[jcstar]

It seems that Mr. Mistoffilees is the most popular cat amoung children.

Over the year, I've shown the film to kids in my care (either in school or at camp) and they all love him. They even sing along with Tugger during the chorus.

I can't put my finger on it. What is his appeal? They connect to him somehow.

Don't get me wrong, I love him too.

Care to shed any light on this?

Thanks,
Andy.

[MsJellicle]

Just my speculation off the top of my head, but perhaps it's because Mistoffelees is supposed to be 'ageless', but he acts kittenish half the time. Also, in a sense, he is the 'hero' of the story in that he is the one who is able to bring their beloved leader, Old Deuteronomy, back. Oh, and there's the fact that he's a magical cat...kids love magic (usually).

~MsJ

[Pounce]

It could also be Jacob Brent. Despite having the same or similar makeup and costume, each actor brings a different Misto. Brent looks non-threatening and safe so that might make children like him.

I've often wondered what is the difference between the "cats" and clowns since they both have costumes and heavy makeup. Children are often fightened by clowns but I guess the cat makeup and costume is familar to them as a pet so children love them.

[Gwen]

Yes, but unlike CATS, clowns have a rather horrid movie called "IT" to be associated with...not a pleasant experience to sit through. Aside from that, Clowns are -well, overly friendly and they creep kids out. I mean, think about it. Some person walks up to you and you have no idea what they'll do! At least with CATS you know they're actors and you know that they have some limited boundries-and if there's interaction, it's not direct up in your face with a person you don't know attempting to talk to you. CATS remain silent- and their cats, which makes it a whole lot more...uhh (looking for the right word...) exciting, instead of a clown.

(IT is just...argh. I can't believe I got board watching IT at age 11...I must have been a phsychopath!)

[MrsJemimaMistoffelees]

I like Mistoffelees because he's a cute little black and white "kitcat" (my word for the animal when it's in between kitten and cat). He's also one of the only cats that looks like a real domestic cat, so when you see a black cat with some white on him you can go "aw! it’s Mr. Mistoffelees!"

Veel Liefs,
Jemima ^_^

[Nemi]

I think kids probably like Mistoffelees because he 'saves the day'... he's the closest thing to a 'hero' that the show has.

Among older girls and the gay males? Well, he's just danged cute, isn't he?

I loved Mistoffelees right off the bat.

[Matthew]

[Rumpleteazer4760]

I think it may have something to do with the fact that Mistoffelees is the classic image of a cat, which makes him easily identifiable. Also, he's generally a charming and friendly-seeming character, which makes him likable, especially to children.

Although, out of the three times I've seen the show live there was only one Mistoffelees I really liked. The first time I saw it I honestly don't remember the actor playing Mistoffelees at all, but the most recent time the actor was frankly kind of creepy.

[demeter_cat2010]

[Drumdraper]

If I were a kid I would like his shiny costume, plus the magic tricks. Shiny things tend to make me happy.

[demeter_cat2010]

[Spanish_Rumple]

Hum... regarding boys... I'd think it's the fact that he's got magical powers and he's the hero of the "movie"

As for the girls... I don't know... mr. Mistoffelees song is quite catchy, and he is one of the few that look like a real black and white cat. Jacob Brent as Misto acts very kittenish and cute aswell, for instance when Quaxo is next to Etcetera in the video.

About that particular point, how do kids see Quaxo and Mistoffelees? Are for them different cats or the same? Imagine that we don't know all that we know about the musical, imagine for instance that we see the dvd for the first time. The name Quaxo is only named in "the naming of cats" so it's not really linked to the character it belongs to... mr. Mistoffelees on the contrary has his own song... Well I was just wandering.

I can't really show the video to the kids I teach English to, because the language of the poems is rather for a much more advanced level, although the story is pretty childish. Is something that gets on to my nerves because I never know the way to adapt it for the kids (Spanish kids who learn English)...

[Drumdraper]

Perhaps you could teach them something about England and use Cats as way to represent the English language because it has works by T.S. Eliot.
Do a lesson using some of the words from the video and go from there.