Did Jon Really Drink Dog Semen In This 1990 "Garfield" Comic? Jim Davis Says No.

The "dog semen" comic has been talked about for decades.

Garfield creator Jim Davis says a 1990 comic strip has been widely misunderstood, and that it does not show Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, drinking a cup of dog semen.

B. Gomer / Getty Images

The infamous comic has long befuddled fans.

Jim Davis / Via Garfield.com

It ran May 30, 1990, and that entire week's strips were devoted to Jon and Garfield's trip to the veterinarian's office, where Jon repeatedly and unsuccessfully hits on the vet, Liz.

The strip in question shows Jon grabbing a cup on the counter and taking a big swig, apparently in the belief that it's filled with coffee.

"Congratulations, Mr. Arbuckle," says Liz. "You are going to give birth to a fine, healthy litter of puppies."

That Jon drinks dog semen has become an article of faith among many Garfield fans.

Reliable Truck @ccchauffe

Have yall seen this Garfield where Jon drinks dog semen? What a great comic

Thu Jan 22 21:41:38 UTC+0000 2015

Via Twitter: @ccchauffe

A 2006 Straight Dope message board discussion about the comic "where Jon drinks dog semen" suggests it has been an obsession among some fans for quite a long time.

There have always been doubters, but it's never been clear what Davis's punchline really meant.

This week, Twitter user @realnutsling tweeted photos of a signed copy of the comic, with Davis seemingly sanctioning the dog semen interpretation.

@realnutsling/Twitter / Via Twitter: @realnutsling

"These events are canon," says a note from Davis.

Twitter user @realnutsling declined to speak with BuzzFeed News.

But Davis says people have it all wrong.

B. Gomer / Getty Images

"On the farm, we used to give first-calf heifers a high protein supplement to help them deliver healthier calves," he said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. "The supplement was provided by our vet."

Since Liz is a vet, "I assumed that there would be a similar supplement for dogs," Davis said.

"So Jon is drinking a protein-enriched drink formulated for a pregnant dog."

That's why Liz mentions the "healthy" litter Jon would have — because he had just drunk a supplement for pregnant dogs, not dog semen.

"There you have it!" Davis said.