MANHATTAN – As any New Yorker knows, there’s nothing quite like the love you have for your local bodega— and their cat. More than just the local pest control— whether picking up your morning coffee with a side of cuddles, to going to your corner bookstore and sharing a reading bench with your favorite neighborhood feline, bodega cats are an institution in this city— and they’re not just in bodegas anymore. The Upper East Side just happens to have a few cats of our own that you should know.
Marshmallow
Gracing the aisles at First on First Deli, located on First Avenue between East 91st and 92nd Streets, is the most adorable five-year-old calico cat named Marshmallow.
Primarily white, with striking green eyes and spots of orange and a little black patch on her back, Marshmallow is a beloved neighborhood pet that comes to greet all who call.
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She may not be front and center as you walk in the deli, but with a few calls of her name and some ‘here kitty’ she’ll appear from the corners of the store and make her way over to you.
Not shy and aware of the drill, she’ll rub up against your leg and demand pets as she rolls over to her back.
Mr. Boo Boo
Known as one of the ‘Guardians of the Bookstore,’ Mr. Boo Boo can be visited at the Logo Bookstore on York Avenue between 83rd and 84th street.
The Logo Bookstore is a true Yorkville institution, not only has it been in the neighborhood since 1996, it’s also been a filming location for some of your favorite shows, like the hit Netflix series ‘You.’
More importantly than its IMBD credits are the cozy cats that live amongst the books – one of which is Mr. Boo Boo. He is 11 years old and will be the first one to greet you at the door.
He is anything but shy! A cuddly, chubby boy – he has lived a wonderful life at the store since his owner rescued him from a veterinarian in Westchester County, New York.
“The Mr. was added later on in life, as Boo Boo was continuously referenced as a female,” says owner, Naomi.
Chloe
Mr. Boo Boo’s sister by adoption, Chloe is a four-year-old primarily black cat with little white mittens on her paws. Unlike her older brother, Chloe is a tad shy and a lot smaller.
The story behind Chloe’s adoption is a beautiful one. Her owner Naomi, rescued her from a construction site across the street from her home. She worked with a local animal shelter to relocate a family of kittens and their mom safely from the site.
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However, a few days later, she kept hearing cries during the night.
It turns out a kitten was left behind during the rescue. That kitten is Chloe. While Naomi had no intentions to adopt another cat, she couldn’t get over how cute Chloe was and had to keep her.
You can visit her and her brother Mr. Boo Boo at Logo Bookstore on York Avenue.
Lovely & Shy
On First Avenue, between East 87th and 88th Streets, live two twin sisters, Lovely and Shy.
The definition of spoiled cats, their home is none other than Pet Town, one of the Upper East Side’s most beloved pet food and supply stores.
As employees of the shop say, these two truly live in a cat’s candy store. The toys on the shelf are merely disposable to their entertainment and they grace the aisle like a runway.
However, when the store is busy or accepting deliveries for the day, you can find them hidden in the back room or behind the dry food shelves.
The twin rescues first arrived at the store after the passing of their beloved cat Ophelia.
The two had big shoes to fill. Lovely stepped right up and Shy is a little more timid— howeve,r she’s coming out of her shell with each day.
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Lovely will greet you at the door and demand a pet, however Shy, like her name, takes a little more time to get used to you.
The two girls are calicos, but Shy has a little tabby coloring to her— if you’re trying to tell the two apart.
These two, as well as Pet Town’s favorite furry customers, can be seen on their instagram account
Know of any Upper East Side bodega cats you’d like to add to our list? Reach out to us directly, we can’t wait to meet them!
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