[Gwen]

that if all cats are jellicles, why is it in almost every fanfiction or rp, Macavity hates "the" jellicles? I mean, Macavity's a cat. Wouldn't that make him a jellicle also? And also in every piece of writing I've seen so far, the "jellicles" are only the cats in the yard. Aren't all cats jellicles essentially?

[Pounce]

I guess even saying "Jellicle Cats" is redundant.

[Belle]

"Jellicle cats are black and white, Jellicle cats are rather small"...

So my large calico moggy isn't a Jellicle!

[Arix]

I guess he's just reluctant to say he is.

[Pounce]

[enkeli-kitten]

If all Jellicle Cats are black and white, how do you explain the musical?? Not exactly monochrome, is it?

[Rumblepurr]

Allow me to place these two thoughts before you concerning Jellicles.

First off, although the "Song of the Jellicles" (TSE) say that that Jellicle Cats are Black and White, the same author pictures Jennyanydots as having "Tiger Stripes and Leopard Spots." Also, Macavity (who is featured in the same book as the rest of them) is "a ginger (red) cat." Furthermore, Skimbleshanks has a "long brown tail."

The second thing to think about is the "all cats are Jellicle Cats." I agree that if this were the case, the name "Jellicle Cat" would be a redundency. If we humans have been living with Jellicles cats all around us, why did we not notice the antics of the Junkyard crowd until CATS came out? In my fanfiction, the "Jellicle Cat" is seen by humans as a normal house cat, but exists as a Jellicle when not in a human presence. I view them in the same manner as the leprechan - who is very hard to spot much less surprise... If this is the case, do we just think all cats are Jellicles? OR, do we just think our cats are normal?

Just something to wax philosophical...
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.

[enkeli-kitten]

*giggles* I don't know what I think!! It's too confusing!!

[MrsJemimaMistoffelees]

Eh, I just chose to believe that the cats in "CATS" are apart of a tribe called the "Jellicle" tribe.

Veel Liefs,
Jemima

[Arix]

[Rumpleteazer4760]

[Jemima57]

[kencarson]

From what I've heard the Jellicles are a tribe. McAvity was part of that tribe, but turned against the Jellicles and is now set on tormenting, invading and causing them havok.

There are some people who believe deeper things about relationships that some of the Jellicles have (or had) with McAvity that make him an even more important player in the tribe, and makes his betrayal even worse.

~Ken

[Bill_Calhoun]

[Jemibub]

The songs in cats are from a book of poems; the poems were most likely written seperately with little to do with eath other. So, technically, THE SONG OF THE JELLICLES is loosely tied to the characters.

[Rum_Tum_Tigger]

My thoughts on the subject are somewhat similar to Rumblepurr's. I think Jellicle cats are decedants of the egyptian goddess Bast, and around the middle ages were persecuted as witches and demons, but then leant to use Glamor (the illusionary magic used by the fae folk).
Nowdays, they live as ordinary, if very pretty and uniquely marked, members of the species Felis silvestris catus, except, once a year, on a full moon, when the Jellicles (Come to the Jellicle Ball!)of the area come to have the glamor re-strengthened by the more magical members of the tribe.
This is how Macavity, theoretically, could be a Jellicle, but not a member of the tribe, although personally I think he must've been at some point, but been set to be punished over some set of discretions (presumably involving Demeter in some way), but when the time came for the punishment to be carried out -
"Macavity wasn't there!"
( Sorry, couldn't resist.)
- The Rum Tum Tigger

[Drumdraper]

Here's my take...

I think all cats are Jellicles. It is what unites them as a whole and makes them accepting of one another despite physical and other differences. Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats lists all different types of cats from rabbinical to delphic-oracle, and all those cats are Jellicles. Also "if you were and you are, you're a Jellicle cat," so I take Macavity as a Jellicle but he scorns the name because he left the tribe, but he would claim the name Jellicle should he need it.

During the "Song of the Jellicles" I believe each cat is naming their best features and strutting their stuff to say, "I'm what defines what is Jellicle." Basically all cats are Jellicle as all dogs are Pollicle, but unique traits belonging to each cat is what makes them truely Jellicle.

[Gwen]

I think all cats can be considered Jellicles, not just the ones in the yard. Including Macavity.
(Oh dear, it seems that one or more person is either giving me an inquisitive look or is glaring at me.)
But I find another part of it to discuss: as Rumblepurr pointed out, several non black and white cats to discuss, one of them being Jennyanydotts. What I've noticed was that her song comes right after the line "who will it be?" This is questioning which jellicle will go to the Heavyside Lair, but no-one really knows....
"And Jellicles ask, because jellicles dare...who will it be?"
And then it goes on to say "I have a gumbie cat in mind...."
and we all know that means Jennyanydotts. Despite her "tiger stripes and lepoard spots," I think based on this she is indeed considered a jellicle. And while jellicle cats "are" black and white, it never said they couldn't be anything else. I mean, do we consider Bustopher Jones a jellicle? He is black and white, but he is also rather large. If we were to keep strictly to the rules, then he'd have to be of a "rather small" or "of moderate size."
Also, as it says, "Jellicle cats meet once a year..." then I think it would include all the cats in the yard because they're all in the yard to "meet once a year."