The roles of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were originated by John Thornton and Bonnie Langford in the West End in 1981 and by Rene Clemente and Christine Langner on Broadway in 1982.

In Eliot's original poem "Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer", they are depicted knocking over Ming vases and stealing items from their human family.

[5] While Rumpelteazer is suggested to be a male cat in Eliot's original poem ("... they were plausible fellows ..."),[5] the character is portrayed as female in the musical.

In the original London production, the number was a singsong-style duet that was mainly composed in 128 time with a slower tempo and more jazz-like sound.

[4] In the original Broadway production, they wore baggy clown-like costumes seemingly made of various food wrappers as characters performing for Bustopher Jones.