Help with clingy, needy cat

This is also about my foster cat, Hushpad.

Hushpad's previous owners were a mentally ill woman and her husband who was
hardly ever home. There were a total of 7 cats in an apartment, which was
in serious disrepair. The woman was being committed, so the cats were
turned over to the rescue league.

I'm used to working with semi-ferals and cats that don't trust people.
Hushpad is totally the opposite, which is good in a way. However, she is so
needy and clingy I'm starting to think this will be an obstacle to getting
her adopted. She follows me everywhere, is constantly underfoot. Whenever
I sit down, she's on me. She can't just sit on my lap, she has to rub
herself all over my face and against my neck. Also, she drools when she
does this. I can hardly read anything while sitting with her. She doesn't
get the message when I set her down. I try holding her so she will settle
down, and that works temporarily. I can't have her in the bathroom while
I'm getting ready because she does her rubbing thing while I'm brushing my
teeth, and that just doesn't work. Recently, she's starting meowing
pitifully while I'm in the shower. Today, she got up on the bathtub ledge a
couple times, and I seriously thought she was going to jump in. Given last
night's scare (see thread Scary episode last night), I was thinking she's
going to get in the shower and freak out, flailing all over the place. I
pulled the curtain and gently nudged her off the ledge.

So, how can I get Hushpad to not be so needy and clingy? Most people want
an affectionate cat, but I think this might be too much. My cat Loki tends
to be a little needy, but after brushing him off a couple times when I'm
trying to do something, he gets the idea. My cats will rub up on me for a
little bit, but not constantly. Hushpad will do this for like an hour
straight if I let her.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
Check out www.snittens.com

That's why I'm so cautious about getting another one or two since
losing Alex; I don't want to end up with twenty of 'em. :-)

Laura

I have a self-imposed limit of 4. I never deliberately get a cat. They just
happen. I know other people can have 6, 8, more cats. Four for me just seems to
be the number I can clean up after, take care of and afford the right kind of
vet care. Any more and it seems to fall apart. Sort of like cat critical mass.

Sherry

That's why I'm so cautious about getting another one or two since
losing Alex; I don't want to end up with twenty of 'em. :-)

Laura

I have a self-imposed limit of 4. I never deliberately get a cat. They just
happen. I know other people can have 6, 8, more cats. Four for me just seems to
be the number I can clean up after, take care of and afford the right kind of
vet care. Any more and it seems to fall apart. Sort of like cat critical mass.

Sherry

That's why I'm so cautious about getting another one or two since
losing Alex; I don't want to end up with twenty of 'em. :-)

Laura

I have a self-imposed limit of 4. I never deliberately get a cat. They just
happen. I know other people can have 6, 8, more cats. Four for me just seems to
be the number I can clean up after, take care of and afford the right kind of
vet care. Any more and it seems to fall apart. Sort of like cat critical mass.

Sherry