Bodegas — the Spanish term for “store” — were established by Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants living in New York City in the 1950s to cater to overnight workers. They typically carry everything from beer to batteries to lottery tickets. Most New York City bodegas have a cat — not as a companion pet, but as a working cat that prevents rodent infestation, as well as attracting customers to the store. Bodega cats have become part of the Internet culture, with multiple blogs and social media accounts devoted to chronicling photographs of the working felines across the city. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene considers bodega cats a “general deficiency,” citing concerns over the potential they pose for food contamination. The city prohibits establishments that sell food from having any animals that are not service animals or fish kept in tanks. Violators are subject to fines ranging from $200 to $350. Despite this, cats remain a presence at many of the more than 10,000 bodegas across New York City. Bodega owners keep cats in spite of the law because they’re seen as preferable to rodent infestations, which carry a fine of $300.
