Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| Rum_Tum_Tigger |
Tugger's breedI know that the main theory on the rum tum tugger's breed is that he is a maine coon, but I have looked though thousands of pictures of this breed and haven't found a single one resembling him. However, a friend of mine recently received a cat called a Somali, which apparently is a kind of long-haired abyssinian. Interested, I looked on the net and found one that was him down to a T!http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/somali.html Is where I found the picture. He's the third one down. or the first one maybe, but that one's a bit too bulky. |
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| littlgriz |
Re: Tugger's breed
 i love tugger to
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| Belle |
Personally, I think Tugger is a Mog - long-haired but of no specific parentage. I also think he is a dark Tabby, which explains the lighter mane and spots but almost black body.
But the Cats costumes are only sketches of cats - very few of the costumes look identical to real feline markings, there's a lot of artistic interpretation in there! I think finding a photo of a "real" version of the character needs to look at personality as well as colouration. For me, Tugger's no pure-bred. |
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| Rumblepurr |
Hmmm...I have to admit that the Solmali comes close to looking like Tugger...But, I also have to agree with Belle that the Tugger's breed is a mix. Tugger certainly has the Maine Coon mane and colors, but the body just is not the big klitty... I have heard that many fans believe Cassandra and Victoria to be purebreds, although Cassie's markings and colors do not quite fit the breeds. I call her a Burmese, but that is just my interpretation. The costume colorings do not really match actual cat breeds, which, to me, sets Jellicles off from domestic cats... (*Yes, I know... TSE indicates all cats are Jellicles... etc. I can write a page here on my theory, but that would be off-topic) You surely would not find Bombalurina's colors in the cat world, although some cat fur colors come close to being "red" - just not her color. Just my thoughts... Rumblepurr 
The Writer Cat. |
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| Etcetera Kitten |
Just like Rumblepurr and Belle said, I believe most of the jellicles are just mixed breeds.
I think that only Cassandra, Victoria, Munkustrap and may be Alonzo are of pure breeds (but don't ask what Alonzo is, I'd just need to find it myself. I guess it's the way he acts that makes me think so). But what breed each cat belongs to is hard to tell, so everybody can have their opinion. And those cats in your link just rock!!!
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| Drumdraper |
I think Victoria is a mutt. Cats of mixed coloring can produce pure white cats and I think she has parents who were different colors and then she came out white, an oddball. I believe the only purebreds are Griddlebone, a Persian, and Cassandra, a Siamese. Everyone else are mutts. | ||
| Rumblepurr |
Ooo-kay...
If Vickie is a mutt, she is definitely a "high-class" one... being a prima ballerina. Her character also projects a cultured personality even in a low-class setting. Somehow, Victoria has a well-to-do human to care for her. I will admit that lack of a breed purity to Victoria would make "Vickie" easier to be accepted by the "junkyard" kittens... I only have one thing about "Griddlebone" being anything, really. When Growltiger is being presented, we know that GUS, the Theatre Cat, is reliving a part he once played, and that fantasy includes Griddlebone. We know that the White Persian is being played by Jellylorum. Maybe the original "Grid" was a white Persian... Again, we have our interpretations, and no one is really wrong or right here. Cassandra, for example... Her colors are not Siamese, which is commonly seen as a fawn body with blue or brown face/paws/ears/tail. The two below are examples of possible breeds...  
The breed known as the "Oriental" (left - called a "Lavendar spotted tabby") comes close, as does the "Burmese" (right). The problem is the eye color and the lack of white on the body and face... In a way, even Cassie might be a mixed breed... but like Victoria, she has some class... The only reason I chose the Burmese was the color... One could argue that reasonably she is a Scottish Fold...
Just some thoughts... Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat. |
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| enkeli-kitten |
I thought maybe Cassandra, Exotica, Victoria were pure bred. Because of the way they act and their pure colouring. I think Cassandra is Abbysinian (sp?) and Victoria is something, and Exotica Siamese.
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| abbeycat |
i always thought he was a norwegian skaus(sp?) cat/Norwegian forest cat?
my friend had one it was a russet brown colour and had a mane exactly like tuggers. |
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| tmg |
I always thought of Cassandra as an abyssian too. And Victoria could be a turkish angora. That's the only breed of cat I know of that is all white (although recently, I think more colors are being accepted, but the traditional, most common color is white). 
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| Belle |
You can get pure white colouring in almost any breed of cat - our pure white cat (who is Griddlebone in her later years!) is a mog - I use Mog as the feline equivalent of Mutt, being a cat of no particular breed, not really a mixed-breed, just a cat.
I think Victoria is treated as a princess by an adoring owner - but I don't think for a moment she's a pure-bred at all. Solid white is as common as solid black, ie, very common! Cats that are out on london streets, especially early 20th century, are overwhelmingly moggies. Pure-bred cats aren't very common, and those that are around are rarely outdoor cats. I think Cassandra is the only pure-bred, and she's escaped for the night to take part in the ball. Tho possibly, she escapes at night quite regularly, I can see her being a real Cinderella, making sure she leaves in time to sneak back home before being found missing. |
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| Spanish_Rumple |
I've always thought that Tugger could represent somewhat a Maine Coon, but I think that in the way they dress him... it's ovbiously something invented because I've never seen a cat with the body of a shorthair and a huge mane in neck and headfur as a longhair... Moreover I've never seen any black cat with those typical leopard spots in the legs... that is tooo rare to represent any kind of cat... I think. But I've thought of a Main Coon because of the mane mainly.
But I think that maybe this one could be the real spitting image Abbeycat!!! Take a look!  
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| Belle |
Hoorah for google image search.... This is what I think Tugger's costume represents... a tabby with a LOT of dark black hairs, making his back appear black, but his tummy, ruff and paws are paler... and Tabbies are made of "tiger stripes and leopard spots"! Some tabbies are more stripey, others more spottey... he's a very spottey, very dark tabby...
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| Spanish_Rumple |
well yeah... maybe you're right... but still. Tugger and Bomba are the least cat-like cats... I've never seen such a red cat...hehehe However they caught well the rock style of the tom I think (maybe in detriment of the cat ressemblance)
Anyway... the characters of the show are not supposed to be cats "cats" hehehe!  they are Jellicles and that's a sepcial breed, or else T.S Eliott would not have introduced them if they were regular cats.
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| Rum_Tum_Tigger |
*Shrugs* I read a lot of CATS fanfiction, and mostly they refer to him as a Maine Coon. I'm insane about cats (the reason I watched the video in the first place) so that didn't rub with me.
There's also a type that could almost be Bombalurina - either a Sorrel abyssian or a Cinnamon Oriental. Rumple - the tabby in that picture looks like an older version of my cat, Lupin! |
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| abbeycat |
@Spanish_Rumple
that poor cat.....lol! it did make me laugh!
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| Rumblepurr |
The Lion CatThat picture of the cat with the "poodle cut" was on a while back, and I had a laugh attack that lasted a good minute or two. The expression on the poor thing was just absolutely priceless... That cat was P.O.'ed...
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat |
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| Megan the Phantom Girlie |
I always have thought of the Tugger as a Maine Coon.
On the subject of other breeds, Old D. is a Norwegian Forester, judging by this guy: 
I also have always thought that Jemima/Sillabub is a mog, but with a lot of Turkish Van in her. This is mostly because my own cat, Happy, is a mog with Jemi's coloring but has a lot of Turkish Van character in her face. She and Munkustrap definitely have homes, as they have collars. I love how Jemima's tough little spiked collar contrasts with that sweet personality. |
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| Cassandra |
Keep in mind, everyone, that the colors on the costumes are that bright and detailed for a reason.... to stand out on stage. I think Napier had that in mind first and foremost when coming up with the costumes. There's the whole idea that you need continuity on a stage full of characters. Yes, Napier could have designed every Jellicle after a certain breed and used their exact colors, but it probably would have been a visual mess onstage. Belle? Can you back me up here, O Costume Expert?
I think the designs were more aimed at making cats we would recognize, not necessarily breeds, per se. Everyone at some time in their life has seen a black-and-white cat (Alonzo), a tuxedo cat (Quaxo), a grey tabby (Munk), an orange tabby (Skimble), a white cat (Victoria) or one of the many others. I suppose Cassandra could be purebred, but because of her lack of any specific breed markings, I've just always considered her to be a sleek, "Oriental-type" cat. I don't believe she's Siamese, because she doesn't look at all like the Siamese in Growltiger's Last Stand. Her markings and colorings are way different. Same with Tugger, Bom, and Demeter. I guess Tugger could be Maine Coon-ish, and I've always thought Bom and Dem were calicos. Yes, they have very bright red and yellow costumes, but again, they're on stage, and their personalities demand that they be bright and stand out. Bah, I don't know if there was a point to this or not. I think, bottom line, there are recognizable qualities among all the cats.... but no specific breeds (except the Siamese). /ramble |
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| tmg |
Sure you're thinking of turkish vans? Romeo (the kitty in my avatar) is a turkish van. They have a VERY distinct/specific pattern (white with color ONLY on the top of the head & the tail) and I really don't see any of it in Jemima (unless she looks completely different in other productions). |
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| Spanish_Rumple |
Cassandra that's what I was trying to say at the end of my post although in a metaphorical way. I don't believe that they have to represent a certain breed, they are just imagined cats, and their main objective is to look like a cat. Another example, the poems book was supposed to be for children, if the musical was supposed to be for all ages (specially kids and their families) then the colouring has to be appealing in a creative way, colorful and bright. Just as a 3 or 4 year old kid would colour a drawn cat on a piece of paper! That's my point of view. | ||
| Megan the Phantom Girlie |
What I meant was that my cat has Jemima-type coloring, but the shape and characteristics of her face (not the coloring) resemble a Turkish van. By extension, I often picture Jemima-kitten as an actual cat with the coloring from the show but this sort of face: 
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| Etcetera Kitten |
Wow I just LOVE that huge "Old Deut" cat!
As for the main coon thing for Tugger, it is arguable. I don't remember who here said it, but I think the original designer went with that popular look of the 80s rather than any specific cat. Tugger is a bit like the guy in Grease, if I am not mistaken. And he rocks. Literally
Ohhh! And looking through the cats website, I just found out these: http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/american-curl.html American curls are exactly like the Japanese cast of Cats, don't you think? |
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| Bill_Calhoun |
Having both played the Tugger, and owning a Maine Coon... I don't know, I just don't see it! I agree with what was said ealier, I think he is just based on the popular eighties fashions, him being a pretentious rock 'n' roller an all
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| Spanish_Rumple |
Yeah! I like this version better! Him trying to be a rockstar from the eighties... something between David Bowie and something much mor rock like... but definetely he's not trying to imitate Grease because Grease they are not focusing on the eighties at all... that was more before the 60s...no? (I mean the time they are basing the story of Grease)
Ooooooh I know!! something between David Bowie, Elvis (which I know is NOT from the 80s...) and Meat Loaf and Tim Curry in TRHPS!!
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| Bill_Calhoun |
Haha, I just had images of RTT in TRHPS!!!!!!
"I'm just a sweet catsvestite..." Yeah! |
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| MzGalinda |
AHHHH! So CYOOT! Sorry. I'll stop now. Y'know, there was a site I found...tryin' to remember the name of it...it had a lot of parodies of musicals with the Cats characters..."Little Junkyard of Horrors" and one particular fic that reminded me of your post, Bill..."The Rocky Tugger Picture Show"...Tugger was Frank! 
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| Bill_Calhoun |
Haha, awesome!
Wow, imagine playing that part :S |
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| Megan the Phantom Girlie |
Oh, I love the little "teddy bear" ears on the silky white American Curl on that web page! Looks just like Japan Sillabub. |