How T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats Inspired CATS
When Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats was published in 1939, few could have predicted that a slim collection of whimsical poems about eccentric felines would one day inspire one of the most successful musicals in theater history. Written by legendary poet T. S. Eliot, the book introduced readers to a strange and delightful world filled with clever, mischievous, mysterious cats — each with their own unforgettable personality.
The poems were originally written by Eliot in letters to his godchildren during the 1930s. Using the playful pen name “Old Possum,” Eliot created humorous verses about cats with grand names and even grander attitudes. Characters like Macavity the mystery cat, Mr. Mistoffelees the magical cat, and the rebellious Rum Tum Tugger would later become iconic figures on the stage.
Unlike Eliot’s more serious literary works such as The Waste Land, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats showed a lighter, more theatrical side of the Nobel Prize-winning writer. The poems were rhythmic, musical, and filled with vivid imagery, making them feel almost destined for performance. Even decades later, they still dance off the page with charm and personality.
That theatrical spark caught the attention of famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in the late 1970s. Webber began experimenting with Eliot’s poems by setting them to music almost as a creative exercise. What started as a small musical project soon evolved into the groundbreaking stage musical Cats.
Premiering in London’s West End in 1981 before moving to Broadway in 1982, Cats became a global sensation. The musical transformed Eliot’s playful poems into a spectacle of music, dance, elaborate makeup, and larger-than-life costumes. Audiences were introduced to the Jellicle Cats, a tribe gathering for their annual Jellicle Ball where one cat would be chosen to ascend to the mysterious Heaviside Layer and be reborn.
Many of the musical’s songs came directly from Eliot’s poetry. “Macavity: The Mystery Cat,” “Mr. Mistoffelees,” and “The Rum Tum Tugger” retained much of Eliot’s original language. Even the musical’s structure reflected the book’s episodic collection of feline portraits.
One of the most famous songs from Cats, however, had a unique origin. “Memory,” sung by the tragic character Grizabella, was inspired partly by unpublished Eliot material and became one of the most recognizable songs in musical theater history. The emotional ballad gave the production a heartfelt center that balanced the whimsy of the original poems.
The success of Cats was staggering. The musical ran for more than two decades in both London and New York and became one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. It toured internationally, was translated into numerous languages, and introduced generations of audiences to Eliot’s poetic world.
What makes the connection between Eliot’s book and Webber’s musical so remarkable is how two vastly different artistic eras merged together. A collection of playful poems written before World War II evolved into a modern theatrical phenomenon filled with dazzling choreography and unforgettable music. Eliot’s cats leapt from the page onto the stage — and they never really left.
More than 80 years after its publication, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats continues to enchant readers while its theatrical descendant remains one of the most recognizable musicals ever created. It is proof that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places — even from a group of peculiar cats prowling through the imagination of a poet.
Narrated by John Gielgud and Irene Worth (1983)
Andrew Lloyd Webber Talks the Origins of Cats
