New York’s iconic bodega cats could be getting some long-awaited protection from abuse under a new proposal to regulate their care by store owners. Malnourished, sickly and even abandoned deli ...

Bodegas need cats to catch mice, but strictly speaking food businesses are not supposed to have animals in residence.

Technically speaking, having a cat in a deli is currently illegal because of hygiene issues. This sort of certification program could, then, reduce the chances of a deli cat getting confiscated. All ...

so they love the cat," said deli employee Camila Avila. "And sometimes they don't come to buy anything, but they just come to say hi to the cat." There are cats like Benito in stores all over the ...