As one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time, it’s only natural thatGarfieldwould find himself crossing paths with the stars of other comic strips. Since Jim Davis’ comic first debuted in 1978, it has left an indelible mark on the world of comic strips.Garfieldhas inspired loving tributes, satirical critiques,internet parody comics, and everything in between.
Unlike other comic properties, like Marvel and DC’s superhero comic books, newspaper comic strips don’t tend to see a lot of crossovers or shared universes. But the stars of the funny pages will still interact from time to time, and Garfield is no exception. Here are the best times Garfield has crossed over with other beloved comics.
10Garfield and Jon AttendBlondie’s 75th Anniversary
August 2005
On the whole, the community of newspaper comic strip cartoonists tends to be a supportive one, particularly when it comes to stalwarts likeBlondie.WhenBlondiecelebrated its 75th anniversary in 2005,Garfieldwas one of many strips that paid tribute to Chic Young’s classic strip. In oneGarfieldstrip, Blondie’s husband, Dagwood, stops by Jon and Garfield’s house to invite them to the Bumsteads’ anniversary party, and the two are more than happy to help mark the occasion.
Garfield and other beloved characters from newspaper comics would attend another big bash at Blondie and Dagwood’s house 10 years later, when the Bumsteads host a massive Halloween party.
In the two weeks leading up to the strip markingBlondie’s 75th anniversary, many beloved comic strip characters appear at Blondie and Dagwood’s house. Garfield and Jon are seen in one SundayBlondiestrip arriving at the big party, with Garfield appropriately hoping that the guest room is ready for him to rest in. Several recognizable figures stay with the Bumsteads during this time, including characters fromHagar the Horrible,MUTTS,The Wizard of Id,Mother Goose and Grimm, andThe Family Circus.
9Snoopy Pops Up in Garfield’s Mirror
August 19, 2025
Charles Schulz and his seminal comic strip,Peanuts, were a huge influence on Jim Davis.So, it makes sense that the first time Garfield crosses over with another famous cartoon character, it would be with Snoopy. Walking past a mirror, Garfield inexplicably sees Snoopy looking back at him instead of his reflection. Naturally, this occurs on a Monday, the one day of the week that will never cease to harass Garfield.
In his 20th anniversary book,20 Years and Still Kicking,Davis says that he got special permission from Schulz to feature Snoopy in this strip. It’s a tad surprising, considering thatSchulz viewedGarfieldas a rival toPeanuts. But it’s clear that Davis has an immense respect for Schulz, whose work would be honored in futureGarfieldstrips.
8Grumpy Cat and Garfield
2017
While Grumpy Cat might not be a cartoon character, per se, it could be argued that memes hold just as high a position in the realm of public awareness today as comic strips did in decades previous. Either way, as two of the internet’s favorite felines, it makes perfect sense that Grumpy Cat and Garfield would team up one day. The two sourpusses finally crossed paths in 2017 for a three-issue comic series from Dynamite Entertainment and BOOM! Studios.
Written by Mark Evanier and drawn by Steve Uy, the story sees an evil cat food company kidnap Garfield and Grumpy Cat aka Tardar Sauce. The CEO hopes to brainwash them to make their personalities more dog-like. Naturally, these two take an instant disliking to each other. But after they are both temporarily turned into happy cats, they team up to put a stop to the evil corporation’s plans.
As two staples of Saturday morning cartoons in the 1980s and 1990s, it only makes sense that Garfield would one day run into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.While they’re vastly different in terms of tone and subject matter, the two series do have one thing in common: a love of pizza. That’s on full display in a one-page story that appeared in the Winter 1992 issue ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Magazine.
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Written by Jim Davis with art by Gary Barker and Larry Fentz, “Garfield Meets the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” sees Garfield trying to infiltrate the TMNT in order to get his hands on their pizza. Disguising himself as another ninja named “Garfello,” the orange tabby tries to get the Turtles to go off and fight crime while he guards the pizza. His plan fails when Odie gives him away, and the Turtles kick him to the curb.
6Don’t Compare Heathcliff to Garfield
August 14, 2025
Despite debuting five years before Garfield, George Gately’s Heathcliff seems doomed to forever live in the shadow of comics’ other tubby orange cat. It’s unfortunate, becauseHeathcliffis a hilarious strip in its own rightthat manages to distinguish itself from Jim Davis’ more famous comic. It just goes to show that, while two comics may appear to have a similar concept on the surface,the creators’ artistry and sense of humor can make them wholly unique.
Peter Gallagher, the cartoonist responsible for the dailyHeathcliffcomic since 1998, is obviously aware of the comparisons toGarfieldand has poked fun at them on occasion. However, Heathcliff himself does not appear to have a sense of humor about the subject. This is apparent when Heathcliff sits for a portrait painted by his owner, Mrs. Nutmeg. She accidentally paints a portrait of Garfield, earning a furious look from Heathcliff.
5Pearls Before SwineCan’t Help Poking Fun at Garfield
August 2014
Pearls Before Swinecreator Stephan Pastis is known for regularly mocking other comic strips in his work. Sometimes these can get quite dark, particularly when it comes to more innocent and wholesome comics. For example, Bil Keane’sThe Family Circusis a frequent target of his, with characters like Jeffy beating up Pig or getting sent to Guantánamo Bay.
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As one of the biggest names in newspaper comics,Garfieldis a natural target for Pastis to take shots at. In one instance, the Pearls characters get jobs in other comics, with Goat going to work in Garfield’s comic (where he’s about to get squished by the orange tabby). In another, longer story, Rat believes he is pregnant, only to learn that he has actually eaten Garfield. Pastis (a character in his own strip) goes to Davis to beg for forgiveness. Davis lords over Pastis, pointing out how much more money he makes. He also has Rat’s head chopped off for his transgression.
4Garfield is Bill the Cat’s Dad
June 10, 2025
One of the most famous characters in Berkeley Breathed’s belovedBloom Countycomic strip,Bill the Cat,was initially created as a direct parody of Garfield. In Bill’s first appearance, the otherBloom Countycharacters acknowledge that they are hoping to capitalize on the hot trend of merchandising, as well as the big bucks that come with it. Unfortunately for Bill, he lacks Garfield’s marketability, as his perpetual drug-induced comas and propensity for hacking up hairballs don’t lend themselves easily to children’s toys and cartoon specials. Neither does the fact that he has died and been resurrected on more than one occasion.
Bill the Cat has held a bunch of strange jobs over the decades, including presidential candidate, lead singer of the metal band Deathtöngue, Soviet spy, televangelist, Garfield impersonator and Donald Trump.
Garfield would make infrequent appearances inBloom County, as well as Breathed’s sequel strips,OutlandandOpus. Shortly after Breathed revivedBloom Countyin 2015, he revealed thatGarfield is actually Bill the Cat’s father. But while “even Darth Vadar [sic] acknowledged his son in the end,” Garfield refuses to even answer the phone when Bill calls every Christmas.
3TheU.S. AcresGang Lives at Jon Arbuckle’s Family Farm
July 16, 2025
Kids who grew up watching the animatedGarfield and Friendsshow likely remember theU.S. Acressegments that ran in each episode after an adventure starring Garfield. Few probably remember thatU.S. Acreswas actually a comic strip before the cartoon premiered. Created by Jim Davis and Brett Koth, the comic strip ran from 1986 to 1989. It centered around a group of barnyard animals including the level-headed Orson Pig, the wisecracking Roy Rooster, Sheldon (a chick that decided not to hatch from its egg), and the hydrophobic Wade Duck.
Of course, the dailyGarfieldstrip is still running strong today, and there have been numerous animated and live-action adaptations in the years sinceGarfield and Friendswent off the air.U.S. Acres, on the other hand, has not enjoyed the same longevity. But Davis has clearly not forgotten his less popular comic, as thisGarfieldstrip from 2023 shows. When Jon and Garfield drop in on the Arbuckle family farm for Mother’s Day, Roy Rooster and Orson Pig are among the farm animals who line up for a hug from Jon’s mom.
2Snoopy Shows Up to CelebratePeanuts' Charles Schulz
July 11, 2025
As mentioned earlier, Charles Schulz was a huge inspiration for Davis,as well as an entire generation of cartoonists. “Sparky” Schulz was such a monumental figure in the comics industry that fellow cartoonists continued to pay respect to him decades after he passed away in 2000.
In 2022, on what would have been Schulz’ 100th birthday, Jon reads to Garfield and Odie about a young boy who loved comics and grew up to create a strip of his own. “That comic strip made people laugh, and warmed hearts around the world and we lived happily ever after!” The last panel shows Snoopy once again making an appearance at the Arbuckle house, this time with a birthday cake.Naturally, Garfield is more interested in the cake than the story, but it’s a touching tribute to an artist who brought so much joy to the world.
1The Great Comics Switcheroonie
June 25, 2025
Cartoonists are tasked with coming up with new gags every day, so it’s no surprise that they would celebrate April Fools’ Day. What is a bit surprising, though, is that 46 cartoonists would be able to collaborate on a massive prank on their editors, newspapers and readers.In what’s now lovingly referred to as theGreat Comics Switcheroonie, dozens of cartoonists swapped strips for the day, taking on writing and drawing duties for one another.Beetle Bailey’s Mort Walker took over forShoe, Mike Peters ofMother Goose and GrimmhandledFor Better or For Worse, andFoxTrotwas drawn by Brad and Guy Gilchrest ofNancyfame.
Peanutscreator Charles Schulz andMUTTScreator Patrick McDonnell were originally going to swap comics, but ultimately did not after Schulz decided it wasn’t a good idea.
Two of the biggest titans of the comics page,Garfield’s Jim Davis andBlondie’s Dean Young and Stan Drake, switched for the day. In that day’sBlondie, Dagwood is making one of his signature sandwiches when Garfield shows up to devour it. Meanwhile,Garfieldsees Jon and Garfield going to stay with Blondie and Dagwood while their house is being repainted.The extra-meta comic strip not only sees Garfield and Jon acknowledging that they’re in a comic strip, but conversing directly with one another. The Great Comics Switcheroonie has gone down as one of the biggest events in the history of newspaper comic strips, and remains the greatest crossover betweenGarfieldand another cartoon to date.
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.
