Having a fluffy feline companion at a grocery shop might be against the laws of the country but they are of good use. A bodega cat does not only keep rodents away but it also entertains customers. 

What’s a Bodega Cat?

A bodega is a grocery shop which sells foodstuffs and other essential goods. A bodega cat is also referred to as a deli cat or a store cat. The bodega cat is used to chase away rodents in a shop. 

The bodega cat can be domesticated.

A stray cat can be adopted and made a bodega cat by feeding it regularly.

Is it Legal to Have a Bodega Cat?

Cats can shed of its hair, urinate near groceries, groom itself near food staff and all this can contaminate foodstuffs.

In the US, you may be fined for keeping a bodega cat in grocery shops. Department of Health and Hygiene, as well as the Department of Agriculture and Markets in New York, prohibits animals in places which sell foodstuffs. 

Why Do People Keep a Bodega Cat?

A bodega cat can keep the rodents away. 

It can be better to use a cat than rodent poison which end up being in contact with food. Turning a stray cat into a bodega cat can reduce the number of stray cats. It can get shelter and proper food. 

What You Wouldn’t Like

Cats may excrement in the shop.

Your bodega cat may also groom itself anywhere in the shop and shed off its hair. Having cat hair in a shop that is selling food is not healthy.

Some people are allergic to cats. 

Would you keep a cat in your shop? Share your experiences about the bodega cats.