Don’t mess with bodega cats. That’s the message the internet is sending after a woman left a negative Yelp review of a local bodega because of the store’s resident cat. The reviewer says, “I decided to stop in and grab a sandwich. To my dismay- there was a cat perched upon some cases of Budweiser in the middle of the store!! Besides being allergic to cats, I wonder what the health code say about this?”
It’s too bad this reviewer had such a problem with the cat because a sandwich and a beer from the bodega probably would have drown out the taste of her salty personality. For the record, she is technically right. It is not legal for the cat to be in the store, and there could be a fine if the law is enforced. But it is a largely ignored law, and bodega cats actually help keep pests like rats out of the store and out of the food. Perhaps this reviewer prefers rats, but not us.
The internet didn’t take too kindly to her shade-throwing ways. Other Yelpers were quick to condemn the comment and post positive reviews expressing their love for the friendly kitty, whose name is Star. One user said, “[Y]ou had to have lost your mind to post something negative due to a bodega cat. Do yourself a favor and move out of New York if you don’t like it, because that’s the normal here.” People all over social media echoed the sentiment.
Joking aside and in all honesty, this woman had an uninformed opinion and the internet overreacted, as it always does. Cats have a place and a purpose in bodegas and are a common sight in big cities like New York where rats and pests are a problem. We should educate people about the value of cats instead of berating them. Since the comment appeared, a petition has started to legalize bodega cats officially, so maybe some good can come out of this mess.
Do you think the woman was in the wrong to make that comment? Do you think the internet overreacted? Let us know in the comments below!
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