There are few comic strips that are more iconic thanGarfield, as the lazy orange cat has become a pop culture icon that’s just as influential today as he was upon his debut in the ‘70s. Unlike other comic strips that offer humorous political or social commentary (likeDoonesburyorThe Far Side),Garfieldonly focuses on universally relatable topics like eating and sleeping. That’s how the franchise has remained timeless, and that’s alsowhy theGarfieldcomic strip is utterly hilarious.
Since it came out,Garfieldhas completely transcended the realm of the comic strip mediuminto television series, animated features, and even live-action films.However, the franchise has never forgotten its comic strip roots, as new strips are still being produced to this very day. And, as of November 2024, an entire month’s worth ofGarfieldcomics have just turned 40 years old, and because of its timelessness, they’re just as funny now as they were back in the 80s. Here are 10 of the funniestGarfieldcomics from November 1984!
10Garfield Comes Up with a Hilarious Name for a Mouse
Garfield- June 22, 2025
Garfield encounters a mouse in his home one day, and rather than try to eat him, Garfield simply asks what his name is.The mouse is puzzled by this question, admitting to Garfield that he doesn’t think he even has a name. So, believing that the mouse just didn’t understand the question, Garfield rephrases it, “what do people say when they meet you?”, as in, what do people call the mouse. To that, the mouse gave an immediate answer: “My name is Eek!”.
This mouse misunderstood Garfield’s question, and now thinks that his name is actually ‘eek’ - which actually isn’t that bad of a name for a mouse.
This is a funny play on the fact that most people will scream in fear upon seeing a mouse, sometimes in the form of letting out an ‘eek’ sound.This mouse misunderstood Garfield’s question, and now thinks that his name is actually ‘eek’ - which actually isn’t that bad of a name for a mouse.
9Garfield Decides that “Eek” Could Use a Better Name: “Squeak”
Garfield- June 08, 2025
Garfield does not accept that this mouse doesn’t have a name - and he certainly doesn’t accept ‘Eek’ as a viable option.So, the mouse doesn’t waste any time in coming up with one for himself. However, Garfield has a bit of an issue with each of the names the mouse thinks of as well, but for a completely different reason. Each name makes the mouse seem as though he’s a threat to cats, and while Garfield likes this mouse, he doesn’t like him that much.
10 Hilarious Garfield Comics About Television (And Garfield’s Love/Hate, But Mostly Love, Relationship With It)
Garfield quickly established himself as a devoted TV lover, and remote hog, as these early strips show the evolution of the orange tabby’s obsession.
Garfield picks this mouse up like his nothing, proving that the mouse is not a “Crusher”, “Bruiser”, or “Cat Killer”, and instead comes up with a new name for the little rodent:“Squeak”.The mouse takes to the name immediately, partly because he needed one, and partly because Garfield didn’t seem to give him much of a choice.
8Garfield Makes Sure His Friend Squeak Doesn’t Get Kicked Out By Jon
Garfield- July 29, 2025
After naming him, Garfield forms a connection with Squeak, and the usually unfriendly cat does something uncharacteristically kind - and totally brilliant.Garfield takes a wind-up key from one of his toys and ties it to Squeak’s back, and when the mouse questions why, Jon walks up to the two of them. But, rather than freaking out about the fact that there’s a mouse in the house, Jon merely comments on Garfield’s ‘mouse toy’, and walks away. Squeak then gives Garfield a big hug, thanking him for helping him stay.
This is a surprisingly heartwarming comic strip, as Garfield effectively saves the life of his new friend by coming up with a way to hide him from Jon.Garfield doesn’t usually care about anyone but himself, but he seems to have a soft-spot for Squeak.
7Garfield Reveals the One Meal the Food-Motivated Cat Refuses to Eat
Garfield- August 18, 2025
While it was brilliant, it seemed the ‘mouse toy’ trick didn’t work for long. Jon tells Garfield to eat the mouse, but Garfield has absolutely no interest in doing that.So, when Garfield and Squeak see Jon coming, the two of them hide underneath Jon’s bed. Squeak thanks Garfield for thinking of him, believing the only reason Garfield doesn’t want to eat him is that they’re friends.
However, Garfield makes it clear that the real reason he doesn’t want to eat Squeak is that he doesn’t like the taste of mice.
Garfield is insanely food-motivated, but that’s only with food that he actually likes - primarily, human food like lasagna.It’s honestly quite shocking to see Garfield turn down a meal of any kind, but it seems he draws the line at mice, and Squeak is certainly fortunate for that.
6Garfield Gives Squeak His Own House, but the Mouse Has Notes
Garfield- August 22, 2025
Garfield decides that he’s tired of pretending Squeak is a toy or hiding him under Jon’s bed, and that it’s time that Squeak actually had his own place to live.Garfield brings the mouse a miniature log cabin that’s the perfect size for Squeak to live in, and Garfield couldn’t be prouder of this idea. While gracious, Squeak does have a note regarding his new living situation, as he asks Garfield, “Is it in a good school system?”.
Asking if a house is in a good school system is common practice for home buyers, but in Squeak’s case, it’s hilariously absurd.It’s a pretend log cabin inside an actual house - of course it’s not in a ‘good school system’!
5Garfield is Sick of His Own Name (Until He Hears the Alternative)
Garfield- June 05, 2025
While Garfield is lying on the ground, assuredly trying to take a cat nap, Jon calls out to him by name. Garfield, clearly annoyed by the interruption, thinks to himself, “‘Garfield’ this, ‘Garfield’ that. I’m sick of my name”.As if Jon heard his lazy orange cat’s complaints, he calls Garfield “Fleabag” while yelling at him yet again to get over there.Hearing the alternative, Garfield decides that his original name actually isn’t so bad after all.
Jon doesn’t just call Garfield ‘Fleabag’ to be mean, but because Garfield actually does have fleas.
What’s funnier than Jon giving Garfield an insulting name alone is the implication of this name of choice. Jon doesn’t just call Garfield ‘Fleabag’ to be mean, but because Garfield actually does have fleas - something that Garfield will have to face the consequences of in subsequent strips.
4Garfield Presents a Hilarious Downside to Wearing a Flea Collar
Garfield- August 15, 2025
Since the previous comic established that Garfield has fleas, Jon - being the responsible pet owner he is - gets the cat a flea collar to get rid of the pesky bugs. After putting the flea collar on Garfield, Jon reads the disclaimer on the box.Fearing it might be something hazardous to Garfield’s health, Jon reads it aloud, only to find that the disclaimer is utterly absurd. Apparently, the flea collar may repel fleas, but it attracts sharks.
While that’s totally ridiculous,the comic strip gives readers a hilarious payoff for that setup by showing a literal shark appearing out of nowhere behind Garfield.The disclaimer seemingly wasn’t kidding, as sharks will literally bend the laws of nature to get the cats wearing these flea collars - they’rethatattracted to them.
3Fleas are Utter Nightmare Fuel in the Garfield Universe
Garfield- July 07, 2025
Perhaps because it was annoying him, perhaps because he was tired of inexplicably getting attacked by sharks in the living room, Garfield decides he’s done wearing his flea collar.Garfield throws the collar in the trash and then walks away down the hall of the house. But, right as he turns a corner, Garfield is confronted by a monstrous flea, who notices that the cat isn’t wearing his protective collar anymore, and is licking his lips in preparation to drink Garfield’s blood.
Needless to say, Garfield sprinted back to the trash can to put his flea collar back on, and readers can’t blame him.That giant flea is absolute nightmare fuel, and anyone who would encounter that thing would assuredly do the same thing Garfield did in this comic.
2Garfield Proves He’s the Antithesis of an Ideal Cat
Garfield- June 15, 2025
In thisGarfieldcomic, Jon takes a moment to break the fourth wall and speak with the reader personally.He sits down and explains how great being a cat owner is, and by extension, how great cats are in general. Jon says that cats are graceful, coordinated, and calm - just an overall pleasure to have in the house. Jon even compares cats to dogs, saying that dogs are everything cats aren’t. However, it seems - by that definition - Garfield isn’t a cat (something Garfield hilariously addresses by barking in the background of the comic).
As Jon is saying all these things about cats, Garfield can be seen behind him doing the exact opposite. Jon calls cats graceful, Garfield fumbles a jump. Jon calls cats coordinated, Garfield falls on his face. Jon calls cats calm, Garfield freaks out at the fireplace. That’s why Garfield barked at the end, because it seems as though he’s the antithesis of a cat, thereby making him a dog.
Garfield- July 14, 2025
Garfield is sitting in his chair, perhaps enjoying a bit of television, when he turns to the reader and breaks the fourth wall. He does this not to deliver an ‘important’ message, the way Jon did in the previous comic strip, but to simply tell a joke.The joke’s about his ‘uncle’ who believed he was a dog, and the punchline was, “He kept chasing himself up trees” (since Garfield’s uncle is clearly a cat).
This joke is the same level of embarrassing, face-palm-inducing humor one could expect from their dad, and Garfield literally breaks the fourth wall to tell it to readers. Indeed, Garfield is the king of dad jokes, and this comic strip confirms that, which is why it’s one of the 10 funniestGarfieldcomics that just turned 40.
Garfield
Garfield is the central character in Jim Davis’s comic strip, which officially began in 1978 under the same name. Garfield is an orange tabby cat with a love of lasagna and a disdain for Mondays. He tends to torment his owner and dog while trying to secure more food - and quiet.
