Andrew Lloyd Webber bought a therapy dog after being 'emotionally damaged' by Cats movie flop

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber says he was so traumatised by the movie adaptation of his musical Cats that he got a therapy dog.

Despite boasting an all-star cast with names such as Dame Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Sir Ian McKellan, James Corden, Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Hudson and Taylor Swift, Cats was a box office disaster and won six Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture, at the annual ceremony which honours the worst of cinematic failures.

It’s unsurprising therefore that the 76-year-old legendary composer and impresario chose a canine over a feline for a new pet.

“There wasn’t really any understanding of why the music ticked at all. I saw it and I just thought, ‘Oh, God, no’,

“It was the first time in my 70-odd years on this planet that I went out and bought a dog. So the one good thing to come out of it is my little Havanese puppy,” he told Variety.

The Phantom of the Opera hit-maker also successfully used the Tom Hooper-directed flop as an excuse to have his pup travel with him on a flight once.

“I wrote off and said that I needed him with me at all times because I’m emotionally damaged and I must have this therapy dog,” he explained to the publication.

“The airline wrote back and said, ‘Can you prove that you really need him?’ And I said ‘Yes, just see what Hollywood did to my musical Cats.’ Then the approval came back with a note saying, ‘No doctor’s report required’.”