30-9-2023 (MANILA) Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Worldwide Corporate Center in the heart of Manila, security guards line up for their shifts. As they await their instructions, a rather unusual member of their team catches the eye of passers-by: Conan, a six-month-old stray cat wearing a black-and-yellow security vest, strolls nonchalantly past the guards.
Conan is just one of the fortunate felines informally adopted by security guards across Manila, a city where thousands of cats call the streets their home. While these feline companions may lack the security skills of their canine counterparts and have a penchant for snoozing on the job, their presence has become a source of comfort and companionship for security personnel working demanding 12-hour shifts.
Conan’s journey to becoming an honorary member of the security team began when he was rescued as a few weeks old kitten by a housekeeper who discovered him wailing in the building’s car park. His ascent to the role of “security cat” came about after the unfortunate demise of his predecessor, Mingming, who, it’s reported, succumbed to gum disease rather than in the line of duty.
Grief-stricken guards, eager to fill the void left by Mingming, decided to appoint Conan as the new guardian of the corporate building.
Security guard Aljon Aquino, 30, revealed the profound impact of Conan’s presence, saying, “If Conan isn’t around, then I’m not motivated. He takes away my stress.”
Conan’s adorable escapades, often captured on camera, include him donning his “security” vest and lounging on a desk next to a life-size cardboard cutout of Mingming. These endearing images have garnered thousands of shares on social media.
Conan is among more than a dozen stray cats that have made the commercial and corporate building their home, where they enjoy the freedom to roam. Employees of the building contribute to buying food for these feline residents.
Despite the comfort he brings to his human colleagues, Conan shows minimal interest in actively assisting them with their security duties, such as inspecting bags of shoppers and workers entering the building. Instead, he prefers the simple pleasures of a cat’s life: lounging in front of the nearby Starbucks, chasing balls across the tiled floor, and entertaining passers-by with his playful antics.
Aljon Aquino, who affectionately pokes Conan with his baton, remarks, “Sometimes people will just randomly carry him because he’s really friendly. He enjoys the work.”
