Andrew Lloyd Webber Acquires a Support Canine to Deal with the ‘Cats’ Movie

The cinematic adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless musical Cats in 2019 was, to be kind, a complete disaster. Even before its release, the trailers and promotional images showcasing the cast in full-body makeup bewildered viewers, and the film’s renditions of the musical numbers failed to impress fans of the original play. Upon its release, critics eviscerated the film, and it flopped at the box office. Those who claimed to enjoy the film usually did so ironically. However, it appears that this cinematic fiasco affected Webber the most deeply.

“Cats was completely off the mark,” lamented Lloyd Webber in an interview with Variety. “There was a profound lack of understanding about the essence of the music. When I watched it, I could only think, ‘Oh, heavens, no.’ It was the first time in my over seven decades on this earth that I spontaneously went out and acquired a dog. So, the one silver lining in all of this is my adorable Havanese puppy.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber sought permission from an airline to bring his therapy dog on a flight, citing emotional distress.

When the airline requested evidence of his need for the dog, he retorted, “Yes, just observe how Hollywood tarnished my musical #Cats.” https://t.co/kb6m3MKU3t pic.twitter.com/kG6CpSNmkp

— Variety (@Variety) October 6, 2021

Webber and his puppy have been inseparable during the lockdown imposed by COVID-19. He was so attached to his new furry companion that he took the puppy with him on a flight to the United States, where he registered it as a therapy dog. “I submitted a request stating that I required him by my side at all times due to my emotional trauma and need for this therapy dog,” he explained. “The airline replied, asking for proof of necessity, to which I responded, ‘Yes, just look at what Hollywood did to my musical ‘Cats’.’ Subsequently, the approval arrived with a note stating, ‘No medical report required.'”