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New York seeks rights for beloved 'bodega cats' © France 24

01:37

Issued on: 10/02/2026 - 12:36

They are a New York institution as beloved as yellow cabs or pizza by the slice but the city's bodega cats, whose job is to catch mice in neighbourhood shops, are not technically legal. Elected representatives in New York now want to legalise shop cats but there are disagreements over the responsibilities a new law should confer on owners. Oliver Farry takes a look.