Security cat makes rounds

Conan, a six-month-old stray cat, joined the security team of the Worldwide Corporate Center in Manila several months ago.

Donning a black-and-yellow security vest, Conan strolls nonchalantly past security guards lined up outside the office building waiting to receive instructions before their shift.

He is one of the lucky moggies unofficially adopted by security guards across the city, where thousands of cats live on the streets.

While the cats lack the security skills of dogs — and have a tendency to sleep on the job — their cuteness and company have endeared them to bored security guards working 12-hour shifts.

Conan was rescued when he was a few weeks old by a housekeeper who found him wailing in the building's car park.

He accidentally landed the job of security cat after his predecessor, Mingming, died — reportedly from gum disease — not in the line of duty.

Grieving guards wanting another furry friend to liven up their shifts decided to appoint Conan as Mingming's replacement.

"If Conan isn't around then I'm not motivated," security guard Aljon Aquino, 30, told AFP.

Stress relief

Photos of Conan wearing his vest emblazoned with "security" and lying on a desk next to a life-size cardboard picture of Mingming have been shared thousands of times on Facebook.

He is among more than a dozen strays living in the commercial and corporate building, where they are allowed to roam. Employees pitch in to buy food for them.

Despite living his best life, Conan shows little interest in helping his human colleagues perform their security duties, such as searching bags of shoppers and workers as they enter the building.

Instead, he prefers to sleep, laze in front of the nearby Starbucks or chase balls across the tiled floor, much to the delight of passers-by.

"Sometimes people will just randomly carry him because he's really friendly," Aquino, playfully poking Conan with his baton, said. "He enjoys the work.".                                                               With AFP