Watchcat protocol CDVI

A watchcat's no-nonsense countenance should convince potential intruders to reconsider traipsing through your kitchen:

July 2008: Watchcat Sylvia keeps the kitchen secure from her countertop guard post.

Watchcat protocol CDV

Sometimes, a watchcat will offer those she's watching a friendly reminder that she has claws:

Summer 2010: Watchcat Sylvia shows that she's cordial but has her claws ready as weapons.

Watchcat protocol CDIV

Per Watchcat Headquarters, as long as you keep your eyes on your assigned sector, no rule says a watchcat always has to be right side up:

Fall 2016: Watchcat Sylvia takes her upside down guard gig in stride.

Watchcat protocol CDIII

To say the least, I've had emotional whiplash over the past week and a half.  When your beloved watchcat and companion animal passes, how do you adjust to the loss?  How do you even contemplate starting anew with another watchcat pet?  At first, when you're grieving, the notion of any other cat having that role seems out of focus, at best:

Eventually, if you're lucky, the next step becomes clear, and you find your next watchcat/housecat successor.  In my case, that's Watchcat Collette, who started on patrol yesterday.  She already has a knack for following me around and watching her assigned sector adroitly from the sofa:

She also monitors her assigned sector from the side, as needed:

I'm proud of Watchcat Collette for adjusting to her new home and guard patrol assignment so quickly.  She follows in the footsteps of her exemplary predecessor, Watchcat Sylvia.  It's an adjustment to go from one watchcat/housecat to another, so I keep reminding myself to look at this situation as a progression of chapters in a book.  Just because I start reading Chapter 2, it doesn't mean Chapter 1 is any less compelling.  Thus, I mourn the passing of wonderful Watchcat Sylvia and welcome Watchcat Collette to her new post.

Watchcat protocol CDII

Advice to aspiring watchcats: Be ready to catch a dragonfly on a string during watchcat agility training.  Watchcat Sylvia demonstrated her mastery of this in Spring 2016:

Watchcat protocol CDI

Assuring Watchcat Headquarters that everything is under control comes with the territory of being a watchcat.  Watchcat Sylvia and her watchrabbit did that in Spring 2015:

Watchcat protocol CD

Provided the foods are safe for cats to eat, it's permissible to reward a watchcat with human foods from your refrigerator:

November 2015: Watchcat Sylvia contemplates a reward from the refrigerator for a job well done.