https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/ Stories from New York City's bodega cats. en-us Mon, 06 Jul 2026 01:25:50 GMT 60 https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/jimmy-bodega-cat-2nd-ave/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/jimmy-bodega-cat-2nd-ave/ Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT Jimmy's owner says the orange tabby brings in $300 to $400 a day by sitting in the doorway. People come for him, then they buy something. Bodega Cats of New York Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/new-york-talking-about-bodega-cats-right-way/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/new-york-talking-about-bodega-cats-right-way/ Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The answer is not to pretend bodega cats are not there. It is to set rules that help the cats and the owners who already care for them. Bodega Cats of New York Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/announcing-bodega-cats-of-new-york-the-book/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/announcing-bodega-cats-of-new-york-the-book/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT The book comes out this fall from Epic Ink Books / Quarto Publishing, with photography by Gulce Kilkis. Bodega Cats of New York Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/legal-gray-area-bodega-cats-better-outcomes/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/legal-gray-area-bodega-cats-better-outcomes/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bodega cats are not going anywhere. The question is whether they stay hidden and unprotected, or whether New York creates standards that actually protect them. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/tiger-williamsburg-window/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/tiger-williamsburg-window/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Tiger is the Scottish fold in the window at Chiku's Williamsburg bodega, where there is a bed, a toy mouse, plants, and a little tiger figurine behind him. Bodega Cats of New York Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/pumpkin-born-on-the-right-day/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/pumpkin-born-on-the-right-day/ Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT Born on Halloween. Named for it. Watches customers from the candy shelf like they are on parade. Bodega Cats of New York Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/not-every-bodega-cat-is-cared-for-the-same/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/not-every-bodega-cat-is-cared-for-the-same/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Most are loved. Some are overlooked. The honest range of care in the city's bodegas, and the work that is closing the gap. Bodega Cats of New York Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/first-look-book-untapped-new-york-talk/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/first-look-book-untapped-new-york-talk/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, June 25 at 6 PM ET, I'm sitting down with Untapped New York for a free virtual talk about the bodega cats of New York and the book that grew out of the archive. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/francesca-on-the-route/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/francesca-on-the-route/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Francesca was one of those cats you find because the neighborhood keeps pointing you there. Bodega Cats of New York Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/stella-held-like-she-belonged/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/stella-held-like-she-belonged/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Stella is one of the cats in the stories where the photograph carries it: calm, close, and clearly part of the store. Bodega Cats of New York Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/fat-choy-refused-the-archive/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/fat-choy-refused-the-archive/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Fat Choy lives mostly as a rumor with paws: everyone knew she was there, but she had her own terms. Bodega Cats of New York Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/bodega-cats-as-document-photography/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/bodega-cats-as-document-photography/ Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Documentary photography makes a record before the record becomes impossible. Beauty is secondary. The evidence comes first. Bodega Cats of New York Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/bodega-cats-book-origin-story/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/bodega-cats-book-origin-story/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT What started as a personal iPhone archive became a 240-page photography book from a major publisher. Here's how it happened. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/ashley-still-runs-the-room/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/ashley-still-runs-the-room/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Ashley was perched behind the counter, framed by lottery tickets, watching the store like she had been waiting for us to catch up. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/how-a-photography-book-gets-made/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/how-a-photography-book-gets-made/ Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT From shooting to final print, the process of making a photography book involves decisions most readers never see, about sequencing, paper weight, and what doesn't make the cut. Bodega Cats of New York Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/nancy-named-for-a-grandmother/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/nancy-named-for-a-grandmother/ Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT She judges people with gentle disapproval. Customers walk in, get the slow blink, and know they have been seen. Bodega Cats of New York Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/lucky-the-new-guy/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/lucky-the-new-guy/ Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT A cat named Obama was stolen from a Williamsburg bodega. The owner filed a police report. A month later, Lucky walked in. Bodega Cats of New York Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/richie-the-receipt-thief/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/richie-the-receipt-thief/ Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT The second the receipt prints, he swats it off the counter. The cashier stopped fighting it. They just print duplicates now. Bodega Cats of New York Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/klara-narrates-the-store/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/klara-narrates-the-store/ Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT A vocal tortie in Park Slope who narrates the store. When a regular walks in, she announces it. When someone is taking too long in the chip aisle, she comments. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/midnight-he-follows-the-owner-home/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/midnight-he-follows-the-owner-home/ Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT A customer found him on Petfinder, paid $125, and dropped him off the next day. Now he follows the owner to the car every night. He does not want to go inside. He just wants to walk him there. Bodega Cats of New York Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/leena-escorts-customers-to-the-door/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/leena-escorts-customers-to-the-door/ Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT A regular had to move to California and asked the store to take Leena. Now she waits near the York Avenue door and walks certain customers out. Bodega Cats of New York Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/tommy-hells-kitchen/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/tommy-hells-kitchen/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT One eye is blue. The other is green. Against his solid white coat, the difference is stark. It looks almost artificial. It stops people on the sidewalk. Bodega Cats of New York Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/omer-senor-juice-bar/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/omer-senor-juice-bar/ Sat, 26 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT It started with Juicy. A calico who walked into his juice bar years ago and sat on top of a produce box. Omer says she brought him luck. Bodega Cats of New York Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/masha-papelito-williamsburg/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/masha-papelito-williamsburg/ Sun, 20 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT Siblings, probably. Carlos thinks so but isn't certain. They came from somewhere else before he started working there. Bodega Cats of New York Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/why-some-bodega-cats-take-four-weeks-to-photograph/ https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/stories/why-some-bodega-cats-take-four-weeks-to-photograph/ Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT Fat Choy has been running from us for a month. Every time Gulce and I show up at her Chinatown spot, she vanishes. Bodega Cats of New York Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT