The Far Side has based humor on every kind of animal imaginable, with cats receiving some of the best punchlines and flawless depictions. Capturing the timeless behaviors, traits, qualities, and characteristics of cats, The Far Side showed cat lovers a wealth of comedy still relevant to this day.

While cat lovers may love the feline animals to bits, that does not mean that they do not recognize cats' more irksome qualities. Nobody knows better when it comes to bird cravings or dog rivalry, and Gary Larson does an exceptional job of using this isnide humor to deliver the best cat comedy The Far Side produced, still effective after decades.

10 "To Think You Almost Left The Bullets In"

August 3, 1990

It is no secret that dogs and cats do not tend to get along. As experienced cat owners know, the animosity between cats and dogs can be all too real. Likewise, The Far Side acknowledges it in the most outlandish way possible (of course). When a woman berates her husband Frank for irresponsibility of buying pets automatic weapons, not to mention the fact that he was stupidly planning on keeping the bullets in the weapons, the reader sees the cat and dog shooting blanks at each other over and over again. Had Frank not bet on the animosity and left the bullets in the guns, it would have been a much darker comic strip (probably would not be able to be shown in the Sunday paper).

9 "Cat Showers"

It is a well known fact, even by those who are not cat lovers, that cats bathe themselves with their nautrally barged tongues. So it stands to reason that, as depicted in this Far Side comic, the 'cat version' of a shower removes the work of bathing altogether. Cat lovers have seen their adored pets do this all the time, even to the point of annoyance, making this comic strip incredibly relatable for cat owners and cat lovers. While it may be a bit offputting to see a cat bathe itself by repeated licking, at least it is one less job for the pet owner to do.

8 "Assorted Rodents And Small, Flightless Birds"

April 20, 1984

A cat's dream comes true when a truck filled with rodents collides into a truck containing small, flightless birds right outside the cat's front yard. The appeal of such prey is infamous even to casual cat fans, making the comic strip one that cat lovers can relate to instantly. Imagine a human being witnessing a truck filled with chocolate crashing into a pizza truck outside their front door. House cats are related to big cats after all who have big, meaty appetites, so it is fitting that their carnivorous appetite can overwhelm them at times, The Far Side.

7 "Put The Cat Out"

A cat can be the favored pet of a pet owner, putting another pet, like the dog, at a lesser position which comes with fewer perks. For instance, being forced to sleep outside while the cat gets to sleep in the nice, comfortable bed with their owner. The Far Side is all too aware of the favoritism owners can show to their cats but provides a snapshot of one dog who is trying their hardest to change things in their favor. When a woman is sound asleep, her dog tries to implant the thought of putting the cat outside into the dreaming woman's head. The cat sees this, stirred awake by the dog's attempt at subliminal messaging. Needless to say the cat is probably not too happy with the dog's cajoling but surely the cat will find some way to land on their feet, as cats tend to do.

6 "Look Who's Excited To See You"

December 12, 1987

The Far Side shows a cat and its owner coming back from getting declawed (the cat, not the human owner), who see that they have got some company as they approach their home; a dog that is ready to fight. The owner is of course clueless to the situation that is about to unfold, as humans are typically The Far Side. Cat lovers may find humor with the part of the comic that suggests the dog is striking to take the opportunity to get some long awaited revenge on the post-declawing and, as a result, defenseless cat. However, one things cat lovers will not be able to stand about this comic strip is the use of declawing, which is a process that has been considered inhumane, leaving cat lovers cringing.

5 "Zelda! Cool It!"

February 24, 1987

Like any pet, cats are certain to perk up at any sudden noise that might signal food, whether it is meant for them or not, is in close proximity. All too familiar with this habit of cats to come to attention when they hear whirring of a can opening, Gary Larson makes an unforgettable Far Side comic strip that cat lovers will find hilarious and oddly relatable. When a pair of cats are opening up a can of food, their cat neighbors, the Rothenbergs, come outside at the sound of the can opener. The presence of the Rothenbergs is not at all what the cats in the comic strip want, so one cat tells the other, Zelda, to stop immediately so their neighbors will not mosey on over to them.

4 "I Know Nothing"

Taking the cat that eats the canary all too literally, The Far Side gives readers a comic that has a woman coming back home to see a disheveled house, dynamite, an exploded birdcage, and a contented cat all in one room. Based on the stray feathers on the ground and the fact that there is literally no bird to be found, one would make some big money betting that the cat ate the poor woman's bird. Likewise, the cat seems perfectly content, and as guilty as possible. Cat lovers may not want to it it but they can relate to the comic strip when the cat gets up to all sorts of mischief while the owner of the strip is away, something all cat owners have gone through.

3 "Is He Friendly?"

September 17, 1985

The Far Side is highly adept at showing readers the punchline rather than telling, like any good writer should. As a result, this Far Side comic is extra funny, especially to cat lovers. A woman pets a couple's pet cat, quite taken with the little guy, asking if he is friendly, only for readers to see the cat's unfortunate owners incredibly beat up, clawed, and even missing an eye and some hair. One need not be an expert in felines to know that the cat of the comic strip is one aggressive kitty, especially to his owners. Cat lovers will find this comic strip resonate with them greatly, with even the most devoted cat lovers getting the short end of the stick at the whim of their cat. Not known as the most cuddly animals, The Far Side gives cat lovers something to resonate with and laugh at.

Gary Larson did not include recurring characters because he found it limiting.

2 "That Dang Cat"

Cat lovers, as much as they love their feline creatures, can get exasperated by some of their cat's quirks. One such annoying trait of cats is that they have a habit of bringing in undesirable items form the outside world into the house. The items cats can drag in the house can be gross, with some cats bringing their owners dead animals (or possibly even ones still living). Unless one is a taxidermist, getting dead animals dragged into the house seems like a nightmare. The Far Side shows a cat who has taken that impulse overboard, arriving with an entire wagon filled with different critters, causing its owners to outright attempt to keep it from coming home. All cat owners and cat lovers can relate to the people in the comic strip, understanding the exasperation that comes when they see their cat coming up to the doorstep with some undesirable souvenir.

1 "What They Hear"

December 14, 1983

Cat lovers, as much as they adore felines, can attest that the animals do not like to listen, no matter how firm the proclamation from their human. Gary Larson cleverly puts the 'ignoring cat' situation on the page, with a comic strip that shows a woman berating a cat for its bad behavior, only to show that the cat is hearing absolutely none of it (literally). Unlike their dog colleagues, it goes without saying that just as often as not, a firm talking-to or verbal dressing-down delivered to a cat will seem to fall on deaf ears. Cats are very stubborn animals who like to do things their way or no way, with this comic strip giving a full scientific explanation behind this loathsome cat behavior as seen by cat lovers everywhere. While cats may not be perfect by any stretch, cat lovers will continue to love them even when they ignore them.