National Garfield Day

Did you know that June 19th is National Garfield Day? This grumpy orange kitty has won the hearts of millions with his sarcastic, unimpressed ‘purrsonality.’ Below, an Anderson, IN vet discusses this lasagna-loving furball.

History

If you were you wondering why June 19th is National Garfield Day, it’s because it’s his birthday! Back in 1978, a little ball of orange cynicism was born in the kitchen of Mamma Leoni’s Italian Restaurant, where he immediately developed a lifelong love of lasagna. In fact, the kitten ate so much of the Italian dish that the owner of the restaurant, faced with going out of business, had to sell the food-loving feline to a pet store. Fortunately, cartoonist (and lifelong nerd) Jon Arbuckle swooped in and saved the day by adopting Garfield. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Friends and Enemies

Although Garfield has always been the main star of the show, he’s shared the limelight with a variety of co-stars over the years. This list includes his crush, Arlene; Odie, Jon’s slobbery, eternally gullible dog; a mouse named Floyd; Nermal, the “World’s Cutest Kitten”; his beloved teddy bear, Pooky; and, of course, his vet, Liz, with whom Jon is hopelessly in love. This fluffy (okay, he’s really just fat) orange furball also has his fair share of enemies. Given the option, Garfield would probably list Nermal and Odie as his main nemeses. However, he’s also found himself at odds with trees, raisins, the occasional spider, screen doors, several dogs, and, of course, every Monday ever.

Rising Star

Garfield had become a worldwide sensation by the early 80’s and made the leap from comic strips to TV, starring in such classics as The Garfield Show , Garfield Originals , and Garfield’s Halloween , to name just a few. In 1980, he released his first book, Garfield at Large , and made it to the silver screen in 2004 with Garfield: The Movie . The flabby tabby has been voiced by the esteemed actor Bill Murray, and was once the subject of the biggest Macy’s parade float ever. In the ‘90s, he got his own amusement park ride at Kennywood in West Miffin, PA, and in 2011, he even launched his own musical! Currently, this lovably lazy guy holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most syndicated comic strip. Not bad for a cat that spends most of his time sleeping!

Is your cat obese, lazy, and/or orange? Does your feline friend torment innocent house spiders or love cuddling with teddy bears? Reach out to us, your Anderson, IN pet clinic!