Comic Cats
Garfield or Catbert Who's Your Favourite?

Comic cats have been with us ever since daily newspapers became popular. There had to be something which helped to bring some light relief amongst all the bad news we get every day and what could be better than a sweet pussy cat.

OK I know not all cats are sweet and in most cases cat cartoons do not portray cats as cute and nice, but more often than not, cunning and perhaps a little bit self centered. But hey we love them anyway.

These cat cartoons are my favourite and even though a few may be from some time ago, I still think they have their own special charm. Hope you agree.

Garfield

copyright Garfield.com

Garfield has to be top of my favourite comic cats list. I first came across him when I was in my teenage years and just started to take notice of the daily newspapers. I can't remember which one I first saw him; I just know that from the first time I read about his exploits with his master Jon, I knew we would be friends for ever.

Garfield is a big fat lazy cat who loves to sleep, eat and drink coffee, and not much else. Well apart from perhaps torment his doggy pal Odie and his nephew Nermal. He also loves his teddy bear Pooky.

Garfield the comic strip was first published in 1978 and is drawn by Jim Davis. It is now the world's biggest syndicated comic strip and has also been turned into several films and television series.

Heathcliff

Heathcliff is often compared to Garfield as they are both similar types of orange cat. Both have large characters and both are rather fat and very self assured. However Heathcliff tends to get himself into more everyday chaotic situations whereby he is always being chased out of shops etc where he has caused some disturbance or another.

Whereas Garfield is laid back most of the time, Heathcliff is a wisecracking cat who is always out and about looking for adventures, with his gang and girlfriend Sonja.

Heathcliff was created in 1973 by George Gately. Heathcliff is still a very popular comic cat strip.

Catbert

Catbert is a completely different kind of comic cat to the others who are big characters and who are the star of their own shows etc. Catbert was actually created as a bit part why back in 1994 in the popular office based comic strip called Dilbert. However people demanded they see more of Catbert and he was eventually brought back as the evil director of human resources.

Catbert is simply drawn but definitely radiates menace in his calm and sadistic manner. His role is to come up with ever more nasty policies for the employees to enforce, such as counting bathroom visits as vacation time.

However I do find it rather cute that when he celebrates bringing in a new nasty policy his reaction is to purr loudly, hug himself and do an evil cat dance in celebration.  Although his character is evil his cat like behaviours still endear him to everyone I think. Love him.

Krazy Kat

Now many of you may have not heard about the comic strip for krazy kat. No wonder as he as was in print only between1913 to 1944. He first appeared in the New York Evening journal.

The krazy Kat cartoon was quite different from the comic strips we are used to today. It was often surreal and simplistic.

There are three main characters, krazy kat who is a rather simple cat who goes through life in a carefree manner. A mouse called Ignatz and a police dog called Offissa Bull Pup.

The basic storyline is that krazy kat loves the mouse, which in return hates him and is constantly throwing bricks at his head. Offissa Bull Pup job is to arrest the mouse for this behaviour. Not a very sophisticated story line I agree but throughout all of this brick throwing Krazy Kat has all sorts of adventures.

This comic is now seen as one for the true comic lovers.

Cat In the Hat

Ok I know the Cat in the Hat is not strictly a comic strip cat but rather character from a book, but its close enough and one of my favourites.

The cat in the hat is a rather strange looking character, half cat, half human who wears a very tall stripy red and white hat. He is a rather outgoing character who delights in showing off his tricks to children.

The book was written for children by Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) in 1957. It is written in a way that is not only easy for little ones to understand but it also rhymes, I love listening to this book being read out loud. Listen to this excerpt from the book if you love to hear this story out load too.

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