What is Garfield's owner's name? Exploring his ability to understand the cat

Garfield and his human owner Jon debuted in a 1976 comic strip series named after the latter. Initially, Jonathan Arbuckle was intended to be the primary character of the comic series by legendary cartoonist Jim Davis.

Following the orange tabby cat's popularity, the comic series' title was changed to the feline's name, and Jon became the deuteragonist of the series. After Garfield's birth in the late 1970s, Jon bought the cat from a pet shop.

The iconic cat frequently makes fun of various aspects of Jon's life throughout the franchise. The cat often trolls Jon's social awkwardness, fashion sense, and occasional depression.

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What is known about Garfield's human owner, Jon Arbuckle?

Jonathan Q. Arbuckle is the owner of Garfield and Odie from the renowned comic strips, which are the most syndicated ones in history. As per Jim Davis' comics, Jon is a clumsy and socially awkward man.

In Davis' first strip on Jonathan, the character worked as a cartoonist. According to the comic series, he had previously worked as a DJ and a dog-catcher. The character also had a very embarrassing dating life throughout the years, where he was showcased in extremely cringe romantic situations. However, things took a turn in 2006, when Arbuckle and Dr. Liz Wilson officially began a relationship.

According to the Garfield comics' history, Jonathan was born to his parents, who are only referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Arbuckle. Jon has a brother whom he refers to as 'Doc Boy,' much to the latter's dismay. Doc Boy reportedly lives with Jon and his parents at their farm.

This aspect of Jon's life seems to have been inspired by Jim Davis' own life. Like Jon, Davis is also a cartoonist who grew up on a farm. The Garfield comic series is reportedly set in Davis' hometown of Muncie, Indiana.

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Jonathan Arbuckle's most prominent characteristics

Ever since the character's debut in 1976, Arbuckle has been portrayed as a dorky person. Arbuckle has quirky interests like playing accordion, wearing polka-dotted suits, disco music, and more. The character is also quite dull-witted, which often puts him in physical harm or causes complications in his relationships.

In the franchise, Jonathan is portrayed as a naive, gullible, and immature person. He is often the victim of pranks and borderline scams.

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Can Jon Arbuckle understand Garfield?

Jim Davis' comics have clearly established that the sarcastic orange tabby cat cannot verbally speak. The anthropomorphic cat is showcased to the readers in the original panels with his thought bubbles. While the fourth wall is occasionally broken in the comics, Jonathan is unaware of what the cat is saying.

Thus, Jon's response to Garfield's thought bubbles is unintentional. The simplest explanation for this is that Jon knows his cat and can formulate a response or reaction based on the titular character's actions and expressions.

However, in some comics, Arbuckle has directly responded to something the mischievous cat said. Jon's reply indicated that he had heard the thought bubble, which may not be the case. It is possible that the cat occasionally expresses his opinions with verbal cues, which probably helps Jon understand the cat's intent.

This aspect of the comics has sparked an interesting debate amongst fans. Some fans on Reddit have theorized that Jon might be delusional and may think that the iconic cat can actually speak.