Bodega Cats

Here is a wonderful interview article on Bodega cats. For those of you not familiar with these felines, they are part of the family of small family groceries called bodgeas. They prowl the aisles and make sure that there are no pests around. Michelladonna, a TikTok NYC sensation has recently video'd many of these beloved cats as reported in Gothamist:

Here is an excerpt:

One of the stars in the world of “animal content” is “Shop Cats,” a local show in which host and Ridgewood native Michelladonna employs her charm and wit to speak to shop managers and locals about their beloved neighborhood felines. A typical video gets around 1 million views on TikTok and hundreds of effusive comments.

The series launched in September 2024 and has quickly taken off on TikTok and Instagram. Its followers in New York and abroad come for the cats and stay for the whimsy. Over the course of an episode's 90-second runtime, viewers are transported to a bodega cat's universe of shelves and produce, while shopkeepers and patrons tell stories about their own relationships with the neighborhood pets.

The show is produced by Mad Realities, a production company focused on internet videos.

Gothamist spoke with Ma and the rest of creative team behind Shop Cats — creative producer Drew Rosenthal and host Michelladonna — about conceiving their show, going viral, paying tribute to New York City and more. Below is an edited version of their conversation.

The first viral video I saw from Shop Cats was of Kiki the cat. Did you guys have a moment when you knew this was going to take off?

Rosenthal: Kiki's our most viral video. I think it's over 6 million views between all platforms right now, and that was the first thing we ever shot for the show. She’s my local bodega cat on the corner right next to where I live, and I see her pretty much every day.

A day after we posted the first episode it was at 200,000 views and we already had over 10,000 followers on TikTok. That ratio of viewers to people hitting the follow button was crazy. I’ve never seen that before and I've made lots of viral content, which really goes to show that people were waiting for this.

Has there been anything that surprised you about going so viral so quickly?

Michelladonna: As a New Yorker, you get on a train, someone starts staring at you, we're gonna have a problem, right? Now, I have to think about it: Are you looking at me because you want to fight or because you want to talk about how cute cats are? [laughs]

Rosenthal: It takes a little bit of time to like mic up and get settled for our shoots, 15 minutes. Now, there's consistently at least a couple people in that time that are like, "Are you the shop cats lady?" We were about to start shooting in front of a store the other day, and a truck driver passed by, rolled down the window and started shouting, “Is that the cat lady?”

I’m sure the requests are flooding in. How are you covering the rest of the cats of the city?

Ma: Everyone wants us to go see their cat. When people DM us or leave comments we're listening — when people tag us in Tiktok videos, like, “Go see this store manager” — we put them on a map for ourselves, and when we shoot, we go and check the map and just drop by. That’s been a big part of it. The community is kind of sharing where they want us to go. There’s also something that we launched recently, the first-ever cat mayor election of New York City.

Rosenthal: When we first made this show, a big question was, “Are there even enough cats in New York City to film? Are we going to run out of cats?” Right now, we have roughly 450 cats on our internal map.

When we accept a DM that's like, “Hey, you gotta check out this cat at this intersection,” 90% of the time they also have pictures and videos locked and loaded. There's no limit to the types of cat stories that we can tell on this platform. There’s just endless possibilities, and we're never going to run out of cats to film.

 

 

How to Make Sure Your Pet is Kept Healthy

Your pets are members of the family, so you want to ensure they are happy and healthy. From vaccines and checkups to diet and exercise, caring for a pet is a big responsibility. However, pet care does not have to be stressful. The recommendations for keeping your furry friends safe and healthy are straightforward.

1. Stay Up To Date On Vaccinations

Both dogs and cats need current vaccines to keep them safe from various diseases. These vaccines include rabies, parvo, distemper and panleukopenia. In addition, cats need feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline herpesvirus vaccines. The vaccines should be updated every few years, such as every one to three years for your dog's rabies vaccines.

2. Schedule Regular Veterinarian Checkups

Just like their human friends, pets need regular checkups with the doctor to ensure they are doing well. A veterinarian will perform a physical exam, checking everything from their ears to their teeth. Wellness exams also allow you to ask questions or share concerns about your pet, such as a change in their appetite or recent ailments such as itching and scratching.

3. Look Into Parasite Prevention

It only takes one bite from a parasite to make your pet irritated or sick. Fortunately, there are oral and topical medications for preventing fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other parasites. You can also work with your veterinarian to find the right treatment for ongoing issues, such as fleas and ticks from playing outdoors.

4. Have Them Spayed or Neutered

Having your pet spayed or neutered does more than prevent unwanted pregnancies and heat cycles. It also prevents diseases that could be fatal, such as pyometra in female dogs and cats. Pyometra affects unspayed animals and quickly progresses if left untreated. Spaying your pet prevents the expensive surgery or tragedy that can come from pyometra.

5. Pay Attention For Signs of Illness

Pets cannot verbally tell you when something is wrong, so you need to pay attention to signs of illness. Lethargy, decreased appetite, excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing are signs that something is off with your pet. Fortunately, you can look into pet insurance and other financing options to help you prepare for emergencies.

6. Maintain A Healthy Diet

Overweight pets are at risk for injuries and diseases, from aching joints to diabetes and heart conditions. Furthermore, pets need the proper nutrients to maintain their health, including their vision, digestion, bones, coat and immune system. A healthy diet also keeps their energy levels up, so they can play and function as normal.

7. Provide Clean, Fresh Water

Your pet needs to stay hydrated, but they also need to drink clean, fresh water. This means changing the water in their bowls and fountains daily. In many cases, you need to change the water several times a day. Allowing your pet to drink dirty water can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea.

8. Provide Physical and Mental Exercise

It is important to provide plenty of exercise to keep their muscles and joints healthy. Dogs need 30 minutes to two hours of physical activity, including walks and playtime. Cats need two 10 to 15-minute play sessions every day. You can also provide mental stimulation through toys and puzzles, allowing them to find treats by sniffing and moving objects.

9. Maintain Their Oral Health

Dental issues such as broken teeth are painful for pets, so you want to stay on top of their oral health. This includes at-home treatments such as brushing their teeth, providing dental treats in moderation and scheduling dental checkups.

10. Stay On Top of Grooming

Grooming does more than keep your pet looking great. Both professional and at-home grooming sessions make it easier to spot ailments such as dandruff, bald spots, matting and even fleas. Plus, your pet feels great after a nice bath and brush. Nowadays, you can look into mobile grooming, allowing your pet to stay close to a familiar environment.


Your pet's health and well-being should never be taken lightly. It is important to contact your veterinarian or local animal hospital if anything seems wrong. Luckily, you can take the steps to prevent ailments and maintain your pet's health, ensuring their quality of life.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Pet Insurance Offers

Do Our Pets Experience Grief?

Research is now confirming that our dogs, cats and rabbits, not unlike humans, experience symptoms of grief when they lose a beloved human or pet companion. Grief has even been observed in wild species. Elephants have been seen caressing the body of a deceased companion.

According to an article in AARP Magazine, pets do experience grief and there are things you can do to help a beloved dog, specifically, through the grieving process:

Maintain Normalcy - routine is the key. Keep walks and feedings consistent.

Provide Extra Attention - give your pet more cuddles and pats.

Socialize - Interaction with other dogs and people can lift spirits.

 

 

 

 

The Pets of New York City

The New York Historical Society currently has a great exhibit titled, The Pets of the City running from October 25, 2024 to April 20, 2025.

Explore the visual history of New Yorkers and their animal companions over the last three centuries

Worth seeing!

As New York has evolved over the past three centuries, one thing hasn't changed. Our love for pets. In a new exhibit at The New York Historical (formerly The New-York Historical Society), Pets and the City, visitors can trace the evolution of how animals figure into life in New York from the times of the Lenape people to today. Through the exhibition of paintings, photographs, memorabilia, sculptures, video clips, and ephemera, you'll learn about domesticated squirrels, World War I messenger pigeons, NYPD K-9 units, and iconic urban animals like Flaco the Owl.

 

 

 

Social Media Star Peanut the Squirrel Meets a Sad End

Peanut the Squirrel, who boasted 534,000 followers on Instagram, was taken from his home in Pine City, New York, by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation on Wednesday morning. Peanut, also known as PNUT, was the beloved pet of content creator Mark Longo. In more than 1,400 posts shared to Instagram, Peanut can be seen munching on waffles, jumping through hula-hoops, and greeting Longo home from work.

Over the past several days, Longo has shared several statements on Peanut's Instagram account, keeping fans updated, in hopes that Peanut may return home. At the time of publication, Longo had not posted in regards to the recent news.

"It has been a terrible nightmare for me," Longo said in his most recent video, posted Friday morning.

In response to Peanut's seizure, a Change.org petition and GoFundMe campaign were created to "return him (Peanut)" to his family. As of Friday afternoon, the petition had 28,025 signatures, and the GoFundMe has raised $7,875.

Why do animals have to be euthanized to test for rabies?

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, animals showing signs of rabies must be euthanized for the submission of specimen to a qualified rabies laboratory for testing. This is because a rabies test includes a "full cross-section of tissue from both the brain stem and cerebellum." There are no approved methods for testing rabies in animals ante-mortem.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chemung County Department of Health advised that anyone who has been in contact with the seized squirrel or raccoon consult a physician.

Who was Peanut the Squirrel?

Peanut was a rescue squirrel who had lived under Longo's care for seven years.

Longo first connected with Peanut when he saw the squirrel's mom get hit by a car, per previous USA TODAY reporting. Unfortunately, the mother passed, leaving Peanut an orphan. Longo was unsuccessful in finding a shelter that would take him in. Longo ended up feeding baby Peanut for about eight months before attempting to release him back into the wild.

"I released him in the backyard, and a day and a half later, I found him sitting on my porch, missing half his tail. So here I am, bawling my eyes out, like, I failed you as your human," Longo told USA TODAY in 2022. "And I kind of opened the door, he ran inside and that was the last of Peanut's wildlife career."

For the first five years, Longo, Peanut, and Longo's cat, Chloe, lived together in harmony.

Last year, Longo established P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Pine City. The nonprofit serves as a "haven where neglected and homeless animals receive a second chance at life," according to its website. To date, 18 horses, one mini horse, four cows, three alpacas, one parrot, one pig and two geese call the sanctuary home, according to its website.

USA TODAY contacted Longo but was unsuccessful in connecting with him for an interview.

Is it legal for squirrels to be kept as pets in NY?

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that it is illegal for young wildlife to be kept as pets.

"Inappropriate care given to young wildlife often results in abnormal attachment to humans," the Department of Environmental Conservation states. "After release, some return to places where people live, only to be attacked by domestic animals or to be hit by cars. Some become nuisances getting into stored food, trash cans or dwellings. And some may be thrust as unwelcome intruders into the home range of another member of their species."

If an individual finds a young wild animal that is injured or orphaned, the department recommends making a call to a wildlife rehabilitator, who "are the only people legally allowed to receive and treat distressed wildlife." The goal of rehabilitators is to safely release the animal, when healthy, back into the wild.

 

 

 

Peanut the Squirrel euthanized: Social media users weigh in on Peanut the Squirrel being euthanized: 'This can’t be real'

Cat Lost in Yellowstone Treks 800 Miles Home

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