Fish Dislike

Lore & Background

The trope extends beyond just eating; the mere scent of seafood can send Garfield into a tailspin. In various storylines, this aversion has been used to resolve conflicts, such as when Jon tries to force him to eat it or when Odie accidentally brings fishy items near the cat. The contrast between Garfield's love for rich, heavy foods and his hatred for anything related to the ocean underscores his specific, almost paradoxical personality: he is a creature of comfort who finds no comfort in the sea.

In Their Own Story

The kitchen smelled faintly of lemon and brine, a scent that made Garfield's fur stand on end. Jon beamed, holding up a plate with a steaming fillet, convinced it was the perfect healthy dinner. 'Just one bite, Garfield,' he coaxed, oblivious to the cat already backing away toward the sofa. As the aroma hit his nose, Garfield's eyes crossed, and he let out a dramatic groan that echoed through the house. With a theatrical shudder, he collapsed onto the rug, feigning unconsciousness just as Odie trotted in with a fish-shaped toy, sealing the cat's fate of another night without dinner.

Reader's Guide

The 'Fish Dislike' gag is a staple of the series, originating from the very early strips to establish Garfield's specific culinary boundaries. It functions as a classic reversal: while cats are stereotypically associated with loving fish in real life and animation history, Garfield subverts this expectation entirely for comedic effect. The joke appears frequently across comics, television specials, and movies. The execution usually involves Jon preparing a seafood dish with genuine enthusiasm, only to be met with Garfield's exaggerated horror. Variations include Garfield pretending to eat it and immediately spitting it out, or using the smell of fish as an excuse to leave the room entirely. Over time, the trope has evolved to include visual gags where Garfield turns green or sees hallucinations when near seafood. It remains a reliable tool for writers to demonstrate Jon's obliviousness and Garfield's cunning ability to manipulate situations through physical comedy.

Did You Know?

• Garfield's hatred of fish is a deliberate subversion of the common cartoon trope where cats love tuna or salmon.
• This aversion is so strong that in some stories, the mere mention of 'seafood' causes Garfield to panic before he even sees it.
• Odie, who often has no such aversions, sometimes enjoys fish, adding a layer of rivalry between the two pets regarding food preferences.
• The gag has appeared consistently from the first comic strip in 1978 through modern digital adaptations.