First thing in the morning, when we go out, we open the roost door and let the Imperious Hens out. They go right out to the pasture. Zip chased the chickens out of the backyard and took control. They are free to wander and have plenty of room. Maria took this photo this morning; you can see what is happening. No cat of ours has ever hopped into the roost every morning.

We are calling him “The Supervisor.” He is a perfectly good barn cat, but we are learning that he is also a new leader and boss; he is a farm cat and a barn cat. He can pop up anywhere, looking severe and taking no prisoners. He follows me everywhere, and he shows up everywhere. I never see him come or go. He is sometimes there and sometimes gone.

He is also an Internet star. There are a lot of cat lovers out there

He is happy in the barn, and from what I smelled today, he caught and killed his first mouse. We couldn’t find the body, but the smell was unavoidable. We meet twice daily, once in the morning and once around dusk. Zip has changed life on the farm; this, I see, is what we needed. We were due a shake-up; it keeps things interesting.

And Zip is a photographer’s dream with his color and personality. You can’t miss him, and he seems to think he is in charge of everything, like a supervisor. It might be true. Our other barn cats minded their own business. Zip minds everybody’s business.

Bit by bit, this small cat has taken charge of the barn as well as the bushes and gardens. Now, he is checking out the roost for food or just to show who’s boss. I guess we know who’s boss.

When Zip wants me to scratch him, he rolls on his back and flirts with me. The donkeys have turned me into a sucker, and Zip is trying the same thing. It usually works.