Odd kitten behavior

Question
I have a four-month-old male kitten who was adopted from a shelter about two months ago.  Within the past few weeks, he has started doing the strangest thing I've ever seen a cat do.  All of a sudden, he's extremely interested in my crotch!  He climbs into my lap and starts biting and clawing between my legs, he leaps into the laundry hamper and drags my dirty panties away in his mouth, and he digs into the bathroom wastebasket to gnaw on used pantyliners!  I'm in complete shock!  He obviously loves my scent, and I think it's adorable.  Unfortunately, I don't enjoy finding my personal things strewn about the house when I get home, or having sensitive areas bitten!  Is this just a phase?  Is there any way I can deter him?  Should I just learn to live with it?  Any advice would be welcome.

Answer
    Although this behavior is more commonly seen in dogs, it is not entirely uncommon for cats to exhibit it.  You are most likely right in the thought that he enjoys your scent.  This is, however, the only explaination I can give you in confidence, since other theories on this have yet to be proven.
    The good news is, you certainly don't have to put up with it.  The first thing I would suggest is to simply keep the doors closed to any problematic areas, considering that it's not an inconvenience to you.  There's no reason why your cat shouldn't have boundaries; after all who's house is it?  If for some reason this is not an option, try using a citrus spray or scatter fresh orange peels and/or lemon rinds around your laundry and waste baskets.  All cats hate the smell of citrus and will generally leave any areas scented with it.  If this doesn't work, buy some "Bitter Apple" spray at a local pet store and directly apply it to your used under garments and items in the wastebasket.  This will leave a bad taste in your cat's mouth, making him think twice before he tries chewing on them again.
    As for his attraction to inappropriate areas, simply give him a stern "No!", and remove him.  Do not inflict physical punishment on him, however, for cats do not understand it.  If you persist with the scoldings every time he acts out, he will eventually catch on to the idea and desist.
    I sincerely hope I answered your question as desired; thank you for coming to me with it.  I hope to hear from you the next time you have a feline inquiry.

Best of Sucess,
Rachael