The Debates

1. What is Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer's relation? Are they siblings, tom and queen, good friends, what?
   • First of all, they are NOT tom and queen, in my opinion. They are very close to each other and playful, but not like....oh, say, Misto and Viccy ;) As for whether or not they're siblings--I'm not sure. They do obviously look very much alike, but they could just be the same type of cat--definitely not twins (I personally think that the only twins in the show are THE twins, Coricopat and Tantomile). Whether or not they're siblings, they obviously are the best of friends, and I imagine that the actors portraying them must always have good chemistry between them :) ~Chasie
   • Their tom and queen! Watch in the video! Even in the musical! Jeez, you peops, are you blind?! Would "friends" do that? Would "siblings"? MAN! YOU PEOPLE TIRE ME!!!! J/k ~Purrcy
     P.S. I love debates
   • I think Mungo and Rumpel are brother and sister since they look so alike and are always together. As for the catnap scene, I know they look like they might be getting more than friendly and if they are then it's probably down to the fact that real cats don't give a toss about incest ~Feliciradeya

2. Are Dem and Bomb sisters or just good friends?
   • I think they are sisters. They have the sort of unspoken understanding that sisters have of each other--they share each other's feelings (not like the twins, but you know what I mean). ~Chasie
   • *UPDATE!!!* This question has been answered as of 12/24/99:
     --I have spoken with one of the actors from CATS face to face and asked him this question. Bombie and Demeter are not sisters. But as it would be Bombalurina IS supposed to be Sillabub's mother. This was noticeable up until the point that they changed Sillabub's leg warmers as both cats' used to look the same. ~Sincerely, Macavity
     Thanks, Macavity!
   • I know this has been answered, but since that was obviously the opinion of the us production(and since I am english and have not seen it, plus the fact that the make-up and costumes are very different in the uk) I'm gonna tell you what I think anyway. I think they are sisters because Bomb's so protective of Dem and also cos they're the only ones wearing those gloves and nail varnish(as far as I can see and I've seen the video around 50(!) times).*realises that's 100 hours of her life gone in three months, but she's got it down to once a week now* As for Sillabub/Jemima being Bomb's kitten, I think Jenny is Jemima's mother (and Skimble her father)and the only time I've seen Bomb look motherly was in the uk production when she patted Mungojerrie on the head(he looked upset when Gus mentioned the kittens not being well-trained). As I said the costumes are different over here so Bomb and Jem look very different(then again Jenny looks nothing like her, but I don't think any of them are pedigrees and moggies often come out in all colours no matter what their parents look like) ~Feliciradeya

3. Are Mungo and Rumpel kittens or adults? Explain.
   • It never really occured to me that they could be kittens until a friend of mine from the Yard, Jen, mentioned it to me. Then I watched the video closely and noticed that they are usually with the kittens, doing kittenish things...the fact that they are burglars makes it weird, though...my mother suggested to me that they might be Macavity's kittens, and I found that to be rather intriguing...I can imagine Rumpelteazer as being a kitten, but not Mungojerrie for some reason. (have you noticed how fond I am of the "..."? ;) ) What I think is that they are probably technically young adults but refuse to grow up, and still hang around and behave like the kittens :) ~Chasie
   • I think Mungo and Rumpel are the oldest kittens after Tumblebrutus(see below) and Victoria. They are always crawling around on the floor and join in everything the kittens do(I know some of the young adults join in but only in some of the songs). I've seen the uk show twice now and the first time(as well as in the video) Mungojerrie got patted on the head by a male adult(Skimble in the video, can't remember who it was the first time) and if that doesn't make him a kitten then I don't know what does. As well as that there was a bit in the show the second time I saw it that I mentioned before-when Gus complains about the kittens not being trained Mungo(who is on the floor) and Rumpel(holding Etcetera's hand across Deut's lap) both look offended(along with the other kittens) and Mungo is comforted by Bombalurina(not sure about Rumpel since Mungo was too cute not to look at). I've also come to the conclusion that Mungo and Rumple could be Mac and Bomb's kittens, so that's why they work for him and are so naughty. Their colouring/markings look like they could be a mix of the two and Bomb sings Mac's song and is such a flirt that she could have gone with Mac (before Dem did I think). On the other hand Mungo and Rumpel never look pleased to see Mac and at the end of his song there is nothing to suggest that Bomb or Demi are pleased/proud/angry/upset that Mungo (if not Rumpel too-Original London soundtrack suggestion) is one of his agents ~Feliciradeya

4. Tumblebrutus--kitten or adult? Is he Pounce's brother?
   • Tumblebrutus is an adult (one of the younger toms). He could easily be related to Pounce, given how similar their markings are--I think they're probably cousins. This would make Tumble Jenny's nephew if Pounce is her kitten, which makes sense too (he hangs around Jenny an awful lot for being a young tom). I heard the opinion that Pounce and Tumble were twins....as said before, I think the only twins are Tantomile and Coricopat. ~Chasie
   • Not entirely sure about Tumble's age. He hangs around with Admetus, Plato and Pouncival a lot, plus Quaxo(Mr. M) is always dancing with him in the video(not in the uk show though-I think it's cos Fergus Logan was playing Mr. M in London at the time and my theory is that the makers of the video said something along the lines of "you can't be him, but you can dance with him, okay?") The thing that makes me think he's still a kitten is that he and Plato push Pouncival into scratching Griz and they don't look very mature at that point, especially when they all run away with Skimble looking annoyed and Bomb looking down on them. Then after Plato sings a line of the ball song with Munk and Admetus Tumble does a flip and lands behind him Plato scratches him as if he's too grown up to play with his friend. The mating dance suggests to me that Plato also becomes an adult, not just Vicky, and he's often crawling on the floor like the others beforehand. Anyway, back to Tumble, who crawls around at the beginning of the Gumbie cat and is with Jemima in the catnap scene, so he can't be that old. As for who he's related to, I think that Asparagus is his dad and Alonzo his older brother(they sing together after Alonzo organises them-reason why Tumble's younger- and cos of the patches-Asparagus has vague white ones over his eyes). I did think that Pouncival was Tumble's little brother, but having read what Chasie wrote I am having doubts about him fitting in with them cos it was only based on his markings. Conclusion(in case you also got lost during all that)-Tumble is a nearly mature kitten ~Feliciradeya

5. All right--once and for all, what's REALLY going on during the catnap scene?
   • Heehee. Plato and Victoria may very well be AHEMing--I don't know--but I REFUSE to believe that that's what the rest of them are doing. I think they're just cuddling affectionately with each other like cats do--not necessarily a *cough* mating *cough* thing. *blushes somewhat* ~Chasie
   • They all look like they're doing a bit more than just saying goodnight in the cat nap scene (esp. Bomb and Pounce), except for Cori and Tant, but it's very hard to see most of them and I prefer Mungo and Rumpel to just be siblings ~Feliciradeya

6. What's your opinion on various tom-queen relationships? (i.e. Misto (Quaxo?)/Victoria; Dem/Munk; Skimble/Jenny, etc.)
   • Quaxo/Misto is with Victoria by the end. Demeter is with Munk by the end. Skimble and Jenny...I said once that I thought they got together during the show, but actually they probably always were; I don't know what made me say that (*sheepish grin at Jen*). I think Alonzo and Cass kinda like each other. Tugg shows special interest in Bomb but I don't think there's really much there. Ummm....who else...*thinks*.....I can't really think of anyone else :) Oh yes, Jelly and Asparagus, perhaps. (Note to self: cats are not monogomous....I keep telling myself that....) ~Chasie
   • Here's my list of couples and my theories about their rels- Skimble and Jenny(they're together enough to cancel out the bj crush/flower thing). Munkustrap and Demi(or Alonzo and Demi in the us) since they both rescue her. Alonzo and Cassie/Jemima/Victoria/? Tugger and Bomb-he'll always have kittens lusting after him, but they'll all find other toms(even Etcetera) and neither of them will be young forever(look at Grizabella). Plus they're together quite a lot. Plato and Victoria-that's the whole point of a mating dance and they're together near the end even if Plato is quite close to Etcetera after the ball(and Misto and Vicky are just friends-they never really touch each other). In the uk it's Admetus who does the dance with Vicky and Victor(don't ask me why Plato's called that when they've already got a girl with the same name) remains a kitten. Jellylorum and Asparagus-probably not mates since she behaves like old Gus' daughter and Asparagus looks like Gus and plays Fireforefiddle, so those two are probably another pair of siblings who are just hugging during the catnap scene. ~Feliciradeya

7. New Debate!!! Which of the Jellicles are Deuteronomy's children?
   • I don't know about the older lot, but I think Munkustrap, Macavity, Tugger, George(uk only?), Admetus and Quaxo are his sons/grandsons, in that order, since most of them look alike and either sing about him/are near him or the others a lot. That would make Deut and BJ brothers-in-law and please don't tell me Quaxo/Misto isn't related to Deut(why else would he be that affectionate?) I got the Macavity idea from Wyntergreen's story "A different view on kidnapping" from "The official Bryn Walter's website" fan fics section ~Feliciradeya

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