# Foot fetish or Mom crazy??



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Shepherd Book's personality has developed by leaps and bounds in this past year and he's developing...interesting... quirks. When I get home from work the first thing I do is change into sweats or shorts/Tshirt (depending on the season)... he always used to lay on my dirty clothes when I tossed them on the bed but then he started rolling around on them and drooling.

Then it escalated to him stealing my bra and running off with it. When I'd catch up with him (to put it in the hamper) he would be laying on it, kneading like mad and would YOWL up a storm when I tried to take it away...

He got over the bra thing and became obsessed with my socks. He drags my dirty sock around ALL night and lays with it...rubs on it... purrs like crazy (I don't use bleach if that's your first thought). He clings to that sock until the next night when I give him a fresh one.

Well when this last major gout flare took off I had to start wrapping both feet in bandages (for the massive swelling) and he goes BONKERS for the dirty bandages. When I take them off to change them he grabs one and takes off to hide with it.... if I go after it he lets out this MOURNFUL cry like I'm killing him. 

He's also becoming way more obsessed with me in general. I always thought MowMow was unbelievably clingy but even he lays by himself in a room sometimes. Not Book, if I get up and leave a room he'll wake up and follow me. Every time. Early last week he was napping in the bedroom (with me) and I remembered I had to take down the trash. I ran out super fast to get that done and when I was walking back I saw him in the window.. he looked like one of those garfield dolls that clung to the car windows.... he was SCREAMING blue murder and when I came in he practically climbed me like a tree.

Today my exhusband came down to help me and he was washing my hair in the bathroom sink... Book kept attacking him and drawing blood. We had to lock him out of the room and he cried the whole time we were in there. He's always liked Ryan and even today (before the hair washing) he was playing with him and rubbing on him. When I came out of the bathroom he climbed up onto the wheelchair with me and wouldn't get down, even when Ryan fed them. (on a side note, at least it seems MowMow isn't afraid of my ex anymore).

I'm wondering if something could be wrong with him.. maybe a vet visit/blood test?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Mowmow, I think he's picking up on your distress because of the gout and has decided to be your protector. A former boss of mine also suffered from gout, I don't think a lot of people really understand how debilitating this disease really is. You have a service cat. Hope you feel a bit better soon. ♡

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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

I don't know about a visit to the vet, maybe more a behavioral-est if it gets way out of hand. 

There is obviously something about the scent you are putting out that has activated a protective, nurturing urge. 

I think I agree with 7cat2dogs.. he has made himself your service cat!! .. and it seems he is taking his job very seriously!


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## JungliBillis (Mar 20, 2013)

That sounds crazy obsessive! I wonder what drove him to get so clingy and protective of you. Almost sounds like he has separation anxiety by the way you describe him at the window. Do MowMow and Book ever fight over you?


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Combine this with the way he flips out at dogs and I would say he has some behavioral issues that may need to be addressed. He sounds quite obsessive, potentially aggressive, and faced with sever separation anxiety. For his own peace of mind I might consider doing something about it, what's going on in his mind might not be... good.

Jasper used to pace the house when we went on walks (actually maybe he still will, haven't gone on one in a while) ... if I'd close him out of the bedroom he'd also try jumping in every window of the house (like that somehow would help...) I did not think much of it, but then he got stress related FLUTD.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

They don't FIGHT over me exactly....

When Book was younger MowMow hated him so if Book pushed in when I was petting MowMow I would relocate Book to a spot where he could get pets but wouldn't be in Mow's face(because Mow would hiss and run away). I wouldn't let Book lay in MowMow's 'spot' right next to me either... even if Mow was in the other room because if he walked in and saw Book in his 'spot' he wouldn't lay near me somewhere else, he would just walk out of the room. I never shooed Book away, I would just relocate him and pet him in his 'spot'.

As Book got older and they got along better I let Book closer to MowMow's personal space and now he goes wherever he wants, unless HRH MowMow hovers around his spot looking unhappy. Then I'll move Book and give both of them lots of love/pets.


It's weird,he never seems stressed when I leave for work. Just watches me drive away. When I get home from work he's happy to see me but not climbing on me like that day. It was like he woke up and I was gone and it wigged him out.

Normally if he's nervous about something he looks to MowMow. If MowMow seems calm it usually settles right down.

I talked to my ex husband today about it and he pointed out that Book was perfectly calm sitting on the bathroom counter watching until Ryan pulled my hair and I yelped. He said that's when Book puffed up and lashed out at him. When we came back out from the bathroom Book wasn't aggressive, just clingy to me. He let Ryan hold him and pet him without issue, just preferred to stay on my lap.

Also, I shouldn't say he NEVER leaves the room, that's not accurate. He doesn't settle down in any other room except where I am. He plays and patrols the apartment on his own but checks back in with me frequently. He'll hop up on the bed/couch/back of my computer chair... chirp and after an ear scratch he'll wander off to do his thing... but when he's ready to settle down he comes by me to do it.


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## JungliBillis (Mar 20, 2013)

Hmmm what you just said doesn't sound too crazy. Like others said, he is probably being protective of you because you are in distress. You have a knight in shining black armor!


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Ohhhh, "mom crazy" means SB is crazy about his mom. 
I thought it meant mom is crazy. 

Although definitely not mutually exclusive.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

NebraskaCat said:


> Ohhhh, "mom crazy" means SB is crazy about his mom.
> I thought it meant mom is crazy.
> 
> Although definitely not mutually exclusive.


I can say without hesitating... BOTH!


I don't worry so much about the 'aggression'... the only times he's been that way is when he felt threatened and it's always been dogs until Ryan upset him (and frankly, there were plenty of times I wanted to rip him apart myself when we were married  ). I can torture(meaning kissing/hugging/tickling/humiliating) the crud out of Book and he just purrs up a storm. He'll let strangers handle/kiss/hug/tickle him as well and just purr.

I was more wondering about stealing stuff that belongs to me and being so distressed when I try to retrieve it. The only toy of his own that he's like that with is his woobie (rattle ball) and he doesn't CRY when I take that.. he just begs me to throw it for him.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I'm sure the yelp from you triggered his response. His mom was getting hurt and he was going to help!! I found the entire thread very interesting! From the rolling in the bra and socks, to the crying at the window, I wish some of my 5 cats showed a fraction of that love and devotion towards me! I have accepted my lot in life as a meal ticket.


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## CatMonkeys (Sep 27, 2012)

It does sound like he's being extra protective of you because he knows you're not at 100%. That's cute with him stealing your socks to snuggle with, though I'm sure it would drive me nuts if mine did that and then screamed bloody murder when the sock is taken away. Maybe taking the dirty laundry is his way of staying close to you when he doesn't feel like physically being close. Or he just likes to bask in the smell of human  (My two seem to prefer that I smell like a cat- they both wait for me in the bathroom after I shower and try to rub on me afterwards to make me smell like them again.)


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## JungliBillis (Mar 20, 2013)

Maybe mom's dirty laundry smells like food! jk jk


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