Each year on June 19th, National Garfield the Cat Day celebrates the fictional cartoon character, Garfield. Jim Davis created the comic strip Garfield and the title’s protagonist, a tabby cat by the same name. The observance celebrates Garfield and the entertainment he brings us.
Garfield launched on June 19, 1978. The strip chronicled the life of the lead character, the cat Garfield (named after Jim Davis ’s grandfather). It also introduced Garfield’s owner, Jon Arbuckle and Jon’s dog, Odie. The publication became syndicated in 2013 in roughly 2,580 newspapers and journals and holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip.
Garfield was one of the cartoon characters to appear in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
Set in Muncie, Indiana, common themes in the comic strip include Garfield’s laziness, obsessive eating, love for lasagna and coffee, and hatred of Mondays and diets. While the focus is mostly upon the interaction between Garfield, Jon, and Odie, the strip introduces other characters as well.
There are many ways to celebrate the lovable tabby cat! Garfield fans everywhere share the tabby cat’s love of lasagna or contempt for Mondays. But beyond that, they also know he loves to sleep in sunbeams. They’re fond of his sense of humor and understand Jon’s love of animals. In a world of cat lovers, this day offers some fun ways to celebrate.
- Bake some cookies or cupcakes for Garfield’s birthday.
- Read the comic strip.
- Watch a Garfield episode.
- Share your Garfield collectibles.
- Take selfies with your tabby cat.
- See how many Garfields you can name (that aren’t a cat).
- Pick up a Garfield coloring book.
Share your favorite comic strip by using #GarfieldTheCatDay on social media.
NATIONAL GARFIELD THE CAT DAY HISTORYNational Garfield The Cat Day was first celebrated in 1998 on the 20th anniversary of the comic strip and Garfield’s birthday. Boca Raton City Council Member, Wanda Thayer, proclaimed June 19th as Garfield the Cat Day during surprise birthday party at the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton.
