Garfield Cat Breed: The Persian Tabby

Garfield the famous cat is a comic strip icon and has been for the past 40 years now.

The iconic orange Tabby Persian cat is a common household name for the majority of families these days. If your family grew up with the antics of Garfield and his friends Otis the dog and Nermal the Garfield gray cat, you may now be wondering what breed of the cat the Garfield cartoon actually was. Once you know more about this beautiful mix breed, you may even be inclined to adopt a “real-life” Garfield cat.

Origins of the Tabby Persian

The Tabby Persian is a nature-loving feline that has roots in Iran, leading back into the 1920s. Some stories say that “Wizards” are responsible for the birth of this beautiful breed of cat. The real story behind the Tabby Persian, however, is a long time of experimentation on creating such a gorgeous breed of cat with their short yet large body frame, fluffy tail, and cute, squishy face. 

Back in the late 19th century, purebred Persians were often being bred with other majestic breeds of cat that were known to live in the areas of Turkey and Afghanistan, also known as Asiatic cats. This is where hybrid variations of the Persian cat, as well as the Tabby Persian began its lineage. 

The “Tabby” Persian cat is just a name that denotes the color pattern of their fur. The most well-known feature of a Tabby cat is the “M” shaped marking of the fur of their forehead. Garfield as well as Nermal were both considered to be “Mackerel” tabby Persians, judging by their fur patterns. 

About Persian Cats

The Persian cat is a medium-sized cat that has a nice long life span of 10 to 15 years.

Once these lovable cats were brought into the United States, they took the spotlight away from the Maine Coon cat, the big fluffy feline that had won over the hearts of American cat lovers for years before the Persian made their debut. 

Personality

Garfield may not have been considered to be a “sweet” cat, personality-wise, but his breed is typically known for their sweet, friendly, and docile personalities. Much like Garfield, the Persian Tabby is a laid back, lovable cat who loves to just lay around and be shown affection to by their human. 

Persian Tabbies also have a more selective personality. Garfield only preferred the affections of his owner Jon, and the occasional visitor that he had become familiar with over the years of the comic. Real-life Persian Tabbies are also just as selective of who they get their affections from. 

Persian Tabbies are not a very needy breed of cat. Not outwardly at least. Persian Tabbies are perfectly happy just picking a comfy spot, preferably in the sunlight or in a box, and just watching their humans go about their day. They aren’t the kind of cat that gives their humans any problems with destroying furniture or climbing up curtains either. 

If you enjoy living a quiet, calm lifestyle at home, the Persian Tabby is the perfect match for you. They don’t do very well in loud, chaotic environments. Just like Garfield who would flee to hide under his blanket and snuggle up with his teddy bear when the world around him was too much to handle.

Upkeep for the Persian Tabby

It wasn’t featured too often in the Comic strip, but Garfield’s breed of cat needs daily grooming to keep up with their massive amount of fluffy fur.

The Persian Tabby has a thick, fluffy coat of fur, similar to that of a Maine Coon. Meaning, it can easily get tangled up and matted when not kept up with on a regular basis. 

If keeping up with your Persian Tabby’s fur coat becomes a little overwhelming, taking them to a groomer who is experienced with their type of fur is always a good option. Depending on the climate of the area that you live, having the groomer shave them in the warmer months is also an option. This part of cat care helps to keep them from overheating, while also making their fur coat that much more manageable.  

There have been minimal health problems reported with this breed of cat, but just like with any other breed, some issues can pop up over time. Some of the more common health problems that the Persian cat experiences are related to the squishy nature of their facial structure. These problems include excessive tearing and sometimes trouble with breathing.

Conclusion

Garfield is one of America’s most popular and well-known fictional cats, but not everyone has been able to pick out what breed of feline he is over the years. The Persian Tabby, the breed that both Garfield and Nermal are in the iconic comic strip, is a wonderful and loving breed of cat.

They are an overall low maintenance cat who just loves to lay around and enjoy the company of their human owner, making them an excellent first pet option. However, they do require daily upkeep with their grooming, or else there will be trouble with tangles and mats in their fur if left unkempt for extended periods of time. Overall, the Persian Tabby is a beautiful cat, as far as appearances go, but their personality matches that description as well. 

What kind of cat is Garfield?

The fictional comic strip cat named Garfield is an orange Persian Tabby. Although the comic doesn’t portray any fine details such as fur texture and volume, it is obvious that Garfield is a Persian Tabby, just judging by his personality, facial features, and of course his fur pattern.

How old is Garfield the cat?

Per the age of the comic itself, Garfield the cat just recently turned 42 years old. The comic strip created by Jim David initially debuted on June 19, 1978. Each year on the anniversary of the comic strip Garfield has a birthday party within the comic.

Is Garfield a real cat?

Garfield is not a real cat but is a fictional feline and the main character of his own comic strip. A comic created by artist Jim Davis back in 1978. Garfield has since had cartoon shows and even a live-action movie created, based on his comic strip.

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