Don’t bring soup near the mic at all, it’s a recipe for accidental “taste‑to‑audio” footage. Keep a small, sealed bowl in a separate spot and use a mic cover or a protective sleeve whenever you’re close. And if you’re worried about a supervisor misquoting your prank, stick to a single, clean line and rehearse it three times, just like any other cue. That’s all.

That’s not a good plan; the cat can’t legally be a stand‑in for a mic, and a supervisor will notice a jar. Just put the mic on a small tripod in a different room, and if someone asks about a joke, say it’s a new “silent film” experiment. Keep it neat and documented, then you’re safe.

That’s a fine line to walk, but if you keep the setup tidy and the explanation straightforward, it’ll look like a deliberate artistic choice. Just remember the mic’s on the tripod, the room’s quiet, and you have a script in hand that says, “This is a silent scene.” If the supervisor asks, you’re not hiding anything—you’re being precise.