What do you think is going through my cat's head when she does this?

It means that your cat would smoke if its cute little paws could work a lighter.

Or your cat loves it the same way I loved my sock monkey when I was 4 years old.

It could be her ‘kitten’?

Mine does that with a small pom-pom. He makes that crying sounds, as well. He’ll bring it to you and drop it at your feet.

Not sure why.

Awww. When your cat does this, is she happy for you to snuggle with her and pet her? Maybe the noise is she wants attention and her favorite toy is her pacifier when she needs to sooth herself?

Yes, maybe it’s a sort of substitute kitten to her, or, her security blanket, like a little kid.

I think it’s cute, my cats just like their laser pointer and occasionally chase a catnip mouse around. Of course they are country cats, so who wants to play with stupid stuffed toys when the world is full of real bugs, squirrels and rodents. haha

Oh, I was going to say maybe you can gently hand wash it and hang it dry, but, it’ll ruin the years of smell for her. My cat refuses to use her favorite top tier of the cat tree when I carpet clean it.
She won’t go up there again for about 2 weeks til the fresh smell goes away. lol

@Coloma Yeah, my husband has an old pillow I want to throw in the trash. LOL. When I wash the pillow case he complains it isn’t good for a couple of days until he sleeps with it enough that the fresh soap smell goes away.

@JLeslie Hahaha, you are cracking me up tonight, pears, pillows, LOL

@Coloma I’m glad I am entertaining you. Just a few weeks ago I took a photo of my husband with that pillow on top of him when he was watching TV, and texted it to his sister so she and the rest of the fam could get a laugh (she, her kids, and his parents were together for a birthday). They cracked up. He has always had a special pillow.

I do wonder sometimes if she thinks it is her kitten (it sure smells like cat, I’m sure) and maybe she’s worried about it because it’s limp. LOL. She never got to be a mother so maybe she’s looking for an outlet for her mother kitty instincts.

Again, awww.

It is her “binky” or blankie and she loves it. Don’t ever take it away. It could cost you a fortune in therapy for the poor creature.

She connects the strip with her mother is my guess.

I had a kitten that from the day I got her till the day she passed always would go to a certain wool blanket and knead and suckle it.

I am with the kitten camp. They get such neurological stamps that are branded in their little cat brains. Once the impression or association is ingrained there is little one can do-at least with my cat. Every trauma or little cat memory of any degree of impact is indelible whether it was the neighbor dog chasing her up the tree, or my other cats getting her ear half torn off, and being without food in the wild for a few days, that is permanant, or the false pregnancy- they never forget.

I found this online:

she’s just letting the other kitty know that’s this toy is hers. Cats can be possessive over something they really want or enjoy. Wild cats exhibit this exact behaviour over their food or things they play with.

Source:
Animal Trainer to domestic and exotic cats
28 year friendship with a veterinarian