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 DCXCI

As long as at least one watchcat is keeping tabs on the assigned sector, Watchcat Headquarters permits one watchcat to wash another watchcat's back--pending the other watchcat's approval:

December 2008: At Watchcat Cleopatra's (actually Watchcat Rosie's) request, Watchcat Sammy touched up a hard-to-reach spot on her back.

Watchcat protocol XLII

Sometimes, an intruder or well-meaning guardian might attempt to play with a watchcat.  These attempts might include throwing a catnip mouse in the watchcat's vicinity, waving a cat toy over the watchcat's head, or tempting the watchcat with apron strings.  A good watchcat must not get distracted, however, especially when her fellow watchcat is taking a break to nap:

November 2010: Watchcat Sammy naps while Watchcat Rosie resists playing with apron strings and keeps watch over her surroundings.

Watchcat protocol CCCLXXXIV

At least once during a watchcat's tenure, a Watchcat Headquarters representative will ask if (s)he understands the importance of undercover watchcat protocol.  On November 7, 2019, Watchcat Lily looked up when she was asked this:

"Do I understand the importance of being undercover?" she replied with her eyes.  "Yes!  I'm under the cover right now."  Watchcat Headquarters accepted her answer and hasn't questioned her judgment since then:

Watchcat protocol MCDLI

Watchcat Collette had another impressive agility training session this afternoon:

The more I think about it, though, I'm not sure why Watchcat Headquarters requires Collette to still have agility training.  I know the rules apply to all watchcats, but Watchcat Headquarters already knows how agile she is.  For that matter, so does everyone who encounters her.  Why, then, should she have to keep proving it to Watchcat Headquarters?

Oh, well.  Rules are rules, I guess.

Incidentally, Watchcat Collette saw her shadow today.  She told me that means she'll bite my feet for at least six more weeks.  I've since learned that would still be the case if she hadn't seen her shadow.  I don't think that's fair to me, but I've learned not to argue with Watchcat Headquarters--or always agile Watchcat Collette.

Watchcat protocol CII

When a watchcat is looking up at something suspicious, who watches the watchcat?  Another watchcat, of course:

October 2008: Watchcat Sammy looks up after having seen someone jingle some keys moments earlier.  Watchcat Rosie keeps an eye on Watchcat Sammy, in case he gets too distracted.

Watchcat protocol CCLXXXIII

Proxy watchcats provide valuable functions.  When a watchcat is feeling down, the proxy watchcat provides consolation:

When a watchcat needs a nap break, the proxy watchcat guards the watchcat's assigned sector:

Proxy Sylvia provided these functions considerately for Watchcat Sylvia in late 2017.

Watchcat protocol MCCLXXIX

Watchcat Rosie told Watchcat Headquarters she'd pick up the slack while her brother, Watchcat Sammy, was asleep.  Watchcat Headquarters reminded Rosie that Sammy wasn't slacking; he was taking an authorized nap break:

October 2004: Watchcat Rosie monitors the assigned sector while Watchcat Sammy takes an approved siesta.

Watchcat protocol DCCCLXIX (In memory of Simon the cat)

Even when your guardians are about to move and your guard post is surrounded by odds and ends, a good watchcat perseveres and keeps guarding his assigned sector:

1989: Watchcat Simon makes a place for himself on the mat.

Sadly, an era of my family's cats ended on this day 20 years ago.  June 13, 2001 was Watchcat Simon's last day on Earth.  We'd lost his brother, Watchcat Rusty, six months earlier and were unprepared for Simon's health to deteriorate so quickly.

Often, it's not easy being second.  Rusty, who joined the family in August 1983, was generally outgoing, talkative, and playful, while Simon, who joined us in June 1987, was typically quiet, shy, and serious.  I've always thought of Simon as the most introverted of all the cats we've had and the one whom life intimidated most.  I often thought, not unkindly, that the "Schoolhouse Rock" song, "The Tale Of Mr. Morton," could have applied, with altered lyrics, to him.  (i.e.  "Mr. Simon is the subject of the sentence, and when the predicate's said, he runs.")

As a fellow introvert, however, I got along well with him.  I felt honored to be one of the very few people he trusted.  He enjoyed it when I carried him around the house, much like my longtime cat, Sylvia.  In his early years, he alerted us eagerly with a quick "Meow, meow" before jumping in our laps.

Despite his mostly reserved ways, Watchcat Simon summoned the fortitude to assume guard duty.  Once he got his bearings, he kept watch over three houses where we lived over the years and particularly over one former neighbor, whose lawn mowing fascinated him.

Simon's cat brother, Rusty, and he were a study in contrasts, but they coexisted and carried out their watchcat duties well.

Watchcat protocol DLXXIII

When you're half of a watchcat duo, you can decide for yourselves who takes a break and who stays on guard.  In Spring 2009, Watchcat Rosie decided she needed some down time; Watchcat Sammy guarded the assigned sector during her break:

When there's no backup watchcat, however, Watchcat Headquarters sometimes gets creative.  One day in Spring 2009, Watchcat Sylvia's backup was a figurine from Edvard Munch's "The Scream."  Sylvia checked to make sure he was ready for guard duty:

Fortunately, he was.

Watchcat protocol XCV

You might not think this would be within a watchcat's purview, but Watchcat Headquarters sometimes requests that watchcats examine newspaper comics for hidden messages...

...and then report any concerns to Watchcat Headquarters.  Watchcats are not to release their concerns to the public, however, until Watchcat Headquarters confirms them as legitimate threats:

2011: Watchcat Sylvia, after consulting Watchcat Headquarters about a questionable comic strip inference.

Watchcat protocol MDLXXXIV

If you're a watchcat's guardian, this just goes with the territory.  You might need to step in as a guard temporarily when your watchcat says, "Can you believe that when I was just starting out as a watchcat, I was assigned rigidly defined guard posts?  Ha, ha, ha!  What memories!  Now that I'm a veteran watchcat, I can create my own guard posts out of objects in a box I've tipped over.  What freedom!  What autonomy I have now!  Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha!"  At least, I think that's approximately what Watchcat Collette said yesterday:

It was difficult to decipher through all of her chortling.

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 DLXVIII

If you know what's good for you, you don't mess with a watchcat--or a watchcat's guard post bag.  After all, that's where the watchcat keeps the weapons.  Or, is it?  Per Watchcat Headquarters, it's a secret:

Advanced age didn't keep Watchcat Simon from guarding his assigned sector or guard post.

Watchcat protocol DXLVI

Some aspects of watchcat duty use the quid pro quo system.  In April 2006, Watchcat Sammy agreed to watch the hallway while Watchcat Rosie ate:

In exchange for this, Watchcat Rosie agreed to show Watchcat Sammy the proper way to attack a Cat Dancer toy:

Watchcat protocol CCLVI

If you're a watchcat's trusted guardian, be sure to ask your watchcat for feedback periodically. After all, no one knows a watchcat's job better than the watchcat herself:

May 26, 2019: Watchcat Lily tells her guardian how the job is going.

Watchcat protocol CMLIII

In October 2013, Watchcat Sammy was resolute.  Watchcat Headquarters decreed that no one was allowed past the watchcat's staircase guard post, so Sammy was determined to enforce this edict...

...within reason.  He inferred that it was permissible to let a familiar, friendly guardian past the barrier:

After granting this access, Watchcat Sammy maintained the expression of a cat with sound judgment:

Watchcat Headquarters agreed that he'd made the right call.

Watchcat protocol CCCXXIV

Per Watchcat Headquarters, it's permissible for a watchcat to stretch out and relax, to an extent--as long as the watchcat's backup is a tiger:

July 2008: Watchcat Sylvia stretches out on the sofa with her backup watchcat, Truman Tiger.

Watchcat protocol DCXXXI

Was Watchcat Rosie falling asleep on the job in October 2010?  No, according to Watchcat Headquarters; she was just narrowing her eyes:

I gave Watchcat Rosie and Watchcat Headquarters the benefit of the doubt.  Sometimes, being a watchcat means honing your focus.

Watchcat protocol CCL

I'm not sure why watchcats do this, but Watchcat Headquarters requires them to check the shoelaces of anyone who enters their sector:

If something strikes the watchcat as suspicious, she'll either use a walkie-talkie or yowl for a backup watchcat to check things out:

Fortunately, in Spring 2011, the backup watchcat, Sammy, convinced the on-duty watchcat, Rosie, that the visitor posed no threat.