[Peritombry]

...How would you picture them?

I have a very specific idea of the way the tribe works, which I have been using for my website and for something I've been writing. And we all know about Rumblepurr's version of course from his website/stories. I see them more as actual cats, for example, rather than anthropomorphic figures or were-cat-like beings. But I'm curious as to how everyone else sees them.

[Heavylove]

Well its a bit hard to say but since its humans that portrait them I tend to see them more like cat furries than real cats. And that would make more sence since Jellicles can stand up on theyre feets and sing/talk as well. I dont know if a human and a Jellicle could *cough* have fun together but Jellicles are definately human enough for humans to have interest in them so to say.

An interesting question thou.

[Rumblepurr]

I am not going to tell anyone how to portray a Jellicle. However, let me explain the two versions I have... Felis jellicus sapiens is the version that inhabits TJC and TNJC. They are cat-humans and only stand about 24 inches tall on the average. I have explained in the stories that humans see Jellicles as cats because of a glamour that Jellicles naturally possess. Somehow, TS Eliot found out about them, and ALW furthered the knowledge... Homo jellicus sapiens is the version seen in TJT and BTC or the Homeworld. Here, their actual name is Yeahlika and rely heavily on their cat characteristics. On the homeworld, the average height is about two meters or 80 inches. They stand upright, bipedal, and have a humanoid appearance.

Now, the reason that a small group of us went this way is how we viewed the show. The performers are human dressed and made-up to appear cat-like. John Napier wanted the 'cats' to appear cat-size by expanding the set to be three times normal size in perspective. Thus, the Jellicle was seen as cat-human but Felis in size. The reason why I put a glamour on them? Jellicles were unheard of before the 1930s when TS Eliot started writing about them.

When we transferred the Jellicles to Ahdeya's Homeworld, we allowed them to take on a more human size with their cat-like characteristics. We placed them in a higher evolutionary level, which is why they have a humanoid appearance in their stance. The difference primarily is in the structure of their feet, which are more human-like in construction. I would not put it past them, however, to walk more on the balls of their feet, though... I also would not be surprised if they still maintained a couple of extra vertebrae to maintain their supple bodies, and thus make them a little thinner than human norm. Again, this reflects the aspect of humans portraying them on the stage.

However, I am aware of such works such as Tailchaser's Song where the characters are Felis cattus sapiens or intelligent cats. When you read this novel, the concept of seeing a world through the eyes, ears and nose of a cat is understandable. Making these characters into cat-humans would have been wrong.

My final point here is that how Jellicles are portrayed in art and fanfiction is truly up to the artist/author. How you tell the story or portray the character is going to shape them. Your interpretation makes the difference. Human, but cat-like? Cat, but humanoid (or felinoid)? Cat period? Humanoid period...? Your choice...

Respectfully submitted,
(And Peritombry? Thanks for the wink)
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.

[Akeyla]

Its hard to say. When I started my novel some of my main figures clearly were Cats inspired in form and behaviour, until, from the moment on I aimed for publishing, removed any link that bound them to the show (looking back this was a hard step when I was still in my teens, now I cannot imagine it having ever been different than it is now...).
Its now about nine years ago since I started doing this (when "kill your darlings" became my best friend), back then I would have said cathumans, by now I can no longer see them as more than fictional in the sense of a show. This is because after the years I grew to know the actors behind it better and also because the Cats world is in its own way unique as nothing I ever met outside, wandering through world creators down to furry fandoms.
I have this bad habit of analyzing everything biologically, which is why simply call it their "own jellicle world with jellicle beings", I cannot imagine them as real cats nor any furry antromorphic form.

[Heavylove]

Dont tell me about kill youre darlings... Sometimes reality slaps in youre face and you still hold on to a piece off writing youd fell in love with. But generally the outcome is much better so you can live with it even thou it hurts... Another side off this coin is when youre characters suddenly do something totaly unexped but it works. You cry for theyre sake but its still the best story for that plot... hm... emotionally attached? Well better get back to the topic before it become to much ot.

Id guess we all see our Jellicle friends differently.