- The musical stars a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and revolves around their annual Jellicle Ball where they choose which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.
- As of 2024, Cats is the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the seventh-longest-running West End show.
- The original London production of Cats ran for 21 years with 8,949 performances, and the Broadway production lasted 18 years with 7,485 performances.
- Cats was adapted into a direct-to-video film in 1998 and a feature film released in 2019.
- Judi Dench was originally cast in dual roles for 'Cats', but had to withdraw due to an Achilles tendon injury and was replaced by Elaine Paige as Grizabella.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber personally financed the initial production of 'Cats' by taking a second mortgage on his house, risking financial ruin if the musical failed.
- Notable for its choreography, 'Cats' is considered one of the most dance-centric shows in musical theatre history, featuring a mix of ballet, modern dance, jazz, and tap.
- The original staging of 'Cats' at the New London Theatre was revolutionary, featuring an immersive, quasi-in-the-round setup with a central revolving stage.
- The Winter Garden Theatre underwent a $2 million renovation to replicate the immersive experience of the London production when Cats moved to Broadway.
- The 2019 film adaptation of 'Cats', directed by Tom Hooper, featured an ensemble cast including James Corden, Judi Dench, and Taylor Swift, but was poorly received and considered a box office flop.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber was so disenchanted with the 2019 'Cats' film adaptation that he reportedly got a therapy dog.
- A Cats postage stamp was issued in the U.S. in 2000, celebrating the musical as a significant cultural artifact of the 1980s.
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