My cat's new hobby is stealing my socks and I'm out of ideas

So my orange tabby, Gus, has developed a thing for my work socks. It started a few weeks ago, just one missing from the laundry basket. Now, every single morning, I find a damp, slightly chewed sock in his water bowl. I asked my vet about it at his checkup last Tuesday, and she said, 'He's probably bored and thinks it's a game. You need to redirect that energy.' I felt kinda dumb, like I should have known. So I bought one of those puzzle feeders and spent $30 on a new feather wand toy. Now, I do a 15-minute play session with him right before I leave for work at 7 AM. The sock thefts have dropped to maybe once a week, but he still looks at my sock drawer like it's a treasure chest. What else can I try to make my socks boring to him?

3 comments

3 Comments

bennett.mason13d ago

It's funny how animals pick one weird thing to fixate on. My neighbor's dog does the same with garden gloves, just one specific type. The puzzle feeder is smart, it turns his job into a real task. Maybe try hiding the socks in a closed box for a while to break the habit.

hollyl458d ago

My cat is the same with hair ties. He'll ignore the expensive toys but go nuts for a single elastic. The citrus spray idea is solid, but then your whole place smells like a fruit salad. A closed box might work, but my guy would just see it as a new challenge to destroy. Pets are just weird little creatures with very specific hobbies.

felix_hayes6413d ago

Gus has clearly decided your socks are premium cat toys. Maybe try dipping them in something he hates, like citrus spray. Good luck explaining that smell to your coworkers though.