Recently, I tried to reason with Watchcat Collette. When she kept meowing and leading me over to the room where I keep the cat food, I told her, "Look, you just had a full meal. I know that because I gave it to you. You'll get another meal and a snack later, but it isn't time for that yet."
For some reason, that didn't deter Collette from making her case more insistently. Eventually, I gave in and let her have a small snack.
So much for irrefutable logic.
Sometimes, when Watchcat Rosie and Watchcat Sammy had spats, they'd start licking each other, ostensibly lovingly at first, but then increasingly aggressively. Eventually, they'd start hitting each other. Finally, they'd put a paw on each other's heads to say, "Stop that."
It was always reassuring to see them settle their differences with that paw-on-the-head signal of a truce.
Watchcat Rosie was a great, take-charge security guard but didn't quite master the art of undercover guard duty. She'd get under a sofa cover, acting as though she was hidden, even though I could see her tail and two of her paws. Once, she was almost completely hidden, except for one paw sticking out from the cover. I told her, "I see you!" It amused me that she retracted her paw quickly. I humored her for the rest of the morning, pretending not to know where she was. I thought, "Why not let her have this illusion?"
It puzzles me that my current cat, Watchcat Collette, and previous cat, Watchcat Sylvia, have the common bond of enjoying lettuce. I've eaten a fair amount of salad, but salad dressing is mandatory for a salad to be palatable, I think. I can't imagine just eating lettuce leaves without anything on them, but Collette and Sylvia have wolfed down plain lettuce eagerly.
Then again, in a world where people inexplicably seek out the taste of raw celery or pizzas with pineapple, maybe this is less bizarre than I think.
Another scenario to envision: Imagine Watchcat Collette running through the living room, as she did last Thursday, with a grocery bag around her neck. I removed the bag as soon as I caught up to her. Conveniently, that was just after she'd delivered the supplies she was carrying. I have to admire any watchcat who helps people in the style of a St. Bernard.
Due to technical difficulties, I'm unable to post a Watchcat protocol photo today. Imagine, if you will, though, a photo of Watchcat Rosie looking commanding, Watchcat Sammy looking even-tempered, Watchcat Nemo maintaining a poker face, Watchcat Sylvia looking heartwarming, Watchcat Collette looking simultaneously menacing and playful, or Watchcat Lily looking in charge yet guarded.
That'll have to do for now. Then again, there are 2,632 previous Watchcat protocol posts to enjoy, as well as other cat photos I've posted. That should be sufficient to tide everyone over until the glitch is fixed.
Watchcat Nemo and his auxiliary eyes pondered whether to take the feathered toy bait in July 2012:
