Bodega cats make New Yorkers' hearts purr, even if they violate state
regulations
[April 03, 2025]
By CEDAR ATTANASIO and JULIE WALKER
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s “bodega cats” are beloved fixtures in
the Big Apple — but they’re on the wrong side of the law.
The convenience store cats that live at many of the city’s bodegas and
delis look innocent enough, spending their days lounging in sun-soaked
storefronts or slinking between shelves of snack foods as they collect
friendly pets from customers.
Officially, though, state law bars most animals from stores that sell
food, with bodega owners potentially facing fines if their tabby is
caught curling up near the tins of tuna and toilet paper.
The pets’ precarious legal position recently came into the spotlight
again when a petition circulated online that advocated for the city to
shield bodega cat owners from fines, racking up more than 10,000
signatures.
But inspecting bodegas is a state responsibility. The New York State
Department of Agriculture and Markets said in a statement that its goal
is to ensure compliance with food safety laws and regulations, though it
noted that inspectors aim to offer “educational resources and corrective
action timelines and options” before looking at fines.
Many fans argue that the cats actually help keep the stores clean by
deterring other ubiquitous New York City creatures, like rodents and
cockroaches.
However, some shopkeepers say the felines’ most important job is
bringing in customers.
At one bodega in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a fluffy gray and white cat named
Mimi has become even more of a star attraction after a customer posted a
video of her to TikTok that was viewed over 9 million times.
Sydney Miller, the customer who shared the video, said the experience
has helped her build a lasting rapport with Mimi’s caretaker, Asam
Mohammad, a Yemeni immigrant who has only been in the U.S. for a few
years.
“Ultimately, the cats are a symbol of community building and the
special, unique type of connection that happens in a city like New
York,” said Miller, a poet and digital content producer.
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Elias stands briefly on the checkout counter at Stars Deli in the
Williamsburg section of the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday,
March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Mohammad said that one of Mimi’s offspring, a white furball named
Lily, is also now a big hit with customers.
“He’ll play with anybody,” said Mohammad. “Before, it’s Mimi, but
now all of them are famous.”
Another of Mimi’s kittens, Lionel, has taken up residence at a
nearby bodega owned by the same family, where he is more than a
salesman or a pest control technician.
On a recent evening, Mohammad’s cousin Ala Najl, who is Muslim, had
been fasting for Ramadan since 5 a.m. and had another hour and 17
minutes to go. Feeling a bit restless, Najl decided to play with
Lionel. He unrolled his red prayer rug, baiting the muscular cat
into a friendly game of tug-of-war.
The playful tussle helped distract Najl as he fought through hunger
pangs.
“Yes, he helps me for that,” Najl said.
At another Greenpoint bodega, shopkeeper Salim Yafai said his cat,
Reilly, is so popular that one longtime customer even tried to buy
him, asking Yafai for a price.
“I said $10,000. He said $1,000. I said, ‘No.’” Yafai said.
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