A bodega cat (also referred to as a deli cat, store cat, or shop cat) is a type of

working cat A working cat is type of domestic cat that "works" for its keep by hunting vermin, such as rodents. They are commonly employed where pest control is needed, such as barns, farms, factories, warehouses, stores, churchyards, and private property. T ...

that inhabits a '' bodega'', which in

New York City English New York City English, or Metropolitan New York English, is a regional dialect of American English spoken by many people in New York City and much of its surrounding metropolitan area. It is described by sociolinguist William Labov as the most ...

refers to a

convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery ticket ...

deli Deli may refer to: * Delicatessen, a shop selling specially prepared food, or food prepared by such a shop * Sultanate of Deli, a former sultanate in North Sumatra, Indonesia Places * Deli, Boyer-Ahmad, a village in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Pro ...

. Much like

farm cat The farm cat, also known as a barn cat, is a domestic cat, usually of mixed breed, that lives primarily outdoors, in a feral or semi-feral condition on agricultural properties, usually sheltering in outbuildings. They eat assorted vermin such as ...

s, library cats, and ship cats, a bodega cat is typically a

mixed breed A mixed breed is a domesticated animal descended from multiple breeds of the same species, often breeding without any human intervention, recordkeeping, or selective breeding. Examples include: * Mixed-breed dog, a dog whose ancestry is compl ...

cat kept as a form of

biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

to manage or prevent rodent infestations. A bodega cat may be a domesticated cat that is kept by the bodega owner, or a

semi-feral A semi-feral animal lives predominantly in a feral state but has some contact and experience with humans. This may be because it was born in a domesticated state and then reverted to life in wild conditions, or it may be an animal that grew up in ...

cat that the bodega owner attracts to the store through regular feeding. Public health departments typically prohibit bodega cats under food codes that ban live animals from establishments where consumable goods are sold.

Etymology

The term is derived from ''bodega'', a Spanish word that translates to "storeroom" or "wine cellar". It is typically used in New York City to refer to a convenience store that sells groceries, deli meats, sandwiches, soft drinks, and other general staples. The term is commonly associated with businesses in New York City and other American cities with substantial Latino populations.

Legality

The

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is the department of the government of New York City responsible for public health along with issuing birth certificates, dog licenses, and conducting restaurant inspection and enforcem ...

considers bodega cats a "general deficiency", citing concerns over the potential they pose for food contamination. Under Chapter 23 of the Food Service Establishment Violation Penalty Schedule, establishments selling food that keep live animals that are not

service animal Various definitions exist for a service animal. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines the term as "dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities". Dogs are the most common service animals, havi ...

s or fish kept in tanks are subject to a fine ranging from $200 to $350. Despite this, cats remain a ubiquitous presence at many of the more than 10,000 bodegas across New York City; ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reports that many bodega owners keep cats in spite of the law because they are seen as preferable to rodent infestations, which also carry a fine of $300.

In culture

Bodega cats are a part of

internet culture Internet culture is a culture based on the many way people have used computer networks and their use for communication, entertainment, business, and recreation. Some features of Internet culture include online communities, gaming, and social media ...

, as well as New York City culture. Multiple blogs and

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

accounts are devoted to chronicling photographs of bodega cats across the city. In 2019, a ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

'' sketch starring

John Mulaney John Edmund Mulaney (born August 26, 1982) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He first rose to prominence for his work as a writer on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2008 to 2013, where he contributed to numerous ...

parodied the musical ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...

'' using a bodega cat. That same year, a bodega cat at 71 Fresh Deli and Grocery in

Kips Bay, Manhattan Kips Bay, or Kip's Bay, is a neighborhood on the east side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by East 34th Street to the north, the East River to the east, East 27th and/or 23rd Streets to the south, and Third Avenu ...

, was stolen from the store; the cat's theft was widely covered in New York City media, with ''The New York Times'', New York ''Daily News'', and

NY1 NY1 (also officially known as Spectrum News NY1 and spoken as New York One) is an American cable news television channel founded by Time Warner Cable, which itself is owned by Charter Communications through its acquisition in May 2016. The channe ...

reporting on the incident. There have also been numerous illustrations of bodega cats as a cultural symbol.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodega Cat Biological pest control Working cats Culture of New York City

Etymology

Legality

In culture

See also

References