<P> Ken Anderson spent eighteen months developing the design of the characters . Five of Disney's legendary "Nine Old Men" worked on it, including the Disney crew that had been working 25 years on average . </P> <P> The Aristocats was the last Disney animated feature Robert and Richard Sherman worked on as staff songwriters, growing frustrated by the management of the studio following Walt Disney's death . For the Disney studios, the Sherman Brothers completed their work before the release of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, but would return to the studio to compose songs for The Tigger Movie . </P> <P> The brothers composed multiple songs, but only the title song and "Scales and Arpeggios" were included in the film . Desiring to capture the essence of France, the Sherman Brothers composed the song "The Aristocats". Disney film producer Bill Anderson would ask Maurice Chevalier to participate in the film . Following the suggestion, Richard Sherman imitated Chevalier's voice as he performed a demo for the song . Chevalier received the demo and was brought out of retirement to sing the song . Deleted songs that were intended for the film included "Pourquoi?" sung by Hermione Baddeley as Madame Bonfamille, its reprise, and "She Never Felt Alone" sung by Robie Lester as Marie . For the show - stopping number, the Sherman Brothers composed "Le Jazz Hot", but the filmmakers preferred "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat" composed by Floyd Huddleston and Al Rinker . Lastly, a villainous song was envisioned to be sung by Edgar and his assistant Elmira as a romantic duet, but the song was dropped when Elmira was removed from the story . </P> <P> Another deleted song was for Thomas O'Malley titled "My Way's The Highway", but the filmmakers had Terry Gilkyson compose the eponymous song "Thomas O'Malley Cat". Gilkyson explained "It was the same song, but they orchestrated it twice . They used the simpler one, because they may have thought the other too elaborate or too hot . It was a jazz version with a full orchestra ." </P>

Who wrote everybody wants to be a cat