03 SepNermal, Nermal, Nermal!

Who exactly is Nermal, and how did he come into Garfield’s life?

Nermal was introduced on the 3rd of September, 1979. In the comic, Jon claims that Nermal was his parents’ pet. Jon is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of the little kitten, whom Garfield shuns, like the snob he is.

The gray kitty has been the subject of much debate, firstly regarding his gender, and secondly his origins. Fans and translators alike have often mistaken Nermal for a girl! After all, he has eyelashes and a female voice actor. Nermal has drawn attention for not conforming to common gender norms, and people have praised Nermal for contributing to gender diversity. Others, still, maintain that Nermal is simply a young boy and has yet to reach puberty. Although Nermal once said that he’s going to stay cute forever because he’s actually a midget, which might suggest he’s actually an older cat with a dwarfism condition.

Nermal’s origins, on the other hand, are a mystery. All we know is that he appears every time Jon’s parents are on vacation, or are unable to take care of Nermal for some unknown reason. Perhaps they decided Nermal needs a friend? Welp, good luck being friends with Garfield, cause he’d send Nermal straight to Abu Dhabi!

Whatever the case, Nermal is a curious little cat who is an invaluable addition to Garfield’s cast of characters, and despite his vanity and his rivalry with Garfield, we all love him for the cute gray cat he is!