Summary
When one thinks of a slightly mischievous, utterly hilarious orange cartoon cat whose adventures can be chronicled in a serialized comic strip, more often than not they’ll think ofGarfield, despite the fact that another ‘orange cartoon cat’ was actually around first, and arguably even funnier than the more widely-known Garfield:Heathcliff.
Heathcliffis a single-panel comic strip series created by George Gately in 1973 (and is currently written and drawn by Gately’s nephew, Peter Gallagher). LikeGarfield,Heathclifffollows an orange cat through all sorts of hilarious misadventures - though, perhaps that sentence should be flipped.Heathcliffactually predatesGarfieldby five years, asGarfieldwas created by Jim Davis in 1978. Unfortunately for Heathcliff, Garfield easily became the more widely recognized of the two (which is actually something that’s prominently joked about in more modernHeathcliffcomics).
Despite being greatly overshadowed byGarfield’s widespread popularity,Heathcliffreally is quite funny, arguably even more so thanGarfielditself. While it’s hard to discount the work of Jim Davis and the well-earned success ofGarfield, there are certainHeathcliffcomics that might make one question if the wrong orange cat got famous. Here are10 of the funniestHeathcliffcomics that prove he’s just as good as (if not better than)Garfield!
10 Funniest Calvin and Hobbes Comics That Just Turned 30 (in May 2024)
Calvin and Hobbes is a beloved, timeless comic strip that readers have enjoyed for decades. Here are 10 of the funniest strips that just turned 30!
10Heathcliff Faces Off Against Garfield Himself
Heathcliff- July 30, 2025
If one is to make the bold claim that Heathcliff is funnier than Garfield, it’s only understandable that Garfield would want to defend himself - and the Heathcliff comic gives him the chance to do just that.
As previously mentioned, Heathcliff is very much aware that Garfield is more popular, and plays on that in his own comic strips quite often. However, this strip (or panel) in particular easily stands out from those other meta, self-deprecating jokes. It features Heathcliff facing Garfield on the sidewalk with two birds in a nearby tree watching what may amount to a conflict (either verbal or physical).
The caption reads, “It just got real.”, bringing an air of seriousness to the situation, which is absolutely hilarious, especially if it’s brought to the most extreme conclusion ofHeathcliff and Garfield fighting to see once and for all who the superior orange feline truly is. While readers don’t know what will come of this face-off, the implication that it could turn violent (like a ‘Homer Simpson vs Peter Griffin’-esque combat scenario) is one of the best meta jokes in the series, especially as it relates to Garfield.
9Heathcliff is Distracted By a Clever Bird Worried for Their Life
Heathcliff- August 13, 2025
Heathcliffhas always incorporated birds in the comic strip, usually as observers (like with the above example featuring Garfield), but sometimes as the focus of any given comic itself - and the above panel is an example of the latter. In it, a bird finds itself in the path of Heathcliff and his girlfriend, Sonja, meaning the bird was in very real danger of being eaten. However, there is a skywriting plane above that wrote the word ‘ham’ in the sky, and the bird points up at it to distract the cats long enough to get away.
This joke not only makes jest of the impending doom facing any small bird that finds itself in the path of two hungry cats, but also a running gag in theHeathcliffcomic strip. Heathcliff is famously obsessed with meat, including and especially ham. Therefore, eventhe very mention of ham in Heathcliff’s presence could spare this bird a grisly fate. And if not, then it’s still a hilariously well-thought-out attempt.
8Heathcliff Establishes the Joke: Two Birds Walk Into a Cat Bar…
Heathcliff- July 17, 2025
As previously mentioned, birds are generally not safe in theHeathcliffuniverse, as there seems to be cats around every corner - even in unsuspecting bars. When two birds walk into a bar (which, to be fair, does not specify it is a bar for cats), they stand in utter shock and horror as every cat in the place looks at them as they enter. The caption of this comic reads, “whoops”, which may be a bit of an understatement, given that these two birds will surely be eaten if they don’t get out of there immediately.
Heathcliffeffectively sets up the joke: two birds walk into a cat bar…and the punchline writes itself with a single word: ‘whoops’ - which is as funny for readers as it is terrifying for the birds.
7Heathcliff & Sonja Wearing ‘Cat Wigs’ is Visual Comedy at its Best
Heathcliff- June 20, 2025
This comic featuresHeathcliff and Sonja walking out of the Cat Wigs storesporting two new hairstyles they purchased inside, and the shop owner is looking at them as they go, thinking, “I’m just living the dream”. There’s not a lot of context in this single-panel comic alone, aside from the hilarious visual of two cats not only wearing wigs, but doing so after purchasing them at a store made specifically to sell cat wigs.
Why does this store even exist? Why do the cats want wigs? Why is it the store owner’s dream to sell wigs to cats? This comic answers none of those questions, but it does raise those questions, which alone is hysterical.
When looking back at otherHeathcliffcomics, the Cat Wigs store is not unique to this panel alone. Heathcliff’s town seemingly has a circulation of Cat Wigs stores ready to move into this booming market, all while offering no definitive reason why the cats are so obsessed with buying and wearing wigs in the first place. However, just the fact that readers are pondering ‘why these cats love wigs’ is enough explanation as to why this gag is so funny.
6Heathcliff Shares His Famous Love for Meat with His Meat Tank
Heathcliff- June 21, 2025
While arguably Heathcliff’s favorite form of it is ham, the orange cat does not discriminate when it comes to meat in general, as he famously loves meat in practically any form. In this comic, however, Heathcliff isn’t exactly pouncing on a potential meat-rich meal, but is instead sharing his love for meat with the entire town by displaying it proudly in his Meat Tank. The presumed owners of a nearby meat shop even comment on Heathcliff’s Meat Tank, saying, “Children love the Meat Tank”, as it is surrounded by local kids cheering on Heathcliff.
This comic is weird, as there’s not much that can be drawn from it.Heathcliff is operating a Meat Tank (whatever that means)and the kids love it. That’s it. It’s absurd, to be sure, which is the main reason it’s so funny, and it’s not the first time fans have seen the Meat Tank in action. There just seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, at least none that’s immediately obvious.
While that may seem like a negative, this level of absurdism is what Heathcliff is known for which absolutely makes it stand out from the likes of Garfield.
5Heathcliff Has a Perfect Crossover with Sesame Street
Heathcliff- August 14, 2025
As Heathcliff is attempting to enter the city dump for one reason or another (assuredly food-motivated), he’s stopped at the entrance by Oscar the Grouch, the lovable trashcan-dwelling muppet monster from Sesame Street. The caption spells out their exchange from the perspective of the two birds watching, as it reads, “You must solve his riddle to enter”, presenting Oscar the Grouch as some kind of troll-like guardian of the trash. However, if previous comics are any indication, Heathcliff and Oscar’s actual conversation is much less underlyingly threatening than these birds assume.
While the crossover itself is equal parts funny and random, it’s actually just one of many that have taken place over the course ofHeathcliff’s publication history. As it turns out,Heathcliff and Oscar the Grouch are ‘colleagues’(as pointed out in a previous comic) who semi-regularly spend time with each other. This comic was probably more of a meeting of old friends than Heathcliff inadvertently stumbling upon some sort of riddle-telling trash guardian. But either way, this crossover is absolutely perfect.
Heathcliff- June 27, 2025
WhenHeathcliff’s people have another couple over for drinks one night, Heathcliff completely loses it and launches an attack against the guests. Right before Heathcliff lands his strike, the guests are told, “That’s a sensitive subject with him”. It’s explained to the victims why they are about to be clawed to shreds by this sensitive orange cat, so at least they know why they are being so violently punished. However, while they may know, it’s not exactly explained to the reader. What could they have said to deserve such a brutal reaction from Heathcliff? Upon looking back at some other comic strips, it’s clear that it doesn’t take much.
This attack Heathcliff is launching is his signature move, as he’s used it against a number of people that have offended him. In one instance, someone was simply saying ‘bro’ too much, so they ignited Heathcliff’s merciless wrath. Another instance showed someone wearing a ‘#1’ foam finger while watching a sporting match, and Heathcliff attacked him because ‘there can only be one #1 in his house’. So, while readers don’t know what set Heathcliff off this time, it’s pretty clear that it could have been anything - and that alone is hysterical.
3Another Heathcliff Assault is a Simple Case of Mistaken Identity
Heathcliff- June 12, 2025
It’s been well-established by this point that Heathcliff loves meat, and is willing to attack someone with very little provocation - and those two points are explored hilariously in this comic. A man sitting shirtless on a park bench with the word ‘meat’ tattooed on his chest finds himself in very serious danger when Heathcliff launches his iconic assault. The man’s spouse tells him that getting that tattoo was a mistake, and he’s about to find out why in truly brutal fashion.
Heathcliff isn’t attacking this man because he unknowingly offended him, he’s doing so becauseHeathcliff is taking the man’s tattoo a bit too literally. While it’s not wrong, per se, given that humans are, indeed, made of meat, Heathcliff doesn’t canonically have a taste for human flesh, meaning this assault is a hilariously simple case of mistaken identity.
2Heathcliff Goes Meta in a Surprisingly Heartbreaking Manner
Heathcliff- July 22, 2025
This comic features Heathcliff wearing an oversized ‘Heathcliff’ suit. He takes the head off this costume to reveal that there’s just a smaller ‘him’ inside. The two birds watching from the tree above comment, “It gets hot in that outfit”, whileHeathcliff’s face looks a bit annoyed, if not totally exhausted, having had to seemingly wear this suit for a long period of time.
The message of this comic seems to be a bit somber, as it implies that Heathcliff feels the weight of being the mascot of his own series, and it’s sometimes too much to bear. The caption “It gets hot in that outfit” speaks to the nature of this meta commentary, and may even be more meta than initially thought.
The writer and artist of this comic is Peter Gallagher, who took over for his uncle/creator of Heathcliff, George Gately in the late ‘90s. This panel could be a reference to the potential ‘impostor syndrome’ felt by the writer/artist, as he feels the weight of carrying his loved one’s legacy, all while possibly feeling like a ‘smaller version’ of that legacy underneath. While these points are completely interpretive and are in no way confirmed, this comic is interesting because it offers up that interpretation, which is surprisingly heartbreaking for such a light-hearted cartoon.
1Heathcliff Flexes His Magical Powers (Much to His Person’s Dismay)
Heathcliff- June 04, 2025
In stark contrast to the previous comic, this one is pure, absurd fun, as Heathcliff is somehow using magic to capture two mice that live in the walls of his house (presumably to eat them) before he’s interrupted by his person, who scolds, “I told you - no wizardry!”. The fact thatHeathcliff is clearly capable of wielding magicis made even funnier by the implication that this isn’t his first time doing so, and that it is, in fact, a problem.
Heathcliff has been told not to wield magic in the house, despite seemingly being well-trained in the practice - and everything about this situation is so ridiculous it’s hilarious.
This comic also makes one think back to the first comic on this list, where Heathcliff is facing off against his meta rival, Garfield. Given that Heathcliff can wield magic - and has done so enough times to get in trouble for doing it - it’s obvious who the winner of that ‘fight’ would be. That means this comic inadvertently gives an in-world answer as to howHeathcliffis better thanGarfield, just as every one of these 10 hilarious comic strips arguably prove.
