Meet The Bodega Cats Of Sunset Park [Video]

A new WNYC video series, Bodega Cats, is giving voices to our neighborhood’s furriest bodega workers. These feline Brooklynites talk about cat life, how their neighborhoods are changing, and local cuisines.

Take Tiger, an orange cat, who just sleeps and eats all day. In other words, he’s basically Garfield. He’s got confidence from his furry ears to his paws.

Born in the bodega, Tiger is seven months old and has no issue with disclosing his storied past.

“I’m an adorable baby too. My mom was the first bodega cat here. I had a teenage mom, for real. She was only a year old,” said Tiger with a laugh.

His time in the bodega has put him in touch with many different cultures, and gave him a feel for the changing Sunset Park neighborhood.

“I hear people talk to me in English, Spanish, Asian, Arabic, Russian,” said Tiger, proudly. “The changes in the neighborhood — it’s been for the good.”

In another Sunset Park bodega is Nushi, a black and white kitty with a taste for the neighborhood.

Nushi has been in the neighborhood for more than four years, says he feels right at home in Sunset Park. He’s been getting to know the in’s and out’s of the bodega business all of his life. In fact, he considers himself a bit of a market expert.

“We have all the type of customer,” said Nushi. “They want water, they want juice, they want soda. Most of them love beer — especially Corona.”

Nushi is a fun-loving cat with higher hopes than a mere nine lives.

“I love life, and I’m going to live forever,” said Nushi.

Do you know these kitties? Share your bodega cat stories in the comments below.