A reboot of Garfield is “in development” with a Hollywood studio. So why not look back at a previous movie incarnation of the beloved cat, the live action animated Garfield (2004), which spawned a 2006 sequel.

Before the movies, the fat cat Garfield has been around for decades. He is the center of attention (probably much to his liking) in cartoon strips and animations and merchandise.

And he is still very much the focus of attention. Garfield is a pop culture icon that is easily recognized and loved.

On the lighter side

This cat, who is well looked after by his owner Jon, loves lasagna and sleeping and says so.

His gruff, off-side bedside manner is regarded by one and all as endearing rather than pain in the neck. How grumpy people wished they were treated so well.

Garfield bears a yellow golden coat of fur, a slightly punched up nose, chubby face and down a bit further a pot belly.

I used to have a cat like this and I also had Garfield cartoon strip books. I hid in a cupboard a Garfield doll.

Obviously, I had an affinity for Garfield and cats that look like him.

The 2004 movie sticks to Garfield basics. The feline is rough around the edges and super reliant on Jon. Feeding time is what he loves as much as sleeping.

Odie is Jon’s other pet and Odie’s arrival turns Garfield’s world upside down.

Center of attention

With the arrival of Odie, Garfield is no longer number one. If Jon’s pets are like his children then Odie is the new born, who upsets the balance in the older child’s life.

The point of this movie is life is not always about being loved and pampered but is about treating others as well as yourself. The theme is stretched out to a bit of a story involving ambitious television host Happy Chapman who will do anything to be successful, even steal Odie for his show.

The lovable feline loves getting massaged and is full of bravado and seemingly narcissistic tendencies (which we find amusing in this cat and cats generally), but it turns out he’s able to help others, even at risk of losing his life.

It may be a stretch. How does a grumpy cat get around to actually liking and helping others? The point of view is that he can. The big picture is quite simply that Garfield isn’t the center of the world.