What Is A Jellicle Cat? The Musical Feline Explained

Catsis a polarizing musical, but the subject material it's based on is fascinating to explore. Despite its share of detractors, the stage musical holds the title of the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history. However, when the 2019 film adaptation of Cats was released, it was considered not only one of the biggest box-office failures in history but also one of the worst-reviewed films of all time. Yes, the movie is hated, although some argue that Cats falls into the so-bad-its-good category.

Regardless of viewers' opinions on Cats, the Jellicle Cat remains an enduring source of curiosity. The Jellicle Cats are an essential part of both the movie and the musical. The story cleverly crafts a world made entirely of Jellicle Cats, and the audience is able to explore it, right from the opening number, "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats". But while Cats has plenty of fun musical numbers, the story still features dark themes, death and the afterlife. How exactly does the Jellicle Cat connect to all of it?

"Jellicle" Comes From A T.S. Eliot Poem

It Was Seen In "The Song Of The Jellicles"

The term "Jellicle Cat" comes from a T.S. Elliot poem from 1939 called "The Song of the Jellicles". Elliot describes these cats as small with cheerful faces and bright black eyes, and writes that the Jellicle Cats only come out at night and that they are essentially ruled by the Jellicle Moon. The last line of the poem reads:

They are resting and saving themselves to be right
For the Jellicle Moon and the Jellicle Ball.

During the day, the Jellicle Cats lay in wait for the Jellicle Moon to light up the sky and wait in anticipation of the Jellcile Ball. The cats wash themselves and practice their "airs and graces" before the Jellicle Ball, where they can share in a pleasant experience underneath the moon. Cats, the musical, follows a group of Jellcile Cats who gather in a junkyard at night and wait for the Jellcile Ball.

There's also a theory stating that the term Jellicile Cat comes from Eliot's niece. Whenever Eliot's niece called for her cat, she would say "dear little cat", but Eliot reportedly misheard his little niece and thought that she was saying "Jellicle Cat" (via Literature Stack Exchange). However, Andrew Llyod Webber, who wrote the musical Cats, contends that Eliot first got the term from mishearing his grandmother. It's not clear who Eliot got the term from, but he successfully created his own kind of magical cat.

What Jellicle Means In Cats

The 2019 Cast Has Their Own Interpretations

Jellicle Cats means a lot to the actors who portray them, as each actor is going to have a different interpretation regarding the fantasy cat, especially considering that Broadway musical casts often rotate, bringing a multitude of opinions. The cast of 2019's Cats discussed their interpretations of what a Jellicle Cat is in an interview.

Musician Jason Derulo, who plays Rum Tum Tiger in the 2019 film, described Jellicle as a term referring to a group of cats. In an interview with Vanity Fair, he said, "That’s what this group of cats is called. It’s kind of like one big family where some people hate each other, some people love each other; but, they’re all on the same quest to get this second chance at life."

Some members of the cast believe in the Eliot's niece theory, and Rebel Wilson, who plays Jennyanydots, think the term Jellicle Cat refers to Eliot's niece being a toddler and not being able to form words correctly.

Where Else Jellicle Cats Have Appeared

The Term Appeared In A Beloved Netflix Show

Princess Carolyn shrugging in BoJack Horseman

Jellicle Cats are first briefly mentioned in Eliot's poem, "Five-Finger Exercises". Aside from the Cats universe, the Jellicle Cats have seldom been featured in media. In the 1976 film, Logan's Run, an old man offers Logan a Jellicle Cat. A picture book was released in 2017 called The Song of the Jellicles, which illustrates Eliot's poem.

However, perhaps the funniest use of the Jellicle Cats comes from the Netflix animated hit, Bojack Horseman. In a running gag, every time a character calls Princess Carolyn, her hold music is "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" from the original Broadway cast recording. The joke is made even funnier considering that Princess Carolyn is an anthropomorphic cat. She's not a Jellicle Cat, but a cat nonetheless.