Andrew Lloyd Webber is very good at picking an unusual topic and making a hit production from it. He was inspired when he wrote the music for Cats the musical, based on the poems of T.S Eliot from his Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The show has played all across the world and has been performed in twenty different languages.

The first ever show debuted in London's West End in 1981 and the last show there was in 2002. The Broadway production started in 1982 and the final performance there was in 2000. Cats the musical was in the record books as the longest running musical show in the world until Les Miserables took that accolade in 2006. In 1998, Lloyd Webber produced a video version of the show, featuring Elaine Paige, who had previously performed it on stage in London. The veteran actor, Sir John Mills also appeared in the video.

The original London cast, in addition to Paige, included Sarah Brightman, Wayne Sleep and Paul Nicholas. The first Broadway shows included Ken Page, Betty Buckley and Bonnie Simmons. The musical Cats has been welcomed wherever it has traveled. The story seems universal and relevant to all cultures. The show has been produced in Vienna, Tokyo, Mexico City, Brisbane and other cities. It has also toured China.

In addition to success with the audience, the show has received acclaim from critics and awards organizations. The Lawrence Olivier Awards are the most prestigious stage awards in the UK and the show won Best Musical in 1981. It also picked up Tony Awards in the US in 1983, including Best Musical and Best Score.

The production is visually spectacular as well as containing catchy songs. The cats have such wonderful names, such as Grizabella, Growltiger, Mr. Mistoffelees, and the Rum Tum Tugger. Lloyd Webber had remembered T.S Eliot's poems as favorites from when he was a child and enjoyed the challenge of setting them to music. Eliot's widow, Valerie encouraged him and allowed him access to some unpublished poems that didn't find their way into the original book.

The show has produced its own range of merchandise for fans to enjoy. The famous Cats the musical logo, gold colored cat's eyes against a black background, adorns t-shirts and lapel pins. There are also t-shirts that show a photograph of the stage production. A Jemima musical trinket box is also for sale and a CD containing the score and printed out lyrics is available.