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This Twitter Account Collects Photos Of Cats In Small Shops Looking Like They Own The Place (50 New Pics)
Many people have this misconception that cats are lazy. They sleep most of the time, my friend once told me, and on the rare occasion they're awake, they just meow for food. Yes, cats sleep about 15 hours a day, and yes, they like a nice snack but that doesn't mean they're spongers.
New York City is the mecca of today's working cat. Just walk inside a bodega and chances are you'll see Mr. Whiskers or Ms. Tabby purring around the place—business owners "hire" them for pest control; to manage or prevent rodent infestations.
To pay respect to these diligent felines, Rob Hitt started an online project, called Bodega Cats, where he posts the sweetest and funniest pictures people send him of the kitties they see in convenience stores.
Continue scrolling to check them out and when you're done, fire up Bored Panda's earlier articles on Bodega cats here, here, and here. I know you'll want to!
This post may include affiliate links.
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"Since I moved to NYC, I’ve been familiar with cats in our local corner stores (bodegas) but it wasn’t until 2012 when I was out late one evening and stumbled my way into a bodega seeing a cat and making a late-night post to my Instagram feed that I came up with the idea for the project," Rob Hitt, the man behind Bodega Cats, told Bored Panda in an earlier interview.
"My friends enjoyed the photos of the cats I posted more than the photos of me! At that point, I decided to start the Bodega Cats accounts in hopes of giving people a moment of positivity and smile throughout their day."
Rob thinks there is no such a thing as a universal kind of bodega cat. Just like at home, every feline is different. "Cats will just be cats in terms of Bodega Cats vs. House Cats. They all have their own personalities. Feral cats, on the other hand, aren’t conditioned to seek out human interaction, so they act more secluded," the creator told us.
In 2020, when the pandemic took over the world and most animal welfare organizations were facing a shortage of donations, Bodega Cats decided to make a shirt for one of their favorite videos of all time and send the profits from the shirt to organizations like Flatbush Cats, Greenpoint Cats, Trap King, and Trap Queen.
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Rob believes one of the reasons why people like his project so much is because they love stumbling upon something familiar in a totally unfamiliar way.
"It evokes a positive emotion," he said. "If you have a cat and then see one out, it brings back that warm feeling of home. I also feel people are excited because they know to date we've been able to utilize the money from the sales in our webstore towards helping organizations that help the feral, community, or bodega cat population. We’ve also been able to find other effective ways of helping by donating social posts (tweets, stories, feed posts, etc) which can help raise awareness for positive organizations."
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Seabeast 4 years ago
Cats have amazing balance. My little female cat has given me more than a few grey hairs. P1040685-6...ecbc0e.jpg 
Alphabet Soupy 4 years ago
Wonder how many offers they got before making the sign!
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danielw 4 years ago
this is somewhat depressing. maybe uplifting, but also depressing.
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Yort 4 years ago
$80 seems like a lot for a papa! How much for mamas? (That concludes my terrible joke, I know it’s just Spanish for potato)
emmie rose 4 years ago
:o !! is that kitty a polydactyl? it looks like it has some extra toes on its feetsies! i love this kitty v much.
Marie 4 years ago
No... it's written underneath that it doesn't include the cat :p
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
"Just to be clear, you do intend to spend this cash on premium cat food and jingle toys?"
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Breanna Karrick 4 years ago
When you're too short to reach the counter. (I know how that cat feels!)
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Share size, you say? *cat is immediately surrounded by petters and boopers*
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Noemie Houtekie-N'Da 4 years ago (edited)
"Fiiiiiiinnnnnnnneeeeee, you can have my spices." ten seconds later: "Are you finished yet????"
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago (edited)
"You don't look over 21 to me, pal. And there are several spelling errors on your ID"
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
"Oh, I'm sorry. You wanted to sit down? There's a bench at the bus stop"
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Julia Atkinson 4 years ago (edited)
"Give me a bag of this, I need to attract some popular garden birds to my stomach"
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Moo Moo Futch 4 years ago
That face!! His booper is so pink!! His peanut whiskers are so chonky and skritchable!! Adorable. ****BOOP****
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Add New Image
What do you think ?
Theater Kid 4 years ago
I don't know what you're talking about. These cats are very obviously the owners. 😺
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
This is what I love about cats. They just walk into a place and make it their own.
Pamela Scott 4 years ago
They domesticated us so of course they own everything.
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K Witmer 4 years ago
I worked at a pet store when I was younger and I would bring my 11/2lb chihuahua w me. She stayed in my hood of my hoodie all day or I'd wear a scarf so she could sit in that. She was so tiny and thought she was tough. She even humped a German shepherds tail trying to dominate him. That's the reason I held her bc she was somewhat of a menace to everyone but me. Lol. I miss her.
Carol Emory 4 years ago
My husband would be gasping for air within minutes of being in the stores, he's so allergic to cats. Cute pics, but I hope they have signs posted at the door to warn people.
Pangolin Pal 4 years ago
You're right about the warning signs, but it strikes me that you are exaggerating how bad your husband's allergy is. Unless you plan to stay in the store for hours, intentionally breathing air right around where the cat is sitting, it's hard to imagine how badly your husband would be "gasping for air" after picking up a sixpack of beer and a quart of milk at a bodega.
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Felix Feline 4 years ago
This was great! BP can have nice articles about animals that aren't being abused (like that article with the shaved dogs).
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
Personally, I love cats so I love this, but some people hate cats, others are scared of them and a lot are allergic to them, so it's not a smart decision to have a cat in your store. It's also not very hygienic.
Eliška Hůlková 4 years ago
The owners would probably say that if they don't like it they don't have to shop there (provided they know about the cat, lol).
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Anyone-for-tea? 4 years ago
What countries are these photos from? As I don’t think any are from the UK, I’ve never seen a cat in a shop here. I would definitely visit any shop that had a store cat for me to pet!
Aubrie Allen 4 years ago
I'm allergic to cats. I don't think I could shop somewhere where cats walk around on the food. But it is cute.
Pangolin Pal 4 years ago
I don't think it would be likely to affect you unless your allergy is extreme -- air is constantly circulating in a store where many people shop, and as long as you came in, bought your items and left in a reasonable amount of time, you would probably be OK.
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Theater Kid 4 years ago
I don't know what you're talking about. These cats are very obviously the owners. 😺
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
This is what I love about cats. They just walk into a place and make it their own.
Pamela Scott 4 years ago
They domesticated us so of course they own everything.
Load More Replies... K Witmer 4 years ago
I worked at a pet store when I was younger and I would bring my 11/2lb chihuahua w me. She stayed in my hood of my hoodie all day or I'd wear a scarf so she could sit in that. She was so tiny and thought she was tough. She even humped a German shepherds tail trying to dominate him. That's the reason I held her bc she was somewhat of a menace to everyone but me. Lol. I miss her.
Carol Emory 4 years ago
My husband would be gasping for air within minutes of being in the stores, he's so allergic to cats. Cute pics, but I hope they have signs posted at the door to warn people.
Pangolin Pal 4 years ago
You're right about the warning signs, but it strikes me that you are exaggerating how bad your husband's allergy is. Unless you plan to stay in the store for hours, intentionally breathing air right around where the cat is sitting, it's hard to imagine how badly your husband would be "gasping for air" after picking up a sixpack of beer and a quart of milk at a bodega.
Load More Replies... Felix Feline 4 years ago
This was great! BP can have nice articles about animals that aren't being abused (like that article with the shaved dogs).
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
Personally, I love cats so I love this, but some people hate cats, others are scared of them and a lot are allergic to them, so it's not a smart decision to have a cat in your store. It's also not very hygienic.
Eliška Hůlková 4 years ago
The owners would probably say that if they don't like it they don't have to shop there (provided they know about the cat, lol).
Load More Replies... Anyone-for-tea? 4 years ago
What countries are these photos from? As I don’t think any are from the UK, I’ve never seen a cat in a shop here. I would definitely visit any shop that had a store cat for me to pet!
Aubrie Allen 4 years ago
I'm allergic to cats. I don't think I could shop somewhere where cats walk around on the food. But it is cute.
Pangolin Pal 4 years ago
I don't think it would be likely to affect you unless your allergy is extreme -- air is constantly circulating in a store where many people shop, and as long as you came in, bought your items and left in a reasonable amount of time, you would probably be OK.
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