LOL! Sorry, picturing this is rather amusing!

Maybe she likes the way they smell? (like you and your family)

Justin

No.  My Oscar collects socks, too, but only the kind with the rubber treads on
the bottom.  She then attempts to lick them to death.  She has these socks all
over the house.  Fortunately, she hasn't expanded her interest to my normal
socks.

Don't know *why*, but some others have said their cats do this.  One of my
cats used to carry mittens around the house each winter.

Cathy

My last cat Boots did this. He loved "fresh" socks. My boyfriend would come
home from work, take off his socks and throw them on the bed. Boots would roll
in them, smooshing the socks into his face. He had a look of utter contentment
on his face. Later he'd hide them under the bed. I thought the washer or dryer
was eating the socks until I found his stash doing spring cleaning.

This used to be Meowzers favorite game.  I would hide a pair of clean socks
someplace in the house each day and when I got home they would be waiting
for me inside the front door.  I tried all kinds of tricks and even
sometimes would wedge them inside a closed drawer with just a bit hanging
out.  He'd have to really work to get them loose but he always
managed..................:)

My current Calico has this thing for 'new' Q-tips.  She doesn't chew them or
eat the cotton off the ends she just plays with them and carrys them around
as a toy.  I swear she has a secret stash someplace because I constantly
find them and in the weirdest places.  Wedged along side the base board on
the landing is one of the areas often you wake up and find one in bed in the
morning.

Celeste

Ah memories. My first cat, Kitty Ballou, dragged socks around while
merowling. It is supposed to indicate a kitten replacement, but she had two
batches of kittens and while a good mom, didn't seem overly in love with
momma hood. However, as I got a little older and she no longer regarded me
as a dangerous bare kitten, she would do it until I went to bed, when she
would come cuddle with me. I knew it was time to go to bed when she started
dragging socks out. This went on until I left for college. It was her way.

I've never heard of male cats doing this. Huh. My mom's cat does it. She was
spayed kind of late, and she hoards the socks - carrying them from the
basement in front of the dryer upstairs into little hiding spots like a
litter of kittens. But I suppose a good dad-cat would do the same. Gotta
keep the "kittens" safe.

My kitten Cinder steals sock quietly. No meowing.  Also facecloths.
It's the cutest thing in the world to see!

Kira used to steal my socks. I noticed that I had fewer and fewer
socks. Eventually, I was down to 3 pairs. I searched everywhere I
could think of - laundry room, behind the bed, etc. I couldn't find a
single one. I finally went out and bought a bunch more.

Then one day I woke to a funny sight. Socks on the bed, socks on the
floor, socks on the stairway, socks on the couch, socks on the cat
tree, socks in the bathroom, etc.

She never did it again.

I don't know why, but I knew a cat that not only carried socks around
but fed them every night...in his water bowl!

I've had several who liked to put their toys in the water bowl.

BarB