In New York City, corner bodegas provide a variety of items, including coffee, lottery tickets, and towering sandwiches. For many customers, however, the main attraction has four legs and no interest in helping shoppers—bodega cats. These cats are featured in “Bodega Cats of New York,” a project that has documented the city’s working felines and their stories for several years. This project is becoming a book set to release in November 2026.
The book, titled “Bodega Cats of New York: Portraits and Stories from New York City’s Working Cats,” showcases 60 cats from all five boroughs. The photographs are by Gulce Kilkis, while Dan Rimada, the creator of the project, provides the stories. Instead of just displaying pictures, the book introduces each cat with its unique personality, daily habits, and the tale of how it became a fixture in its respective bodega. Earlier this year, Bored Panda shared information about this project, and as the book’s release approaches, they spoke with Dan Rimada to learn more about how the project developed.
Dan explained that the project began unexpectedly. He noted that he never intended to write a book, but it all started in 2020 with a tuxedo cat named Luna at a Brooklyn bodega. Dan began visiting Luna regularly and started sharing her photos on Instagram. Before long, people started sending him pictures of cats from their neighborhoods. By 2022, Dan was visiting bodegas specifically to meet more cats and learn their stories. When Quarto approached him about publishing a book, he was already engaged in this work. He would converse with bodega owners and customers while Gulce took photos of the cats. Dan mentioned that some owners were open to sharing stories right away, while others needed more visits to build trust.
Overall, Dan and Gulce visited over 250 bodegas and encountered approximately 150 cats, selecting 60 for the book. Dan aimed to help readers understand each cat, including their daily habits and the circumstances that led them to live in the store. Many stories emerged from longer conversations with owners. He observed that asking an owner about their cat often led to extensive discussions about the cat’s background and the regular customers who came to visit.
For Dan, documenting these stories in book form was important. He wanted to preserve them beyond social media’s limitations. He mentioned that a book gives readers the chance to connect with a cat in ways they might miss while scrolling through Instagram. There is a significant issue surrounding bodega cats, as they are currently not allowed in retail food stores. The project’s petition to change this has gathered over 14,400 signatures, and there are now bills in the New York City Council and the State Assembly, although none have been passed yet. The proposed state bill would also establish care standards for the cats, including requirements for veterinary care, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering.
What do you think about the role of cats in New York’s bodegas?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Hidrėlėy