On May 30, 1990, a seemingly innocuous daily Garfield comic strip landed in newspapers, destined to become one of the most bizarre and talked-about moments in the lasagna-loving cat’s long history. While new strips have graced us daily since 1978, this particular one from 35 years ago sparked a debate that still echoes: Did Garfield’s owner, Jon Arbuckle, unwittingly (or wittingly?) consume dog semen?
The panel in question depicts Jon attempting to flirt with Liz, the veterinarian. He’s seen drinking from a cup, after which Liz quips he should expect a “fine, healthy litter of puppies.” Jon’s subsequent disgusted reaction seems to confirm he’s ingested something truly vile.
For decades, this “dog semen comic” became a notorious piece of internet lore. Fans and purveyors of weird facts circulated the strip, often met with disbelief or assumptions of digital alteration. Even if one charitably assumed creator Jim Davis didn’t intend such a risqué punchline, a clear, funny alternative explanation remained elusive, leaving the most shocking interpretation to flourish.
Clarity, or at least an official explanation, finally arrived in 2017. Buzzfeed directly questioned Jim Davis about the infamous strip. To the likely disappointment of many who reveled in the gross-out humor, Davis denied that Jon Arbuckle had consumed canine reproductive material. His actual explanation, however, was arguably just as strange and certainly less amusing.
“On the farm, we used to give first-calf heifers a high-protein supplement to help them deliver healthier calves,” Davis told Buzzfeed. “The supplement was provided by our vet. Since Liz is a vet, I assumed that there would be a similar supplement for dogs. There you have it!”
While one might be inclined to believe the creator, it remains baffling that no one in the Garfield production pipeline flagged how easily this strip could be (and was) misinterpreted. Furthermore, the idea that readers would universally understand a niche reference to pre-natal cow supplements as the comedic crux of a Garfield strip seems a stretch.
But the plot, much like the mysterious liquid, thickened later in 2017. A signed copy of the infamous strip reportedly surfaced, bearing an intriguing handwritten note from Davis himself: “These events are canon.”
This cryptic message throws Davis’s earlier, more anodyne explanation into doubt. Perhaps, 35 years ago, Jim Davis, in a moment of audacious humor, decided to see just how far he could push the boundaries of a family comic strip and actually succeeded. Admitting it outright then, or even now, could risk tarnishing Garfield’s wholesome (if lazy) brand.
Yet, as we hit 2025, the internet landscape thrives on such weirdness. If Davis were to lean into the notorious interpretation, he could arguably capitalize on it. Imagine the merchandise! It’s been nearly four decades, Jim. The statute of limitations on bizarre comic strip jokes has surely passed. Perhaps it’s time to embrace the legend and let the world in on the real punchline – whatever it truly was.
