Watchcat protocol DXXIII

Thought you'd walk off with a grocery bag?  "Think again," says Watchcat Collette:

Watchcat Collette kept tabs on a grocery bag yesterday by using it as her guard post.

Watchcat protocol DXXII

I know these expressions.  They're the expressions of two watchcats who believe intruders don't stand a chance against them:

Spring 2016: Proxy Nemo and Nemo, displaying confidence on guard duty.

Watchcat protocol DXXI

Sometimes, as a watchcat, your backup watchbird will spot an interloper you didn't see.  Following up on the incident will take three steps.  First, approach the watchbird:

Next, allow the watchbird to get comfortable, and then ask about the intruder:

Finally, commend the watchbird for a job well done:

This was Watchcat Sylvia's procedure with her backup blue jay watchbird in Spring 2014.

Watchcat protocol DXX

Watchcat guard duties sometimes involve focusing on a small, isolated object:

2009: I'm not sure what Watchcats Sammy and Rosie saw, but something, perhaps a small bug, captured their attention.

A linguistic irritant CIII

Often, when journalists and politicians report on people's economic struggles, they mention the difficulty of "putting food on the table."  Why not just say, "It's difficult for people to afford food," or "It's difficult for people to feed their families (or themselves?)"  People already know food is usually eaten on a table.

Watchcat protocol DXIX

As Watchcat Sammy started his nap break in November 2002, Watchcat Rosie took command of guard duty.  In this photo, she's meowing, "Halt!  Who goes there?!" to a visitor:

At least, that's how I remember it.

Watchcat protocol DXVIII

Every now and then, it's fine for a watchcat to convey the attitude, "I'm doing my guard duty, and I'm doing it well."  Watchcat Lily illustrated this on April 15, 2020: