What is a Bodega cat, you might be wondering. Well, they’re cats that live in bodegas or, as they’re known on Staten Island, delis. Have you ever gone into a deli and seen a cat chilling behind the counter or coming out from behind the refrigerators? So did the author of this book, and it got him to wondering how many of these cats are there? What are their stories, so he is publishing a book with their stories and photo journals, so you can learn all about them and see their cuteness.
About the book the author said:
I’m Dan Rimada, founder of Bodega Cats of New York. Our new book is a five-borough portrait told through 60 working cats.
I’m not a Staten Islander myself. The book started with one cat, Luna, at my old bodega.
She was the first one I really stopped for, and after she died I kept walking into stores and asking about the cats.
Four years of that turned into the book.
MIDNIGHT — Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island
Midnight lives at the shop full-time. Happy, the owner, set up a sleeping area for him on top of one of the displays so Midnight can have privacy when he needs it. Every night after closing, the owner would walk to his car, and Midnight would appear out of nowhere and follow him home. He would let the cat inside, and Midnight would start meowing so loud he had to open the door and let him back out. Some cats do not want to be indoor cats. A customer found him on Petfinder three years ago when the owner said he needed a black cat. She paid the fee, dropped him off, and he has been there ever since.
Midnight sits in a basket near the front of the store. Image Credit – Gulce Kilkis / Bodega Cats of New York
Book details
Bodega Cats of New York by Dan Rimada, with photography by Gulce Kilkis. Epic Ink / Quarto. On sale November 3, 2026. Hardcover, 240 pages.
Midnight rests in Happy’s arms behind the counter. Photo: Gulce Kilkis / Bodega Cats of New York
Midnight faces the camera inside his Fort Wadsworth bodega. Photo: Gulce Kilkis / Bodega Cats of New York
Midnight stands on the counter beside medicine and candy displays. Photo: Gulce Kilkis / Bodega Cats of New York
Banner Image: Midnight sits in a basket near the front of the store. Image Credit – Gulce Kilkis / Bodega Cats of New York
Bodega Cats Of New York
Bodega Cats of New York. The book. Written by Dan Rimada. Photography by Gulce Kilkis. Bodega cats are part of New York culture. We owe them protection.