Foster cat loves my armpits.

[Lizzie]

I have a new hospice foster cat that I call Vita (shelter name was Shadow), and she very quickly learned to love snuggling with me as much as possible. I've had lots of cats who like to burrow in beside me in all kinds of ways but I've never had one that will bury her head into my armpit so hard that she has to lift it away every so often to get some air (and yes, I was very clean when she did this, not stinky). Do you have cats, have you had cats that like to bury their heads right into your armpit?

A quick background on Vita for those who are interested. She was taken to the shelter as a stray, extremely skinny and debilitated, diagnosed with IBS and probable lymphoma in her intestine. I got a call from a shelter I've never worked with before on Tuesday, saying they had heard I did hospice fostering, and by Thursday evening she was in my bedroom. It's been wonderful watching her go from simply crouching on the bare floor, not even getting on the furniture, to claiming the bed as her own. I guess it's been a long time since she had a comfortable and safe place to rest. Just from all the stroking I've given her, her coat has started to shine. I wish someone had taken her in sooner so we could have given her more than a few weeks of good living.

[catmandu]

Thats to say the least if where your scent is the strongest, not meaning to offend. This foster Cat wants you so much to be his friend and is making a scan of you so that he will know you instantly bt scent when you meet again,
as thier sense of smell is much better than thier eyesight!!!

[Pinot's Mom]

I am really familiar with this particular behavior...my Pinot does that to my husband. I hate to burst any bubbles on attachment (which may be the case), but...it's probably your deodorant. Pinot goes CRAZY over two things - my husband's roll on (Ban, I think) and my moisturizer. She tries to bury her face in his armpit, and she licks me anywhere I've put moisturizer in the morning.

So, it may be an attachment, or chemical!

In any case, bless you for what you're doing. Thanks!

[Laura's Babies]

Gee, to hospice for a kitty. That would be to heartbreaking for me. KUDHO'S to you!

[Lizzie]

I don't think it was deodorant since I never wear any on weekends, though there could be some trace from Friday morning. I don't think it's attachment since it's too soon. Frankly, I think it's desperation.

Goodness knows how many years she has been living on the streets, certainly long enough not to understand soft furniture, and, weak as she is, she bolted out of the front door the moment I opened it on Sunday. She hadn't turned feral, but I think it's been years since she had physical contact with humans. She purrs the moment I walk into a room, and she must be able to smell or sense me because she has cataracts.

On Thursday evening, I left her in the bedroom alone to get used to things and she ignored the sofa, the bed and even the cat beds on the floor, simply hunkering down on the wood floor. When I slept in her room on Friday night, I carried her into the bed and she gradually got more and more comfortable with cuddling, though she got down in the night and ended up on the floor again. By Sunday, she was following me everywhere, getting up by me whenever I sat down, talking at me, and just cuddling in as close as she could. She's a heartbreaker.

[Kirsten]

but I think it's been years since she had physical contact with humans. She purrs the moment I walk into a room, and she must be able to smell or sense me because she has cataracts.

She loves you so very much!!! How touching is this!!!
She probably feels that you're the best that ever happened to her!

Kirsten

[Medusa]

The only thing I can think of is that maybe it's hormonal, the smell that your armpits give off, I mean. Plus snuggling in there where it's warm, secure and dark may remind her of the womb. Just guessing here. Bless you for giving her comfort and love in her last days, sweet girl.

[RICHARD]

Yep, Ed does that, especially during cold weather, and it is indeed, the pits!

[phesina]

She loves you so very much!!! How touching is this!!!
She probably feels that you're the best that ever happened to her!

Kirsten

You probably ARE the best thing that ever happened to her!

God bless you for giving this dear girl love and warmth and comfort for the rest of her life.

And Vita, settle down and ENJOY.... you are HOME now!!!

to you both

[cassiesmom]

Awww, Vita! What a sweet name for you; Origin: Latin Meaning: Life. (Isn't one of Freedom's kitties named Vita, too?) I hope you will have a very happy life with your foster meowmie, that is, uhhmmm... armpits or no.

[Lizzie]

Yep, Ed does that, especially during cold weather, and it is indeed, the pits!

I hope his nose isn't cold. My Cordelia has a wet cold nose all the time (no, she's not sick) and loves to shove it in my face, in my ear, under my chin, dive under the covers and put her nose on any bare spot, it's absolutely horrible and I always end up shrieking. I can't imagine having a wet nose in my armpit.

[Lizzie]

Awww, Vita! What a sweet name for you; Origin: Latin Meaning: Life. (Isn't one of Freedom's kitties named Vita, too?) I hope you will have a very happy life with your foster meowmie, that is, uhhmmm... armpits or no.

Yes, I knew it meant life, and it was my way of snubbing our noses at her prognosis.

I can't believe how quickly she has become spoilt and demanding, it's amazing to watch. This tiny, and very skinny, debilitated cat will lunge and growl at the large, young, dominating Catullus if he tries to come near me when she is being cuddled, and even ten ton terrifying Taranis runs away from her.

[katladyd]

Here's hoping Vita proves the doctors so, so, wrong!