Garfieldis one of the all-time most beloved comic strips in history, and one of the reasons fans love it so much is that it offers consistently funny jokes and low-stakes story arcs, with bright colors and familiar characters throughout every strip. That being said,Garfieldcertainly has its dark moments, including that one time whenGarfield’s owner, Jon, nearly let the fat orange cat die - something fans should never forget.
In theGarfieldcomics published in December 1984, Jon goes on a trip to a cartoonist convention, and he leaves Odie and Garfield home alone. The arc takes place across nine comic strips, broken up into three distinct mini-sagas that all tell the story of how Garfield almost died, and how it was all Jon’s fault.
The first crop ofGarfieldcomic strips published Dec. 3-4, 1984, begins with Jon telling Garfield and Odie that he’s going on his trip, and he’ll be gone for a whole week, as pets aren’t allowed at the motel where he’s staying. Garfield initially thinks he’s going too, telling Odie that it’s too bad he won’t be able to come. That is, until Jon reminds Garfield that he, too, is a pet. Jon then sets Garfield up with an entire week’s worth of food in his bowl, which the fat cat manages to devour in a matter of seconds.
In this story arc’s next crop ofGarfieldcomics published Dec. 5-7, 1984, Jon is gone and Garfield is out of food. So, the orange cat decides to leave the house to find something to eat, only for the front door to slam shut behind him - and lock. Garfield is now locked out of his house, with no Jon to let him back in. At that point, Garfield starts wandering the neighborhood, and since he rarely steps foot out of the house, he gets lost immediately.
In this story arc’s final crop ofGarfieldcomics published Dec. 10, 20-23, 1984, Jon returns home to find Odie alone in the house. Jon immediately starts freaking out, as Garfield is missing and the weather outside is becoming dangerous. Garfield is then shown walking aimlessly through the snow, hoping to find his way back home. Garfield collapses from exhaustion, and only the voice of his mother in his head inspires him to get back up and keep moving. Once Garfield decides not to give up, he sees his house, and makes it home just in time for Christmas.
Jon Left His Pets Home Alone for a Week, & Garfield Almost Died
It was Garfield’s Fault for Getting Locked Out, but Only because Jon was an Irresponsible Pet Owner
While it is true that Garfield got himself locked out of the house, so everything that happened afterward was technically his fault, the true fault in this situation still lies with Jon. If one has pets, and they’re going to be gone for a week, they should either bring their pets to a boarding facility or have someone come by and watch one’s pets. What one shouldn’t do is exactly what Jon did. Jon dumped a week’s worth of food in Garfield’s bowl all at once, as if Garfield wouldn’t eat it all in one sitting, and then just left.
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Not only that, but when Jon came home and saw that Garfield was missing, he didn’t even go out and look for him, despite the fact that it was a blizzard outside. Jon just sat in his chair as Garfield was trying to make his way through the snow. Jon knows what type of cat Garfield is, so to think that he wouldn’t need help finding his way is just foolish. Sure, Garfield made it home, but only after he nearly froze to death. All-in-all, there’s no question: Garfield almost died, and it was all Jon’s fault.
This Isn’t the First Time Jon Has Been an Irresponsible Pet Owner with Garfield
Garfield’s Diet is Dangerous for His Health
Jon’s actions (and inactions) in thisGarfieldstory arc are especially egregious, as they nearly resulted in Garfield’s death. However, this is far from the first time Jon has been an irresponsible cat owner. Truth be told, any time Jon gives Garfield lasagna for dinner, or any kind of human food on a regular basis, he’s endangering his cat’s health. Cats are not supposed to eat the way Garfield does, and a poor diet can be just as deadly as being lost in a blizzard.
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Of course, it’s important to remember that Garfield is just a comic strip, and these types of stories serve to add a bit of drama to an otherwise low-stakes cartoon series. That being said, it’s just as important not to forget how real things nearly got for the Arbuckles, as Jon came way too close to letting his cat,Garfield, die.
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.
