Raising Garfield: what parents of kids 4–7 should know
Garfield's age ratings depend on which Garfield your child watches: Apple TV's US listing rates The Garfield Show (2009) TV-Y7 and the older Garfield and Friends TV-G. The Garfield Movie (2024) is rated PG by the MPA for action/peril and mild thematic elements, and U in the UK. The UK's BBFC rated The Garfield Show U. Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit, lists both TV series for ages 6 and up.
Garfield at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
Apple TV US: TV-Y7; BBFC: U - –Violence in rating descriptors
BBFC U: violence (not counted at U) - –Scary content in rating descriptors
BBFC U: threat (not counted at U) - –Bad language in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed; BBFC U - –Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
No descriptors listed; BBFC U - –Rated 12 or higher in the UK or Germany
BBFC: U
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count. Rating reasons marked mild, very mild, or brief don't count.
| Type | Cartoons and films about the lasagna-loving cat from Jim Davis's comic strip source |
|---|---|
| US (TV rating) | The Garfield Show (2009): TV-Y7 (for ages 7 and older); Garfield and Friends (1988): TV-G, per Apple TV US source |
| US (MPA), movie | The Garfield Movie (2024): PG for action/peril and mild thematic elements source |
| UK (BBFC) | U (universal; suitable for all) for The Garfield Show — threat, bullying, violence source |
| Common Sense Media | 6+ for both The Garfield Show and Garfield and Friends (an independent nonprofit's age guidance) |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Garfield?
Short answer: A lazy, lasagna-loving orange cat from Jim Davis's comic strip, with his owner, Jon, and the dog Odie.
Garfield and Friends aired on CBS on Saturday mornings from September 17, 1988, to December 10, 1994. The Garfield Show, a CGI series, was made by the French studio Dargaud Media with Davis's company, Paws, Inc., with Frank Welker as Garfield, per Wikipedia. The Garfield Movie (2024) stars Chris Pratt as Garfield, reunited with his father, Vic.
Garfield age rating: what's in it
Short answer: TV-Y7 and TV-G for the TV series, PG for the 2024 movie, U in the UK.
- US (Apple TV): The Garfield Show TV-Y7; Garfield and Friends TV-G.
- US (MPA): The Garfield Movie PG, action/peril and mild thematic elements.
- UK (BBFC): The Garfield Show U, threat, bullying, violence; The Garfield Movie U.
- Common Sense Media: 6+ for both series.
For The Garfield Show, Common Sense Media lists slapstick collisions, falls and knocks to the head, with rare injuries, and no language or drinking.
Is The Garfield Movie PG?
Short answer: Yes. The MPA rated The Garfield Movie (2024) PG for action/peril and mild thematic elements.
The UK's BBFC rated it U for very mild threat, violence, language and rude humour. Per Wikipedia, it was directed by Mark Dindal, with Samuel L. Jackson as Garfield's father.
The habit kids may copy: let someone else do it
Common Sense Media notes that Garfield "cons Odie into doing most of his work for him" and takes the easy way out, all played for humor.
Try tonight: my job, your job
Pick one small chore, like putting toys in a bin. Hold up two baskets or bags and sort a few tasks together. Ask: "Is this my job, or someone else's job?" Then do one of your child's jobs side by side. In our program, this is the lesson "Two Baskets": what's up to me, and what isn't.
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FAQ
What is Garfield rated?
The Garfield Show is TV-Y7 and Garfield and Friends is TV-G on Apple TV's US listing. The Garfield Movie (2024) is PG.
What age is The Garfield Movie for?
The MPA rated it PG, which has no age limit, and the UK's BBFC rated it U.
What age is The Garfield Show for?
Its US rating is TV-Y7, for children 7 and older. Common Sense Media lists it for ages 6 and up.
Who created Garfield?
Cartoonist Jim Davis created Garfield for his comic strip, per Wikipedia.
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