Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Bodegas are New York City institutions. They are the friendly neighborhood corner stores where the owners know their regulars by name. It’s also where you can buy some of the best chopped cheese sandwiches outside of the crowded, touristy areas.
Over the years, bodegas have also become a haven for stray felines. And as you will see in the following photos, they have grown quite comfortable in their new homes, even becoming an attraction for customers.
We’ve collected these photos from the Bodega Cats of Instagram page. If you live in the city, you might recognize one of these little fellas.
This post may include affiliate links.
RELATED:
Bodega cats have become such NYC institutions that they have earned mainstream local recognition. Apart from the Instagram page where these photos came from, there is also a dedicated website that features stories about these furry felines.
The bodega cat phenomenon even reached across the globe in Japan, where they were featured in a segment on the national evening news.
#4
WindySwede 4 days ago
"If you buy me nip, I can sit in here being a kind purring kitten, or else!"
Bodega cats have made their presence known in these neighborhood delis for years now. As Shop Cats creative producer Drew Rosenthal told the New York Times in a June 2025 interview, they were already a ubiquitous presence when he moved to Brooklyn in 2017.
And they have so far been beloved figures among locals. Not only do they bring a hefty serving of adorableness to bodega customers, but they also provide free rodent-control services to shop owners.
Since bodega cats have been an integral part of many NYC neighborhoods, the local government has taken action. In November, the New York City Council proposed a bill that would permit shop owners to keep these felines in their stores.
This means that bodega cats will receive free vaccinations and undergo spaying and neutering. Currently, the New York City health code prohibits keeping live animals inside the stores.
According to NYCity NewsService, talks about the new bill gained traction after Bodega Cats of New York launched a petition, asking the local government to protect these “working” animals. The petition gathered more than 13,000 signatures, which caught the attention of City Hall.
Bodega Cats of New York creator Dan Rimada emphasized the importance of having cats in bodegas, particularly for pest control. As he noted, it solves the problem of destroyed inventory and contaminated food without using poison or traps.
#14
Bonesko 4 days ago
I would not. Those are their fish! But I will pet that fluffy little face 🥰
Load More Replies...
Melancholy Kitty 4 days ago
Wait til you hear about how dirty the lakes and oceans are...besides, I clean everything before eating/cooking it.
Load More Replies...
Elly Clifton 7 hours ago
I have this exact same picture, only the kitty is looking a me in mine. She sits on these ceramic fish whenever the shop owner is not around to shoo her off them. In a fish sculpture shop in Syracusa, Italy.
Rimada adds that bodega cats have also helped boost business, noting that one deli on Second Avenue draws $400 per day in foot traffic.
“People come for the cat, then buy something. That is not sentimental. That is a business calculation,” he said.
#22
#25
Barb Emanuele 4 days ago
I wouldn't get any grocery shopping done because I'd be petting all the kitties 🐾☺️
#55
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Miss Tinker 4 days ago
Oh, I wish we could do this in Australia. So many stray cats would benefit 🐈⬛❤️
Apatheist 4 days ago
Extremely unhygienic on unwrapped food though. Look what happened with bats in that wet market in China (allegedly. Definitely not created in a lab. Oh no.).
amy hipps 1 day ago
Well there was no unwrapped food the cats were on. If you are talking about the fish image then it was lures not real fish. Look closer, not to mention a cat would not be laying on ice. 😮💨
Load More Replies...
Marnie 4 days ago
I LOVE cats. But it should be against the law to have cats in a store with food. The thumbnail picture showed a cat laying on fish that is available for purchase! Toxoplasmosis for all the pregnant women is what they're selling!
amy hipps 1 day ago (edited)
It wasn't real fish you moron. It was lures. You think a cat is laying on fish packed with ice? 😂 You say you love cats but don't know anything about them. Pregnant women don't have to worry unless the cat is covered in feces or she is scooping the litterbox herself. Which both I highly doubt it.
Load More Replies...
Miss Tinker 4 days ago
Oh, I wish we could do this in Australia. So many stray cats would benefit 🐈⬛❤️
Apatheist 4 days ago
Extremely unhygienic on unwrapped food though. Look what happened with bats in that wet market in China (allegedly. Definitely not created in a lab. Oh no.).
amy hipps 1 day ago
Well there was no unwrapped food the cats were on. If you are talking about the fish image then it was lures not real fish. Look closer, not to mention a cat would not be laying on ice. 😮💨
Load More Replies... Marnie 4 days ago
I LOVE cats. But it should be against the law to have cats in a store with food. The thumbnail picture showed a cat laying on fish that is available for purchase! Toxoplasmosis for all the pregnant women is what they're selling!
amy hipps 1 day ago (edited)
It wasn't real fish you moron. It was lures. You think a cat is laying on fish packed with ice? 😂 You say you love cats but don't know anything about them. Pregnant women don't have to worry unless the cat is covered in feces or she is scooping the litterbox herself. Which both I highly doubt it.
Load More Replies... You May Like Funny Cats Sleeping In Weirdest Positions Ever Meet Sphynx Cats - The Most Adorable Hairless Felines People Are Capturing Their Cats’ First Christmas And These 50 Pics Are Unbearably Cute
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Viktorija Ošikaitė
Related on Bored Panda
