Garfield bought by Viacom for Nickelodeon

Garfield, the lasagna-loving, lazy comic-strip cat is getting adopted by Viacom.

The company, which owns Nickelodeon, announced Tuesday that it has entered a deal to acquire Paws, a holding company that owns the rights to “Garfield” and the “U.S. Acres” franchises. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Garfield will take his place alongside “Spongebob Squarepants,” “PAW Patrol,” and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, among other properties already owned by Viacom.

“I’m delighted that Garfield is going to be placed in the capable hands of the folks at Nick,” Jim Davis, the character’s creator, said in statement. “They know how to entertain and will be great stewards for the franchise. I am also excited to continue to do the thing that gets me out of bed every morning … the comic strip!”

Nickelodeon plans to develop a new Garfield animated television series as well as merchandise. Davis will continue to produce Garfield’s comic strip.

“Great content is core to the strength of our brands, and Garfield is a beloved character that continues to be part of the cultural zeitgeist with universal resonance across all ages,” Sarah Levy, COO of Viacom Media Networks, said Tuesday.

Notably, Garfield was turned into two theatrical films by Fox in the early 2000s. The two films grossed around $350 million globally.