Bit of both, I think. Initial aggro and then turns into compulsion. I can often divert by putting my hand over and letting him lick/chew it, but then I need to go and wash the slobber off and back to square one.

I thought I was really onto something with the towel/cone combo, but he developed a hint of a cough so I mixed that for general lying on the sofa. Ditto boot then he got the rubbed patch.