My cat - the addict!
By speakeasy
@speakeasy (4171)
United States
September 18, 2007 3:26pm CST
That's right. One of our cats has become addicted. His addiction" - my husband's dirty socks.
No one else's dirty socks are good enough for him and my husband's clean socks are left to languish if we try to distract him.
This addiction started innocently enough a few weeks ago. Both of our cats have always been fascinated with my husband's work boots. He comes home and sits down and they both came over to watch th eritual removing of the boots. Boot laces flying and flapping around. How fascinating!They loved to watch; but, my husband would not allow them to play with these interesting bits of "string".
Then, one day, Joe decided to hang around a while and discovered that after the boots came off; my husband peeled off his socks. These long white socks were then laid near the boots; until my husband took them to the laundry hamper for cleaning.
But, Joe's sensitive nose decided the smell emanating from them was "fascinating". When my husband did not reprimand or scold him for going over and smelling the socks. He started just sitting beside them and inhaling; his little nose all a twitch.
Then, Joe started to get closer to my husband's feet and start sniffing before the socks even came off. So, my husband started giving his socks to Joe for a while before taking them to the hamper. Within just a couple of days, Joe was playing with the socks. Holding them in his paws and rolling on the floor with them while his nose was buried deep. (Our other cat just walks away in disgust at this behavior.)
But, now my husband has a small problem with this addicted animal. Joe no longer want s to wait for his "treat". Joe has claws; and, he has started to try to remove the socks from my husbands feet all by himself just as soon as the boot is off the foot.
Here is a photo of Joe and one of the socks.
Do any of your pets have unusual "addictions"?
4 people like this
10 responses
@meholl (510)
• United States
19 Sep 07
OMG, as I read your story of plight, I almost feel out of my chair laughing. As to keeping the cat from clawing your husbands feet while waiting for the sock to come off, may I suggest keeping a dirty sock on hand.
We have one cat, had him about 6 weeks. His name is Frank. We haven't found that Frank has any addictions yet. Yet he does have a weird habit. Frank is litter box trained. Yet at night Frank will come on my bed and wake me up so that he can go outside to do his thing. Plus if he finds his way into the bathroom while you are in the shower, he hops right in with you. Odd, since cats aren't partial to water. Frank must just have a good sense of hygiene
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Actually, there are a few breeds of cats that are not automatically afraid of water. Some of them can be quite happy in water; if, they are carefully introduced to it as kittns.
Keeping a dirty sock on hand does not work though. After they have been off my husband's feey for about an hour; the smells our cat enjoys are no longer there (or not strong enough) and he will ignore "old" dirty socks.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Well, they are just tiny little punctures and the cat looks so silly playing with the socks; that my husband soon forgives him.
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
18 Sep 07
One of our 4 cats is addicted to the catnip my wife planted in the garden for them. That particular cat will roll in it, chew it, and sleep in it. That cat does love catnip plants.
One of our other cats is fascinated with running water. Take a shower, that cat is there watching. Wash the dishes, that cat watches. Flush the toliet, the cat watches the water swirl around. Start to fill the bath tub and neither that cat nor any of the others can be found!
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
18 Sep 07
Joe can take or leave catnip; but, our other cat loves it almost as much as yours.
The cat who is fascinated with flowing water - have you thought about getting him a small fountain. I used to have a cat that liked to watch flowing water and we got him a small water fountain for Christmas. It became his favorite pastime (right after sleeping, eating, and cleaning himself). He watched the water, put his paws in the streams, and even drank from it.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
19 Sep 07
The small fountain is a great idea. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@nmw2005 (1197)
• United States
19 Sep 07
That's so funny. My one cat love to drink from the bathroom sink. He will cry until we go and turn the water on for him. He is alo the same cat who love to be cleaned by using the dustbuster. When we take it out he will throw himslef in front of it hoping that we will vacuum him.
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Now, that is FUNNY! Most cats hate the noise from a dustbuster and never give it a chance. Obviously, he thinks that bathroom sink water is the best tasting water in the entire house (at least he is not drinking from the toilet).
@beaniegdi (1964)
•
18 Sep 07
That is so funny and cute. I think though it might be a good idea, if a little smelly, for your husband to donate some used socks for the cat and that way everyone will be happy. Otherwise I fear for your husbands poor feet.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Unfortunately, the smell seems to evaporate within the hour. After that time the cat just ignores them; even if you dangle them in front of him. So, an old pair of socks wouldn't save my husband's toes.
@peanutjar (5198)
• Canada
19 Sep 07
Hi speakeasy!Well my cat tiger likes to eat the dogs food(at least try)lol,steal the hairbrush and chew on it,shes over licking the chair legs.Our other cat missy likes to stick her head in shoes and sniff,steals my daughters barbie dolls to lick the hair,chew on pencils.Silly cats!!lol:)
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Missy and Tiger seem to have a lot of fun in your house. Our other cat will start to "eat"/chew on combs and hairbrushes; but, only if we have been combing/brushing him first.
@RainbowBright (40)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I used to have a cat that LOVED plastic. Not any type, but the soft type. Chip bags, cheese wrappers, ect. (He also loved the cheese inside!)
My grandparents also used to have a cat that loved plastic, just the hard stuff most toys are made of. When I was little I had to hide barbie dolls from him. If they were left out overnight they would be missing hands or feets when I woke up.
Cats are very... interesting. lol
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
We used to have a cat that loved plastic back when my son was little.
That cat scared us silly and ended up with an emergency trip to the vet's office. He bit the end off of a plastic straw and then started gagging and clawing at his face. We could not see it and we thought it was stuck in his throat. (Figured air was passing through the hole in the straw; so, he could still breathe.) When we got him to the vet and he was examining the cat, we spotted the straw. It had slipped over one of the back teeth and gotten wedged between that tooth and the one next to it. So, he got lucky and didn't need surgery; AND, while he still chewed on plastic, he never went near another plastic straw.
@nancyrowina (3850)
•
18 Sep 07
That's a strange addiction indeed must be funny to watch I have a female cat who likes to rub her head in mens armpits, it must be something about the smell of mens sweat they like. Most cats like catnip mens sweat does seem like a strange thing to enjoy but who knows what it smells like to a cat.
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I have seen cats go for men's armpits before. They also seem to like to "knead" while they are sniffing the and rubbing the armpit.
Does your cat also knead while she goes for the armpits or does she just rub?
@zabawaus (1730)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Hahahahahah,
He is really cute and looking like he doesn't want you to disturb him while he is playing with the socks :) I have 3 cats and all of them have weird habits. One is always tumbling instead of walking :) Others addiction is his own arm. He likes to suck his arm we couldn't stop him making this. I recently opened a discussion about it you can see his picture while doing that :) Have a great day!!!!
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Sounds like some interesting "addictions" there; but, one cat seems to be missing?
1 tumbles instead of walking
1 sucks his own "arm"
What about #3?
1 person likes this
@Sharon38 (1912)
• Jamaica
19 Sep 07
Hahaha! I love cats and dogs but unfortuantely whre I live the neighbours dont like any animals at all. she throws stones at them. But I had to read through all these comments and I love them all. I had a good laugh though these pets are really something else.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Both of our cats are completely indoor cats - the only time they go out is to travel and then they are in carriers. This prevents any problems with neighbors and keeps them safe from larger, meaner animals and cars.
While your neighbor has a right to shoo away any animals that go into her yard; she does not have the right to throw rocks at them. (Especially, if they are NOT in her yard.) If you can get a photo of her doing this; you should report her. She could seriously injure an animal if it hits them in the eye or on their head. And, what if she missed and hit a child.
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Thank you. I am glad my pets can not only bring happiness to our family; but, others as well.
