ocd kitty

I moved into my new apartment this weekend. My new cat, Cloud, has been living there solo for two weeks, with Jon's sister occasionally stopping by to feed her and clean her litter box. So when I entered the empty apartment on Saturday, Cloud met me at the door, all purrs and meows, totally ecstatic to see another living thing coming to share her space. When all my furniture and boxes had been hauled in, Cloud walked in circles rubbing up against everything in sight--the table, the box, my hand, Sultan's leg, the chevalier mirror, the chair... the table, the box, my hand, Sultan's leg, the chevalier mirror, the chair, and so on--purring loudly and drooling she was so happy. I thought that this behavior was temporary and that soon she would settle down after the novelty of having me around wore off, and after she marked all these new items with her smell. But no.

I think she might have an obsessive compulsive disorder. The cat doesn't stop rubbing up against everything. Even the stuff that was already there. The walls, the doors, the refrigerator. Everytime she passes by anything with a corner, her hip or the side of her face swings to one side and she gives herself a nice scratch. But it's never enough. Her appetite is unsatiable. I think she is addicted to the sense of touch. When I went to sleep on Saturday night, my arm lay stretched out over the side of the bed, and she walked back and forth underneath my hand, copping a self-induced feel. I finally had to kick her out of the bedroom so I could get at least a couple hours of shut-eye.

I don't know if Jon had the same issues with her, or if this is behavior is just for me. Maybe I should hire a pet psychologist. Or maybe I should buy some meditation music to get her to just relax for a bit. I could get a second kitty so she could have someone to play with, but I'm not ready for that level of commitment. I'm just getting used to having my own apartment and a new pet!