Watchcat protocol LXXVII

You can rest comfortably, knowing that a watchcat is on patrol:

March 2010: Watchcat Nemo on patrol.

Watchcat protocol LXXVI

You should have no worries in your kitchen, as long as a watchcat is on kitchen island duty:

October 2015: Watchcat Nemo takes his kitchen island patrol assignment seriously.

Watchcat protocol LXXV

Some police officers use batons or truncheons to keep unruly suspects under control.  Per Watchcat Headquarters, a watchcat's equivalents of these weapons, intended for minor offenses, are the tiger tail and kick toy:

March 2010: Watchcat Nemo with his tiger tail and kick toy.

Watchcat protocol LXXIV

Although watchcats generally make independent-minded decisions about security matters, Watchcat Headquarters permits them to ask a trusted guardian for a second opinion:

2013: Watchcat Nemo consults his guardian for advice.

Watchcat protocol LXXIII

If you're going to be a watchcat, a serious, prepared demeanor shows intruders you mean business.  Watchcats Nemo and Proxy Nemo exemplified this in 2013:

Watchcat protocol LXXII

Another reason for Nemo's watchcat commendation:

In 2012, he rescued a sea lion so he could put it back in the water.

Watchcat protocol LXXI

Don't let a watchcat's friendly-looking banana boomerang toy fool you into thinking a watchcat's job is a lark.  Watchcats take their jobs seriously:

July 2015: Watchcat Nemo and his Boomerang Buddy.

Watchcat protocol LXX

Here are two examples from July 2008 of why Nemo received commendation for over a decade of watchcat service:

He had the fighting spirit necessary to confront intruders...

...and the patience to keep an eye on things for long stretches of time.

Those are contrasting qualities, but Nemo had both of them--and used them to commendable effect in his work.

Watchcat protocol LXIX (In memory of Nemo the cat)

Per Watchcat Headquarters, it is always permissible for a watchcat to monitor his surroundings from his guardian's lap.  This is perfectly sensible when a watchcat trusts his guardian more than anyone else:

2016: Watchcat Nemo, sitting on his guardian's, i.e. my brother's, lap.  Nemo passed away today.  Our entire family and Watchcat Headquarters salute him for his many years of commendable service.

Watchcat protocol LXVIII

A watchcat's duties aren't limited to watching people.  If you ask, a watchcat will make sure no one walks off with your newspaper:

December 2008: Watchcat Sylvia keeps tabs on the news.

Watchcat protocol LXVII

As Sammy illustrated in May 2012, it's easy to tell when a watchcat trusts someone enough to sleep with one eye open...

...or doesn't trust someone and springs to life to convey, "I've got my eye on you..."

Watchcat protocol LXVI

If you're a watchbird, be advised that a watchcat might check to see that you're not a decoy:

April 2013: Watchcat Sylvia inspects a watchbird.

Watchcat protocol LXV

As long as they're getting their work done, Watchcat Headquarters doesn't prohibit watchcats from posing for photos while on the job:

Fall 2004: Watchcat Rosie on her blanket.

Watchcat protocol LXIV

Admittedly, Watchcat Headquarters isn't infallible.  Some sector patrol assignments make less sense than others:

September 2004: Watchcats Rosie and Sammy watch a basement wall, for some reason, per Watchcat Headquarters.

Watchcat protocol LXIII

The watchcat may look comfy and relaxed in her chair, but that doesn't mean she's not keeping an eye on you:

June 2003: Watchcat Rosie in her chair.

Watchcat protocol LXII

Sometimes, it's all in the eyes.  You look at a watchcat and realize, "He's watching us, and he means business, so it'd be best not to cross him."  Such was the impression Nemo conveyed in March 2018:

Watchcat protocol LXI

As long as they're alert and ready to move, it's permissible for watchcats to survey their territory from a shoe box:

July 2005: Watchcat Sammy in his shoe box.

Watchcat protocol LX

A watchcat doesn't always choose the most obvious monitoring station.  Sometimes, the element of surprise is necessary:

2011: Watchcat Sylvia monitors her surroundings from a grocery bag.

Watchcat protocol LIX

Inspecting toy mice for explosives is one of the more dangerous watchcat duties:

Fortunately, Sammy remained unscathed after carrying out this task in October 2006.

A post I never want to write

How do you write an annual blog post about September 11, 2001, one of the worst days in American history?  I remember the incongruity of watching TV news coverage while young watchcats Rosie and Sammy chased each other.  (As I'm sure you've guessed, this was part of their watchcat agility training.)  I remember the general daze I felt, driving to work that afternoon for a staff meeting and waiting in the car, listening to KMOX and KWMU news coverage before I got out.  At work that night, my thoughts kept alternating between "How insignificant all of this is, compiling sports box scores and stats," and "How lucky I am to be here, compiling sports box scores and stats."  While driving to work for several weeks after that, I made sure to give the American flag on the St. Louis Science Center overpass a quick salute. 

Craig Ferguson was right when he said, "America felt like a very small town that day."  I wish my memories of that day weren't so sharp, but it's appropriate that they are.

Witch cat watchcat protocol II

Per Watchcat Headquarters, it's permissible for witch cats to station themselves on small shelves.  Their ability to fly means they can react quickly when intruders invade:

2010: Two witch cats on shelves.

Witch cat watchcat protocol

Sometimes, Watchcat Headquarters sends one or more witch cats to check on watchcats.  Sammy kept watch over things while Rosie took a break to play, so Watchcat Headquarters considered this permissible:

2010: Sammy, Rosie, and a witch cat.

Watchcat protocol LVIII

A watchcat can never be too careful.  Even when the person you see at the top of the stairs looks familiar, it's still best to investigate:

Fall 2010: Watchcat Sammy climbs to the top of the stairs to verify that it's really me.

Watchcat protocol LVII

Per Watchcat Headquarters, it's permissible for a judge to be a watchcat, as well:

Summer 2015: Judge (and Watchcat) Sammy behind the (kick toy) bench.

Watchcat protocol LVI

Per Watchcat Headquarters, it's permissible for watchcats to have an upside down vantage point, as long as they stay alert:

October 2004: Rosie, the upside down watchcat.

Watchcat protocol LV

Every so often, watchcats must check in with each other and compare notes about unusual happenings in their assigned sectors:

After checking in, however, they must go right back to watching their designated areas:

May 2013: Sammy and Rosie resume their watchcat monitoring.

Watchcat protocol LIV

No watchcat ever wants to be in a tense, threatening situation.  If an intruder had escalated a situation to that level, however, Watchcat Rosie was ready with the dynamite:

June 2011: Watchcat Sammy takes a nap break while Watchcat Rosie stays ready to throw dynamite at intruders.

Watchcat protocol LIII

When one watchcat is napping, it's imperative that the other watchcat stay awake and resist the allure of toys:

2006: Watchcat Rosie stays alert while Watchcat Sammy naps.

Not going to question this

On my refrigerator, I have a magnet that says, "I love my cat."

Before she drove off this morning, I was moved to see that my cat had a bumper sticker on her car that reads, "I love my human."

I'm still not sure where she got the car, though.

Watchcat protocol LII

It's puzzling that a watchcat would be stationed in the cabinet under a bathroom sink, but far be it from me to question Watchcat Headquarters:

July 2007: Watchcat Sammy.