# Ruth Ortheris — Little Fuzzy character guide

> Ruth Ortheris in Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Ruth, Ortheris, Dr. Ortheris

**First appearance:** 0003-iv

## Snapshot

A psychologist brought in to test the Fuzzies' minds, who ends up watching a family of them climb Jack like a tree and rethinking her own methods.

## Who they are

Ruth Ortheris is one of the experts whose assessment will decide whether Fuzzies count as sapient under colonial law, which makes her both useful and dangerous to Jack's side. She meets the family in their own space — Mamma with the baby on her head, the others piling onto Jack — and has to reconcile formal testing with what she is actually seeing. Her professional verdict carries weight the Company cannot easily dismiss.

## Relationships

### [Leonard Kellogg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/leonard_kellogg)

_professional_

Ruth works as Kellogg's secretary, often caught in the middle of his schemes.

### [Ernst Mallin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/ernst_mallin)

_professional_

Mallin and Ruth are colleagues in Kellogg's office, both uncomfortable with his actions.

### [Jack Holloway](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/jack_holloway)

_friendship_

Jack and Ruth share a cordial relationship, with Ruth eventually siding with Jack's cause.

### [Leonard Kellogg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/leonard_kellogg)

_professional_

Ruth works as Kellogg's secretary, often caught in the middle of his schemes.

### [Ernst Mallin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/ernst_mallin)

_professional_

Mallin and Ruth are colleagues in Kellogg's office, both uncomfortable with his actions.

### [Jack Holloway](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/jack_holloway)

_friendship_

Jack and Ruth share a cordial relationship, with Ruth eventually siding with Jack's cause.

### [Jack Holloway](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/jack_holloway)

_friendship_

Jack and Ruth share a cordial relationship, with Ruth eventually siding with Jack's cause.

### [Leonard Kellogg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/leonard_kellogg)

_professional_

Ruth works as Kellogg's secretary, often caught in the middle of his schemes.

### [Ernst Mallin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/ernst_mallin)

_professional_

Mallin and Ruth are colleagues in Kellogg's office, both uncomfortable with his actions.

## In the story

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/chapters/iv)

Introduced as a psychologist from Dr. Mallin's section; will evaluate the Fuzzies' mentation.

### [The Great Escape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/chapters/x)

Appears on the communication screen, revealing she may have inadvertently helped the Fuzzies escape.

### [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/chapters/xiv)

Revealed as the Navy secret agent who helped the Fuzzies escape; testifies about Goldilocks's killing.

### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/chapters/xvii)

Enjoys a cocktail with Gerd van Riebeek, discussing their future on Beta and her role as a Fuzzyologist.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters/ruth_ortheris
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_fuzzy_se/characters