A social media project aimed at collecting photos of bodega cats sitting and roaming around the bodegas as if they own the place is going viral.

In case you are unaware, a bodega cat is often kept in convenience stores to lessen the chances of pest and rodent infestation.

Besides comforting the employees, these cats help keep rats away.

In order to celebrate and honor the work of these hard-working kittens, a social media project named Bodega Cats has been started on Twitter.

The idea is simple, people have to snap photos of bodega cats in bossy poses and send them over. The most amazing photos will be featured on the Twitter account.

The idea has received a great response, enabling people to enjoy a large assortment of adorable kitties’ photos amid the ongoing lockdown.

However, it might also be noted that keeping bodega cats is an illegal act because they are considered a cause of food contamination.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has termed them as ‘general deficiency’ and keeping them can cause fines ranging from $300 to $2,000.

Speaking to the New York Times, Robert M. Corrigan, a research scientist for NYC DOHMH, said: “Any animal around food presents a food contamination threat.

“And so that means anything from animal pieces and parts to hair and excrement could end up in food, and that alone, of course, is a violation of the health code.”

Many store owners still keep bodega cats even if they have to pay the fine because they are considered a preferable and profitable choice to prevent rodent infestations.

Urszula Jawor, a 49-year-old deli manager, described her experience with her kitty employee, saying: “In the morning she is lazy, it is her nap time.

“But in the afternoon she is busy. She spends hours stalking the mice and the rats.”

Corrigan argues that bacteria, nematodes, and viruses that are desired to be avoided by preventing the entry of mice in shops, can infect humans through secondary transmission by the felines.

Andre Duran, a corner store owner in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, claimed that he is never fined despite keeping a cat in store for six years.

He said: “No one’s ever complained about cat hair in their sandwiches, and if she weren’t here, you bet there’d be bigger problems than hair.”

Without further ado, here are some of the best photos of bodega cats being all bossy in their stores. So scroll down and enjoy!

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