Last June, city council member Keith Powers proposed a bill to make an exception for one of the major symbols of NYC culture: bodega cats. The bill suggests updating the health code to allow the bodega owners to have the cats without fear of punishment with fines, plus the lowering of letter grading which negatively affects business.

23 FHHS students were surveyed at random to gather opinions on the matter. 

Many students defended the cats and praised them. “I love cats and they’re so cute and they make the bodegas better,” said one anonymous peer. 

Of the 23 students surveyed, 91.3% like cats, even though only 60.9% of students surveyed are for the legalization of bodega cats. 

One student that likes cats but is against the legalization of bodega cats argued,  “There is a time and place for everything.” 

Others feel the opposite, saying they are a necessity to address the infamous rat problem in our city.

Because these feline friends are so good at keeping the rats away, health inspectors are hesitant to instill punishment, leading to the questioning of the bill entirely. 

“There is a massive amount of rats in NYC. We need control,” said Emily Vaamonde Beria, a junior. 

Retired bodega owner, Juan Aracena, was stunned that the bodega buddies are a topic of controversy. “They’re illegal? I was always warned about fines and punishments by health inspectors, but ultimately they did nothing.” 

According to Chapter 23 of the official NYC Health Code, all animals, with the exception of service animals and fish in tanks are not allowed, due to health concerns. 

So what causes leniency when it comes to bodega cats in NYC? 

“Bodega cats are a staple of any good bodega—they keep the rodents away and play a significant role in building community,” said Keith Powers, city council member in an interview with Spectrum News NY1. 

This idea was greatly supported by those surveyed at FHHS as well, as bodega cats are, in many ways, the store managers of these businesses. 

“They are the managers and don’t do anything wrong; they’re always friendly and bring up the vibes.”