This Twitter Account Collects Photos Of Cats In Small Shops Looking Like They Own The Place (30 New Pics) Interview
You head on over to your local bodega, corner shop, or convenience store to grab a quick snack, and who’s that you notice poking its head around the milk cartons? Why, the local cat that claimed the bodega as its new home, of course!
These fluffy and friendly felines boost the shoppers’ mood, tirelessly work to get rid of nasty pests, and meow at anyone who’s thinking of running out without paying. Could anyone commit a crime while someone with big eyes like Puss in Boots is staring at them? We don’t think so.
The Bodega Cats social media project is all about giving these adorable kittens the attention they deserve. Scroll down to see the newest pics of convenience store cats, upvote your fave ones, read on for Bored Panda's interview with Rob Hitt, founder of Bodega Cats, and check out our previous post about the social media project right here.
More info: BodegaCats.nyc | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
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Currently, there more than 10k bodegas in New York City alone. While bodega cats are a wholesome sight, they’re not really legal to keep inside because they’re around edible products. Fines for keeping a cat in a corner shop can start from 200 dollars but can reach up to 2k dollars for repeat offenders (the bodega owners, not the cats).
The man behind the Bodega Cats project is none other than Rob. He’s amassed over 422k followers on Twitter. He also has 279k fans on Instagram, as well as 16k followers on Facebook.
In Rob's opinion, every cat tends to be quite unique and how it will act in a bodega when people will come in will completely depend on each particular animal. "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."
Rob revealed that because of the quarantine and working from home, he's been staying inside more: "So like all of us I’m stuck inside missing the cats alongside many of us."
Rob has put the fame of his account to good use. He said that the Bodega Cats account is always growing and that within the last year he's partnered up with a number of organizations that help raise awareness around controlling the cat population humanely through adoption, TNR (trap, neuter, return), rescue, and helping with vet bills for rescues. "In some cases like with Greenpoint Cats, they’ll work with bodega owners to help get their cats fixed (spayed and neutered)."
Rob told Bored Panda that he uses social media and donations from the webstore sales to support other organizations like Greenpoint Cats, including Flatbush Cats and The Original TrapKing. "Check out and support these wonderful organizations," he said.
When cats obey social distancing, yet humans attend parties in crowded places.
Rob came up with the idea for the Bodega Cats project back in 2012 after he was out late one night in New York, stumbled into a corner shop, saw a cat, and made an Instagram post about it.
“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 told Bored Panda earlier.
“Now, I’d say we get about 75-100 submissions a week. I really don’t think too much about picking the photos other than if they invoke some sort of emotion in me. It never hurts to select a kitten, a cat on top of a bag potato chips, or one protecting a nice warm ATM machine."
Rob believes that the photos posted on the Bodega Cats social media accounts evoke positive emotions and are popular because people love stumbling upon something familiar in an unfamiliar way.
"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."
The smaller the box, the better the snuggle. My cat just squeezed herself into a wine box.
Does the sign day "Please, do not pet the cats. Thanks"? EDIT: Thank you, Beverly, for the correct translation!
Looks just like my old man cat Baz. We rescued him and his sister (Lucy passed a few years ago) from a barn when they were 9 weeks old. Bazzy turned 18 this year, and the vet said he’s healthy enough to live past 20.
This is the chonk with the dirty tummy from earlier. He's a popular one, 3 or 4 photos
Note: this post originally had 142 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I wish cats were just commonplace everywhere we went. In every type of store from groceries to furnishings to jewelry, in places like libraries and courts and malls, even restaurants and hospitals. Just cats laying around everywhere. Cats on the ground as far as the eye can see. Cats.
"200 channels and nothing but cats." Sign me up!
But you know some Karen would scream about "my allergies!"
Rainclouds Radio easy
This was lovely. They are like furry little guardians or security.
That's exactly what they are. There is literally no way to keep rats out of a business full of food, you just need to deter them from exploring too far or making a home. Cats are excellent security guards.
I have no problem with bodega kitties, granted I'm not allergic but I'd rather have a cat keeping the rodents and bugs away than a toxic spray.
I wish cats were just commonplace everywhere we went. In every type of store from groceries to furnishings to jewelry, in places like libraries and courts and malls, even restaurants and hospitals. Just cats laying around everywhere. Cats on the ground as far as the eye can see. Cats.
"200 channels and nothing but cats." Sign me up!
But you know some Karen would scream about "my allergies!"
Rainclouds Radio easy
This was lovely. They are like furry little guardians or security.
That's exactly what they are. There is literally no way to keep rats out of a business full of food, you just need to deter them from exploring too far or making a home. Cats are excellent security guards.
I have no problem with bodega kitties, granted I'm not allergic but I'd rather have a cat keeping the rodents and bugs away than a toxic spray.