Some cat!

My title is a borrowing from E. B. White's Charlotte's Web -- which I saw recently with grandchildren at Glen Echo Park's Adventure Theater. It (the title above) refers to my wonderful Himlayan, Noah, who lived to 15 years and 3 months;  this posting is done in his memory.  Herein we connect cats with mathematics.

One of the fine literary celebrations of cats is Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot.  Here are a few lines from a poem in that collection, "The Naming of Cats."

     from The Naming of Cats      by T S Eliot

     But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
     A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
     Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
     Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

My grandmother liked to trick us grandchildren with riddles and this rhyme was one of her favorites.

     As I was going to St Ives
     I met a man with seven wives.
     Each wife had seven sacks,
     Each sack had seven cats,
     Each cat had seven kits,
     Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
     How many were going to St Ives?

Noah