Soup's On

I have to admit it, Soup has never gotten much credit for her role at the Genuine Faux Farm.  And that might be because Soup typically doesn't do all that much.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I fully recognize that a cat has their own priorities for what is important and what isn't.  It's never entirely fair to place our human priorities on a feline, even if it is perfectly normal for a cat to place their own priorities on a human.  Still, Soup doesn't explore the farm much, doesn't seem to hunt, and she rarely picks up the pace much more than a stroll.

Her biggest contribution to the farm is probably the Inspector.  Yes, that big lug was Soup's kitten.

Soup was likely an indoor cat that someone dumped at the farm several winters ago.  We're guessing she was evicted because she apparently doesn't quite understand that the litter box is the ONLY place to go if you're an indoor cat.  Otherwise, she likes skritches and has always indicated she prefers to be inside buildings rather than outside of them.  She even enjoys a lap if the farmers sit down - a rare thing when they're outside.

In general, she's pretty mellow.  Sometimes Soup's a bit skittish if people are new to her or are moving quickly.  She doesn't like it if you bend down over her to pet her.  Instead, she'll approach if you kneel or squat down to her level.  And she sticks around the main part of the farm, closer to the house and buildings - apparently unwilling to push the boundaries unless the humans are around.

In general, she let's Murphy be the dominant cat between the two of them.  But, there is a sneaky streak hidden deep in this cat.  Murphy was playing with a rodent she had killed earlier and Soup noticed.  Murphy, being a bit of a brat as only a young cat can be, insisted on moving the show towards Soup, probably expecting the older can to do what she normally does - get out of the way.

Instead, Soup surprised everyone by snatching the dead mouse from Murphy, trotting several steps away, and then eating it.

No wasted motions.  No extra theatrics.  It was just, "Give me that, kid." and then it was gone after a few quick bites.

I guess we need to remember that even cats on the farm don't always fit in the boxes we put them in.