking that went on for several minutes. She had absolutely no interest in my feet after I showered, but if I lay down on the bed with my socks off before showering she would immediately go to work.
Fortunately I was able to suppress my usual foot tickle reflex on these occasions, so she never got kicked while doing this.
Cats like worn clothing because (I assume) it’s got your scent on it. Our cats have never gone for worn socks or underwear (thank goodness), but they will lie or or knead worn shirts, sweaters, and pants.
My old girl (who passed last year) used to LOVE socks - specifically, my dad’s old, nasty socks. My mom would find them in the dining room, the living room, the downstairs bathroom - and Izzy would just be loving all over them, going to town.
I guess it’s better than a used Q-Tip fetish, like Emmy has.
My male cats seem to like foot smell, and my female cat prefers armpit smell. Mr. Lisa’s metabolism is such that he doesn’t need to use deodorant regularly, and Newt will get up in his armpit and snorgle away like it’s catnip. The boy cats, especially Pierre, are all about the feet. My dad stayed with us one night after Hurricane Katrina, and Pierre got his head stuck in his tennis shoe and galloped around the house for a while.
Honeycat loves the socks. The dirtier the better. She also loves the sports bra that I wear when I’m riding my bike - you know, the one that gets all sweaty and manky. That’s just all about the kittygasms when she gets her head in it.
I had a cat who liked to stick her head in my shoes. She was a fairly small cat and I have pretty big feet, so it wasn’t that hard. Never got a picture.
When I was a child, my father worked in a factory, and when he came home and shed his stinky, grimy work clothes, our cat would make a beeline for those smelly things and go nuts.
I have a 25 pound cat that will stick her head into anyone’s purse that is just laying around.
She also plays with the socks as well. The wierdiest thing though is she drinks the water that is left in the bathtub when you are finished taking a shower or whatever. She also tries to lick on your hair if it isn’t towel-dried enough.
