The great Garfield gender debate ends after Wikipedia edit war

Garfield's first appearance was on June 19, 1978. Garfield was created by Jim Davis. Garfield is a tabby cat. Garfield is male. These are all things you will learn about Garfield at first glance of the Wikipedia page "Garfield."

But what you don't learn is the story behind why there are four cited sources for the cartoon cat's gender.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

It all started when Twitter user, and Chapo Trap House podcast member, Virgil Texas found an old Jim Davis interview from Mental Floss that seemed to indicate that Garfield has no gender.

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He updated the Garfield Wiki to reflect this new revelation. Texas told The Washington Post that he was only concerned about “Garfield canon" and folks? I believe him.

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This did not sit right with the Garfield WIkipedia community apparently, as citations of Garfield's gender began pouring onto the page.

Comic after comic started popping up on the page that Wikipedia users seemed to think proved, definitively, that Garfield is male.

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OK but really, who has time to go back through years of old Garfield comics in search of evidence of Garfield's gender? Who is earnestly making these edits on Wikipedia?

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Oh.

The edit war waged on furiously for 60 hours until Wikipedia was forced to lock the Garfield page in hopes that the heat would die down.

After the controversy made waves on social media, The Washington Post decided to take matters into their own hands and finally get to the bottom of this by reaching out to Jim Davis.

“Garfield is male,” Davis said. “He has a girlfriend, Arlene.”

Upon hearing Jim Davis' remarks, Texas backed down, saying on Twitter, "Jim Davis is the final authority on Garfield canon."

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You can close the book on this one ... for now.