Most of my cats have last names (Ozy and Millie Undefoot, Avery and
Mudpie Smallcat, Fleagor Bigcat, etc.) but Tigger has been with me for
a couple of years now without one.  Saturday he earned one: Tigger
Guardcat.

I heard hissing and growling coming from the mud room and saw that
Tigger was crouched down at the cat flap, making absolutely sure that
whatever was trying to come in would have to go through him to do it,
and that was likely to be difficult and deadly.

I assumed he was stopping Mooch (the feral who lives under my
workshop), but when I got to the door and looked out, Mooch was just
out there, looking more like he was watching the workshop - as were
several otehr cats - than like he had just been chased off.  About
that time a raccoon run out from under the workshop and took off for
the north fence.  Tigger had driven off an adult raccoon that the
other cats had simply ignored.