[Rum_Tum_Tigger]

"And, not long ago, this phenomenal cat
Produced seven kittens, right out of a hat!"
When I first read this, in Old Possum's Book, I always took it to mean that he was really a she, and her humans didn't know until she had kittens. I have a friend that had a cat that did that once.
But then I watched the musical, and since misto is potrayed as a male, I thought no more about it, until I noticed that he is actually a rather young and camp one, suggesting that perhaps Webber had thoughts on that as well.
Comments? Or am I talking rubbish, as usual?
-The Rum Tum Tigger

[Rumblepurr]

The song is entitled "MISTER Mistoffelees," and the lyrics were written by Eliot - not ALW. Since the typical illusion is having a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, maybe Misto's extraction of the seven kittens from a chapeau was easier to perform using kittens rather rabbits...

If Misto were actually female, then Tugger would probably have more fun with the "magical kitty" - and, definitely put a lot of slash stories concerning Tugger and Misto out of whack...

Still, an interesting theory, my dear...
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat
Forum Hubby of Rum Tum Tigger
Grandfather Emertis of the Vanneycats

[SapphireNight]

Thats a very interesting idea. Obviously most people associate Misto with being male, which is helped by the fact that the part is (usually) played by a male, and the muical portrays the character as a 'him'. But thats the musical.
I have to dissagree a certain amount with Rumplepurr and say that 'Mr Mistoffelees' could quite easily be just the human name. Some pets are called 'Mr...' or 'Mrs...', for example 'Mrs Norris' (Filch's cat in Harry Potter- easiest example). The poem could be interpreted on different levels, and it is possible that you could get that very meaning- a cat named 'Mr Mistoffelees' by its owners when it was young was origionally thought to be male, and it turned out he/she was not when she had a litter of 7 right out of the blue- 'right out of a hat'.

Personally, i would say that the musical (and ALW) went straight for the male idea, and thats pretty much that. the physical demands of beng able to play that part may determine how he/she is played or portrayed (and i mean no offence what so ever to anyone who has or is playing Misto).
The poem itself could reflect whatever the reader wants to interpret, so a possible reading could be of a female. when they are very young, it is very hard to tell the different genders appart, but when they get older, it is very obvious- and not just physical differences. females go on heat, and you can tell when a cat is on heat a mile away. but then again, if youve called a cat a cetain name all its life, it can be pretty hard to get them to respond to something different. so yeah, i guess Misto could be a she.

[Matthew]

I think that there is no doubt that he is a male.
1. The poem is told from the third person and he is refered to as [he] and [his] and MR., of course!
2. At the time in the English language in England, that line probably would have translated, into modern terms: "Pulled seven kittens from out of a hat"
3. In the Illustration by the fanstatstic Edward Gorey, the kittens are all black. I believe [I didn't pay much attention in Biology but...] having seven black kittens in one litter is very improbable.

Interesting interpretation, but I've no doubt it is Mr.Mistoffelees

[Belle]

As far as the original poem is concerned, I think it's a very valid thought that the cat being written about was actually female and really surprised "his" owners! all the magical cases stated in the poem are easily "uncovered" as simple mistakes and not really magical at all... *don't hit me!* It's a single example for female, versus repeated "Mister Mistoffolees" for him being male.

However the characterisation in the musical is definitely male, and possibly more magical than is simply mentioned in the poem. He's certainly a fine illusionist, that's probably why he keeps his Tux throughout his number in contradiction to the "black from his ears to the tip of his tail", the evening dress suits the stage magician persona!

[Lady Jemima]

[Alonza0]

It seems very possible to me, but I don't think we'll ever know for sure. Only T. S. Eliot knew and he's not telling.

My opinion? Why not? A male cat that's actually female seems to me like a plausible thing to write about, and why not disguise him as magical? A young child could very well think that their tom cat was magical when he had kittens, and wasn't his niece the original audience for these poems?
As for having seven black kittens, my friend's cat had six all black kittens. I don't see why seven isn't possible. Well, that's not true, one kitten had a small grey patch on his back, but the illustrator didn't show the kittens's back, did he?
And as for calling him Mr., he, and him, I would too if I had had a male cat for a long time and suddenly he was female. If anyone ever read Anne of Ingleside, that family's male cat has kittens and they wierd out the neighbors unintentionally by saying, "Go to your Mother and have him clean you," and things of the sort. T.S. Eliot could have simply been portraying the family getting used to their tom cat being a queen. Maybe, but we'll never know.

[Rum_Tum_Tigger]

*Shrugs* It was just an idea. I thought it might be an interesting thing to bring up. Thanks everyone.
-The Rum Tum Tigger
Cyberwiflet of Rumblepurr
Avid anarchist and general non-conformist