The Underfoot Wu

     Tam's cat, Random Numbers, established quite some time ago that her family name was "Wu."  Thus, in Americanized form, her name is Random Numbers (Rannie) Wu.

     But her larger family, her clan or sept?  I have established to my satisfaction that she is an Underfoot.  Cooking with Rannie arouund is a constant adventure, with the cat variously between my feet and the stove, smoothing on an ankle, sniffing at my calves and occasionally, after what appears to be careful study, nipping my legs.  Socks do not get as much consideration; a crumpled-down sock is liable to get a quick, double-action chomp or a rapid paw-slap if I move in a direction Rannie doesn't approve.

     Yes, Random Numbers Wu, of the Underfoot Wu sept.  They talk only to top-of-refrigerator cat, of course, and the fridge cats talk only to Ceiling Cat.  Small wonder she finds our young Mr. Huck a bit déclassé; he's simply Not Her Sort Of Cat, you see.

     And this is why she's an underfoot Underfoot: she's quite sure that as a member of the elite class, she's got first claim on anything that might fall to the floor during cooking -- or even any overlooked dust bunnies under the stove.