1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:01,040 Speaker 1: Live. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 2: This is pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets. 3 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 3: Hello feline friends, Welcome to Kata Tune. I'm your show 4 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,879 host Michelle Byrne. Well, we're talking about New York again. 5 00:00:32,039 --> 00:00:34,520 I can't help it, but the city. You know, what 6 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,479 can you say? New York is everything. Anyways, We're going 7 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,719 to talk about some wonderful historical cat tour that you 8 00:00:41,759 --> 00:00:44,240 can take, as well as talk a little about the 9 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,159 Baudegga cats in New York and why they get a 10 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,119 bad rap sometimes. My guests today are the founders. They 11 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,280 each the co founder of Cats about Town tours, So 12 00:00:53,399 --> 00:00:57,039 stay tuned. Can't wait to talk to them. 13 00:00:57,479 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 4: Take a bite out of your competition. Advertise your business 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,519 with an ad in Pet Life Radio podcasts and radio shows. 15 00:01:04,799 --> 00:01:07,480 There is no other pet related media that is as 16 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,599 large and reaches more pet parents and pet lovers than 17 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,599 pet Life Radio with over seven million monthly listeners. Pet 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,719 Life Radio podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms, 19 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,920 and our live radio stream goes out to over two 20 00:01:22,079 --> 00:01:26,760 hundred and fifty million subscribers on iHeartRadio, Odyssey, tune In, 21 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,040 and other streaming apps. For more information on how you 22 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,760 can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network. 23 00:01:33,879 --> 00:01:38,879 Visit Petlife Radio dot com. Slash advertised today. 24 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:52,439 Speaker 1: Let's talk pets on petlifradio dot com. 25 00:01:52,599 --> 00:01:55,599 Speaker 3: Welcome back everyone. I'd like to welcome Peggy Gavin and 26 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,200 Daniel Ramada. Welcome Peggy. 27 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,159 Speaker 5: Well, thank you so much for having me today. I'm 28 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,519 really excited to talk about Cats About Town Tours with 29 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:05,920 your listeners. 30 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 3: I love that New York accent. It's funny because lately 31 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,439 I've had a lot of New York. So I'm thinking, 32 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,560 is the universe sending me a sign that I have 33 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,719 to go there again? Because I was born there, but 34 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,000 I didn't spend a lot of my life there. I 35 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,719 live in what I call South New York, which is 36 00:02:21,039 --> 00:02:25,080 South Florida. We're South New York. Oh okay, we're a mix, 37 00:02:25,199 --> 00:02:28,800 but South New York anyway. So Cats About Town Tours 38 00:02:29,319 --> 00:02:33,360 you're the co founder. What inspired you to create Cats 39 00:02:33,479 --> 00:02:34,439 About Town Tours? 40 00:02:34,879 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 5: Well, about five years ago, just before COVID lockdown hit, 41 00:02:41,319 --> 00:02:44,280 I got my New York City Tour Guide license, which 42 00:02:44,319 --> 00:02:46,520 is a very You have to go through a lot 43 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,520 of studying and you have to take a test, and 44 00:02:48,599 --> 00:02:51,120 it's this big process and I was going to be 45 00:02:51,199 --> 00:02:54,599 joining another tour company to do some tours about animals 46 00:02:55,439 --> 00:02:58,520 in New York City history. And I got my license. 47 00:02:58,599 --> 00:03:01,919 I was all excited, and then COVID came along and 48 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,080 there went that. So about a year ago, I got 49 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,000 a call from a Dan Ramata, who's my co founder, 50 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,479 my partner, my business partner, and he and I had 51 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,520 both been on a documentary about cats of Old New 52 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:20,240 York and just Cats of New York City and so 53 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,039 he contacted me and he said, hey, you know, I've 54 00:03:23,039 --> 00:03:26,599 been thinking about doing this walking tour with like cats 55 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,719 stories and stuff. Would you be interested? And I was like, 56 00:03:30,199 --> 00:03:32,719 of course, I said, I've been trying to do something 57 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,800 since before COVID. So we just partnered up and I 58 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,080 can't even tell you. Within a week, we had the 59 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:43,680 name of the tour the company, We had the website 60 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:46,800 up and running, we had the registrations up and running, 61 00:03:47,199 --> 00:03:49,840 and we were already starting to get publicity. It just 62 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,240 it went so quickly, it was. It was just amazing. 63 00:03:53,719 --> 00:03:56,199 So that's kind of how it all came together. 64 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 3: So why cats, though, Well. 65 00:03:58,639 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 5: I have been right about cats. In fact, my license 66 00:04:01,879 --> 00:04:05,680 for my car is cat Writer. My husband got that 67 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,319 for me for Christmas a few years ago. I am 68 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,840 a cat historian and I write about cats in New 69 00:04:11,919 --> 00:04:14,960 York City old New York City history, and I've been 70 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,639 doing a website for about fifteen years now, and I 71 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:20,639 have a book called The cat Men of Gotham, which 72 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,279 is all about men who loved cats in the eighteenth 73 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,160 and nineteenth century. In fact, a lot of the stories 74 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,800 for my tours come from this book. And so, yeah, 75 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,720 I have a love of cats, I love New York City, 76 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,040 and I just love sharing my stories with people. So 77 00:04:35,079 --> 00:04:38,040 that's it just came together really perfectly. 78 00:04:38,319 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 3: Okay, And I heard that Daniel just joined us. 79 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 6: Yeah, hey Michelle, I'm here. 80 00:04:43,399 --> 00:04:47,519 Speaker 3: Hi, Daniel, welcome. What inspired you to go make it 81 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,600 about town tours cat focused? 82 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,319 Speaker 6: Yeah, well, so I've realized that there were no animal 83 00:04:53,399 --> 00:04:56,480 related tours in New York City, and there's very few 84 00:04:56,639 --> 00:04:59,560 throughout the United States. So I figured out I have 85 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,439 I kind of promising happening here with Bodega Cats of 86 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,839 New York and the Instagram account. People in New York 87 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,120 City seem to really love cats. I'm also a history buff. 88 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,000 I love history, especially in New York City history. So 89 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,240 I decided, Hey, why don't I stitch this all together 90 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,879 and started walking tour about you Know Cats in New 91 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,040 York City, and I started to piece it together myself 92 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,720 and I started reading It's funny. I started like memorizing 93 00:05:23,439 --> 00:05:26,839 Peggy's Hatching cat blog. I started to try to memorize 94 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,720 the stories and really trying to, you know, learn as 95 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,120 much as I possibly could before I even knew Peggy, 96 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,879 and I ended up preaching out to her and I said, Hey, 97 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:37,720 would you be up for like a quick phone call. 98 00:05:37,879 --> 00:05:40,000 I have an idea for a tour that I'd like 99 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:41,920 to start. I'm going to get my license and I'm 100 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,360 going to you know, do all these tours myself. And then, 101 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,560 as luck would have it, Peggy's like, you know, I 102 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,439 had a very similar idea to this. Why don't we 103 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,399 work together on it? I said absolutely, So we linked 104 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,639 up that way and it was just just you know, serendipitous. 105 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,600 It ended up working out perfectly, and me and Peggy 106 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,920 get along famously, and we're running this awesome you know 107 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,639 about Cats in New York City, the first one ever? 108 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,199 Speaker 3: Do you both have cats? 109 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 5: I have three cats, they're all rescue cats from the 110 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,240 shelter in town. I have Jack and Jeter, who are 111 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,199 all black cats. Brothers, and then I have Misha, who 112 00:06:13,319 --> 00:06:15,720 is their older sister. She's a delute tortoise and she 113 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,680 does not really like her brothers that much, but they 114 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:22,720 do tolerate each other. And I'm limited to three cats. 115 00:06:22,759 --> 00:06:24,680 My husband tells me if I get any more than 116 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:26,759 three cats, we will get divorced. 117 00:06:29,439 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 3: I have three, and my partner wanted to get more, 118 00:06:31,759 --> 00:06:35,079 and I have like allergies and mild asthma with them, 119 00:06:35,079 --> 00:06:36,600 and I said, get any more and I won't be 120 00:06:36,639 --> 00:06:38,600 able to breathe. At that time, we had two dogs 121 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:39,439 and three cats. 122 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 6: So that's so funny. 123 00:06:40,639 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 3: Oh, wes Keith Daniel, what do you have. 124 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 6: I've got two ragamuffins. One of them is sleep. Oh 125 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,480 it's blurred, but I got one sleeping in my cat 126 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,680 tree in the window here. That's Coco. So I've got 127 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,519 brother and sister and Coco and Charles. I've had them 128 00:06:56,519 --> 00:06:59,839 for a few years now and they're just the best. 129 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,639 And I had to lock one out of the room unfortunately, 130 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,120 and he's clawing up the door as I'm talking, because 131 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,920 you can't lock a door. You can't shut a door 132 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,319 when you have cats, obviously, So yeah, I've got Coco 133 00:07:10,439 --> 00:07:12,040 and Charles here with. 134 00:07:11,879 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 3: Me, okay, helping monitor and helping you with questions and 135 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,800 so forth. So let's get to the tour. How did 136 00:07:18,839 --> 00:07:22,000 you decide on the very first either cat? Or was 137 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,879 it the location that had cat or was it Hey, 138 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,000 do you know about this cat? I know about this cat. 139 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,079 We have to go to this place and talk about 140 00:07:29,079 --> 00:07:31,279 this cat. What was the first one and why did 141 00:07:31,279 --> 00:07:33,199 you choose that very first cat? 142 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,959 Speaker 5: What I did was I have the book The Catman 143 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,639 of Gotham, and I have my website, The Hatching Cat 144 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,560 of New York City, which has about five hundred stories 145 00:07:41,639 --> 00:07:44,360 all different animals, not just cats, but dogs and horses. 146 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,800 And so I went through both of those, my book 147 00:07:46,839 --> 00:07:49,920 and my website, and my goal was to find an 148 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,439 area where not only did I have a lot of 149 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,720 cat stories and within like say a one or two 150 00:07:55,759 --> 00:07:59,720 mile radius, but also an area that had some interesting history. 151 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,279 And so we first landed on Brooklyn Heights. I had 152 00:08:03,319 --> 00:08:07,759 some great stories, historical cat stories from Brooklyn Heights. Brooklyn 153 00:08:07,839 --> 00:08:11,680 Heights is America's first suburb. It's got over six hundred 154 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,160 buildings that are protected by the Landmarks Conservation Society. So 155 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,560 it was just a really great way to start the tours, 156 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,920 and then from there I did the same thing. I 157 00:08:23,959 --> 00:08:26,600 again looked for two more areas in New York City 158 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,879 that again had this concentration of stories with history. So 159 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,279 we landed on the Lower east Side, the Bowery area, 160 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,720 and then the Financial District. So those are the three 161 00:08:37,759 --> 00:08:40,159 tours that we currently run right now. 162 00:08:40,519 --> 00:08:43,639 Speaker 3: Okay, thank you for those of us listening that are 163 00:08:43,879 --> 00:08:46,679 not in New York and unfortunately might not get to 164 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,120 New York soon. What would you suggest as far as 165 00:08:50,159 --> 00:08:53,559 if they're looking to create their own tour in their 166 00:08:53,639 --> 00:08:56,960 city or maybe look for a tour in their city 167 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,000 that is cat focused. 168 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 5: Well, I mean, I hope that if they were going 169 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,080 to start a cat tour company in their city, they 170 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,159 would reach out to us and let us kind of 171 00:09:06,159 --> 00:09:08,840 help them. Although I'm not an expert in other cities, 172 00:09:08,879 --> 00:09:11,279 but I could certainly help people. But again, it's really 173 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:14,840 the same thing as trying to find old cat stories 174 00:09:14,879 --> 00:09:18,000 from a particular neighborhood and try to find a neighborhood 175 00:09:18,039 --> 00:09:20,200 that is got a lot of history in it and 176 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:22,440 that's easy to walk too. I mean, there's a lot 177 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,200 that you have to think about, you know, Is it 178 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,720 easy to walk and people with wheelchairs do this tour, 179 00:09:27,879 --> 00:09:30,200 and you know, you have to kind of go through 180 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,039 it and make sure that it really fits for everybody. 181 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,519 So it's not the easiest thing to do. 182 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 2: Why. 183 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,279 Speaker 3: I mean, it sounds, oh, let's just do a tour 184 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,960 about cats, But there's so much more involved than we're 185 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,960 starting here and we're just gonna walk and I'm gonna 186 00:09:44,039 --> 00:09:47,919 point to things. There's a lot more involved, especially the knowledge. 187 00:09:48,159 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 6: Yeah, we looked out with Peggy. I mean, Peggy has 188 00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:54,600 a wealth of knowledge, not just about history, but about 189 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,240 how cats are related to that history of New York City. 190 00:09:57,279 --> 00:10:00,919 So we have, you know, a well known cat historian 191 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,480 as a co founder of his company, and she's, you know, 192 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,039 our lead tour guide. So we're super super lucky. But 193 00:10:07,519 --> 00:10:09,519 I don't know if there's many other Peggy's out there 194 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,000 in the United States who you know, can co found 195 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,519 this type of tour, so it'll they'll be pretty hard 196 00:10:14,519 --> 00:10:16,919 pressed to find somebody like her. So we very very 197 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:17,759 lucky to have Peggy. 198 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,279 Speaker 3: So if you love cats and you want a good 199 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:21,960 cat tour, you have to go to New York. 200 00:10:22,159 --> 00:10:25,039 Speaker 6: You have to. You must. Yeah, I would think. 201 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 3: Too that you have to find us a walking city. 202 00:10:27,279 --> 00:10:30,360 There's not not all cities are walking cities. La is 203 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,840 not a walking city. I live there at one point. 204 00:10:32,879 --> 00:10:35,799 I know San Francisco is a walking city some parts 205 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,679 of it. It's hard because you have to find a 206 00:10:37,759 --> 00:10:40,919 walking city and there's not you know, Boston maybe, so 207 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:42,360 that's the challenge. 208 00:10:42,399 --> 00:10:46,039 Speaker 6: Philadelphia maybe. Yeah. It has to have like deep historical routes. 209 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,519 Boston is a great example. Philly would be a great example. 210 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,679 Up and down the East coast. The cities here that 211 00:10:50,759 --> 00:10:53,399 have like deep connections for like the you know, the 212 00:10:53,399 --> 00:10:55,559 founding of the country. I think those are going to 213 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,440 be the really the good types of cities for these 214 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:58,120 types of tours. 215 00:10:58,279 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, not where I am. 216 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 6: That's for You're welcome to come on our tour. 217 00:11:01,759 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 3: So okay, let's talk about hecky. What is the one 218 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,320 historical story that you always like to share that is 219 00:11:09,399 --> 00:11:12,960 just quirky and unusual and is a must you know, 220 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,480 this is where you must stop every tour because just 221 00:11:16,519 --> 00:11:17,279 so interesting. 222 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 5: One of my tours, I have a favorite story because 223 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:24,159 we're in three different sections of the city. So in 224 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,559 Brooklyn Heights, my favorite story is about Jerry Fox, who 225 00:11:28,639 --> 00:11:30,759 was a blind cat. He lived to be about twenty 226 00:11:30,799 --> 00:11:34,120 eight years old and he saved brooklyn Borough Hall from 227 00:11:34,159 --> 00:11:38,600 burning down in the Lower east Side. My favorite story 228 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,279 is about a cat named Nicodemus, who was a cat 229 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,559 who starred in the very very first national Cat Show 230 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:51,480 at Madison Square Garden in eighteen ninety five. And then 231 00:11:51,519 --> 00:11:54,440 in the Financial District, my favorite story is about a 232 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,240 cat name Mutilator, who was the cat for the New 233 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:03,039 York Sun newspapers. So each of those three stories are 234 00:12:03,159 --> 00:12:05,639 just they have a lot of history. They are like 235 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,200 people just lef and you could see the expressions on 236 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,480 people's faces. They just find these stories to be absolutely 237 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,960 amazing and they are just really fun stories to share. 238 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 3: Now we're Catitudes, so we're all about cats. But you know, 239 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,080 there's all kinds of cat lovers. Some are fanatical cat lovers. 240 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,159 Some are just like, okay, I have a cat, you know, 241 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,480 or maybe I want to have a cat. But your 242 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:32,600 tour is also deeply, deeply historical, as we've been discussing. 243 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,159 So even if you're a dog lover, which I don't 244 00:12:36,159 --> 00:12:38,799 know why you're listening to Catitude, but thank you. But 245 00:12:39,159 --> 00:12:41,639 if you're a dog lover, you'll still love your tour. 246 00:12:42,039 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 6: One of our recent. 247 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 5: Tours, we actually had somebody breathe their dog on the tour. 248 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,519 We've had people bring their cats, but recently we did 249 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,519 have a dog person. And yes, it is because we 250 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,000 tell a lot of history and it's just kind of 251 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,840 a really fun way to learn the history of New 252 00:12:57,919 --> 00:13:01,399 York City. I kind of just describe it as many 253 00:13:01,639 --> 00:13:06,679 history lessons interrupted by fun cat stories. So it's and 254 00:13:07,039 --> 00:13:09,120 I always tell everybody there's no test at the end, 255 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:11,960 but you know, I really fun stories like you know, 256 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,279 this building was where Houdini performed, and this spot is 257 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,000 the man who invented Jello, and there's just a lot 258 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,440 of you know, the cat who saved Deborah Harry, a 259 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:25,960 blondie from dying. You know, like it's just amazing history 260 00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:29,559 in all of our tours. So it's it's really for everybody. 261 00:13:29,639 --> 00:13:33,039 Speaker 6: So sometimes when I describe the tour and what people 262 00:13:33,039 --> 00:13:34,960 are going to discover, sometimes when I describe it, I 263 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,960 like to say, like Brooklyn Borough Hall in Brooklyn Heights, 264 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,360 it has its own history. It's it's deeply significant in 265 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:43,960 Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights, and it's got a really long 266 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,960 historical past. But there's a whole nother dimension and it 267 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,080 has to do with cats. And it was so funny, 268 00:13:49,159 --> 00:13:51,559 like when Peggy was stitching together like the stops and 269 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,919 the itinerary for these tours, I kept thinking like, oh wow, 270 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,240 I had no idea like the cat historical significance of 271 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,919 like CBGB or oral haul or something, but it was 272 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:03,759 just so interesting to know that, like there's more than 273 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,639 just like the history books history. There's a whole other 274 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:07,559 dimension and it has to do with the animals, and 275 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:09,519 in our case, it has to do with cats. So 276 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,919 if you are a cat fanatic, then you are looking 277 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,720 to come on our tour. And if you're in New 278 00:14:14,799 --> 00:14:16,200 York City, yeah, please come buy. 279 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,279 Speaker 3: Okay, and we're going to talk to you more because 280 00:14:19,279 --> 00:14:23,440 you also we want to find out about the Bodega cats. 281 00:14:23,159 --> 00:14:23,679 Speaker 5: Of New York. 282 00:14:23,919 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 3: So we're going to take a quick break and we'll 283 00:14:25,879 --> 00:14:26,559 be right back. 284 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,879 Speaker 6: Real people, real stories. 285 00:14:31,039 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 7: Our little dog developed this lymph problem at the chemotherapy 286 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,919 lasted for six months, started developing more lymph nose, so 287 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,679 I thought I'd just tried carnivore. The lymph nose started 288 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,600 to go down. Then I took them into the vet 289 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,519 to him checked out, and then there was no signs 290 00:14:44,559 --> 00:14:45,279 at all inside. 291 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,639 Speaker 2: My cat had issues that developed into the height, and 292 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,240 three months later my ven airing said, let's go ahead 293 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:51,039 and remove the eye. 294 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 7: I heard the Carnivore on advertising, so I said, you 295 00:14:53,919 --> 00:14:55,879 know what, I'm going to order this product. They did 296 00:14:55,879 --> 00:14:58,200 the procedure, they did all the death and they said, 297 00:14:58,279 --> 00:14:59,759 I don't know where you did this. 298 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,519 Speaker 6: On the pie. 299 00:15:01,879 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 7: I've got a labrador. 300 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,879 Speaker 6: You could hardly lift yourself up off the floor. The 301 00:15:05,919 --> 00:15:07,360 treatment was chemotherapy. 302 00:15:07,559 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 8: That's when I said this could be the ticket. 303 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 7: About three weeks you could tell she was very alert. 304 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,960 She was going on buy my walk and she is 305 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:16,440 just like prime again. 306 00:15:16,759 --> 00:15:20,039 Speaker 3: Well eight six six eight three six eight seven three five. 307 00:15:20,159 --> 00:15:23,440 That's eight six six eight three six eight seven three five. 308 00:15:23,799 --> 00:15:27,080 Or visit carnivore dot com. That's c A r N 309 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:28,919 I v O r A dot com. 310 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 4: Use promo code pet Life at checkout for fifteen percent 311 00:15:33,279 --> 00:15:36,360 off your order at carnivora dot com. 312 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,799 Speaker 1: Let's talk past it, Let's done, PETALKFE. 313 00:15:39,879 --> 00:15:41,279 Speaker 5: Radio, Headline Radio. 314 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 8: Pet live radio dot com. 315 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,879 Speaker 3: Welcome back everyone. We're talking to Haggy Gavin and Daniel 316 00:15:59,159 --> 00:16:04,159 Ramatta and we talked in the first half about the cats, 317 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,360 about town tours, in New York. They're both co founders 318 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,679 and Peggy is the lead tour guide. Now we're going 319 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,480 to talk about the bodega cats of New York, which 320 00:16:14,799 --> 00:16:18,639 are probably part of your cat tours. What is it 321 00:16:18,799 --> 00:16:21,960 about bodega cats? And for those that don't know, what 322 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:23,120 is a bodega? 323 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 6: Yeah, so a bodega is a easiest way to picture 324 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,000 it is. It's a convenience store. It's a deli. Typically 325 00:16:29,039 --> 00:16:32,639 it's independently owned, typically family owned. But it's a convenience 326 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:35,759 store where you can get staples everything from Arizona iced 327 00:16:35,799 --> 00:16:40,840 tea to Dorito's to cigarettes, to band aids and aspirins. 328 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,799 Cat food, cat food, absolutely tons of cat food. Yeah yeah. 329 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,039 And in New York City, in these bodegas, you can 330 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,000 also find cats working animals. They are there to serve 331 00:16:51,039 --> 00:16:54,519 a purpose, and their purpose is mainly roadent control. Even 332 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,000 just the smell of a cat from a rodent will 333 00:16:57,039 --> 00:17:02,720 deter tests and rodents mice, which, as your listeners probably know, 334 00:17:02,799 --> 00:17:03,919 we have a bit of a problem here in New 335 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,359 York City with that. So these cats are a like 336 00:17:06,559 --> 00:17:08,359 natural form of pest control. 337 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,599 Speaker 3: You know, I did a show not that long ago 338 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,000 and we talked about that, and the author of the 339 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,480 book said, I think there is a rat for every 340 00:17:17,519 --> 00:17:20,680 person where I lived. And then we're talking about what's worse, 341 00:17:20,759 --> 00:17:23,480 So rats or mice or roaches, Because I live in 342 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,279 South Florida, it's tropical. We have roaches, we just do. 343 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,720 So they said they preferred rats or mice. I said, oh, 344 00:17:29,759 --> 00:17:33,519 I'll take a roach any day. Oh well, compared to 345 00:17:33,519 --> 00:17:36,799 our rodent. We actually have a rat tzar in New 346 00:17:36,839 --> 00:17:38,079 York City. It's a woman. 347 00:17:39,279 --> 00:17:41,519 Speaker 5: The mayor, I guess a couple of years ago, said 348 00:17:41,559 --> 00:17:44,839 you know, we need a rat sar and he brought 349 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,240 in this woman and I'm like not So, I'm like, 350 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:47,799 we don't need. 351 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,799 Speaker 6: A woman, we need a human. We need cats. You know. 352 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 5: One of the stories I tell about mcsorley's Alehouse, famous 353 00:17:55,039 --> 00:17:57,119 bar in New York City, when they had cats, they 354 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,880 had no rats, and after their last cat was kicked 355 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:02,319 out by the New York City Board of Health. A 356 00:18:02,319 --> 00:18:05,000 few years later, mcsorley's was shut down because they have 357 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,160 too many rats. So there's your answer. You don't need 358 00:18:08,519 --> 00:18:12,240 a rats. Are you need bodega cats and other kind 359 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:12,680 of cats? 360 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:13,079 Speaker 3: Yeah? 361 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:14,759 Speaker 6: Work cats, yeah. 362 00:18:14,519 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: Yep, And that's I mean cats were mousers way from 363 00:18:17,559 --> 00:18:19,799 way back. Well, your the historians more than I do. 364 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,759 But I've done my share of reading historical books with 365 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,359 hosting catitude for the last eight wow eight years. But 366 00:18:27,519 --> 00:18:31,559 cats were originally mousers, and they still have that stalking 367 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,799 prey instinct. Mine don't. I don't know why. 368 00:18:34,839 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 6: But other yeah, I don't see. 369 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 3: Like if a bug comes when it rains here, they 370 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:41,799 just come out the bugs, it doesn't matter what. I 371 00:18:41,799 --> 00:18:44,039 don't have tons. I'll find like one a week. But 372 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,440 my cats just don't even pay attention lizards, though they 373 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,480 get excited about lizards. I just try to bring outside. 374 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,119 But yeah, they just look. But I'd never seen a rodent, 375 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,920 so I guess the scent of the cats keep them away. 376 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:57,680 So I'm happy with. 377 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,319 Speaker 6: That, yeah, exactly. And we have my and we have rats, 378 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,240 and the rats are way bigger than the mice, so 379 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,480 the cats typically don't go after the rats. They're sometimes 380 00:19:08,519 --> 00:19:09,440 as big as the cat. 381 00:19:09,759 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 3: Oh my god. 382 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 6: But it's just the But it's just the smell of 383 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,279 the cat, you know, It's presence sometimes like the urine. 384 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,079 If it could smell that, it's enough of a deterrent 385 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,119 it will go after mice. Though if it's small, then 386 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,759 they will go after those. But typically rats just stay 387 00:19:25,799 --> 00:19:27,680 away from these types of podegas. 388 00:19:27,799 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 3: That's a good thing. But I cannot imagine a seven 389 00:19:30,559 --> 00:19:34,359 pound rat and then that's a very tiny small cat, 390 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:35,200 aren't egg? 391 00:19:35,319 --> 00:19:35,519 Speaker 2: Yeah? 392 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, mine are big cats. They're just big, like eighteen pounds. 393 00:19:39,319 --> 00:19:41,680 An eighteen pound rat, oh, I think should be called 394 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:42,279 something else. 395 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:47,279 Speaker 6: Yeah it's a bear. Yeah, Yeah, that's funny. Bodega cats 396 00:19:47,279 --> 00:19:49,039 have been a part of New York City for a 397 00:19:49,079 --> 00:19:53,160 really long time. The bodega's themselves have their own kind 398 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,240 of interesting history. So in the nineteen fifty nineteen sixties, 399 00:19:56,279 --> 00:19:58,839 Puerto Rican families came to New York City. They kind 400 00:19:58,839 --> 00:20:01,880 of coined the phrase bodega, which actually is funny because 401 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,759 it translates to a warehouse or like a seller, doesn't 402 00:20:05,759 --> 00:20:08,799 it We translate to like convenience store in Spanish. But 403 00:20:09,079 --> 00:20:11,960 somehow it's stuck and it's become synonymous with like the 404 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,359 cultural with the culture of New York City. 405 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:14,599 Speaker 7: Right. 406 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 6: I always like to say that New York City runs 407 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,359 on bodegas, and it's true. Even during COVID they were open, 408 00:20:20,559 --> 00:20:23,880 and you know, they really were there for New Yorkers. 409 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,079 And every neighborhood has, you know, their their token bodega, 410 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,839 and some of them have multiple bodegas, but they've really, 411 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,720 you know, kind of intertwined themselves with the cultural fabric 412 00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:35,119 of New York City and and so have bodega cats. 413 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,480 And the account that I run, Bodega Cats of New 414 00:20:37,559 --> 00:20:40,880 York on Instagram is really a testament to that. It's 415 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,119 what we're doing is documenting bodega cats. They they are here, 416 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,400 They're they're not going anywhere. They're part of the fabric here. 417 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,079 And our job is just to document and you know, 418 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,599 post photos that our followers send us, and we get 419 00:20:54,759 --> 00:20:57,559 dozens of photos a week and we're really thankful to 420 00:20:57,599 --> 00:20:59,359 all of our followers for sharing those with us and 421 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:03,279 telling people from outside New York City what bodiga cats are. 422 00:21:03,319 --> 00:21:05,039 And I think our account is a really good example 423 00:21:05,079 --> 00:21:07,839 of what healthy, you know, happy bodega cats look like. 424 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 3: There's controversy around bodega cats because you mentioned happy and healthy, 425 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,279 but there's some controversy. I think it generally stems from 426 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:19,759 lack of knowledge, which is where that comes from. But 427 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,640 some people think, you know, oh it's cruel to have 428 00:21:22,759 --> 00:21:27,039 bodega cats, or you know, bodega cats because someplace, some 429 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,279 bodegas have like you know, like you said, deli and 430 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,960 you know, then you have cats there or solid areas 431 00:21:34,039 --> 00:21:36,559 and you know you have cats there. So there's some 432 00:21:36,759 --> 00:21:41,079 negative component to this. My personal belief is I think 433 00:21:41,279 --> 00:21:44,759 the cats are fine. They're prey creatures. They just are 434 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,720 So it's nothing against their you know, DNA. That's my 435 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,839 personal opinion. But what would you say, because there is controversy. 436 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,200 Some people think it's cruel to have badega cats. They're 437 00:21:55,279 --> 00:21:58,680 they're just working and whatever, and some people are just 438 00:21:59,039 --> 00:22:02,119 you know, they shouldn't be in an area where there's food. 439 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,559 I don't buy that either. In Europe they're all over 440 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,000 restaurants dogs two. So what do you say to those 441 00:22:08,039 --> 00:22:12,359 people that just say that, oh, it's terrible. It's either 442 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,640 useful to comment on bodega cats or just have a 443 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,119 negative vibe about bodega cats. 444 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,400 Speaker 6: Yeah, so there's a couple of common misconceptions, and I 445 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,480 should preface and say that, like the cat rescue organizations 446 00:22:25,559 --> 00:22:29,759 are doing fantastic jobs, and they're really the ones that 447 00:22:29,759 --> 00:22:32,319 are day in, day out airing for bodega cats, are 448 00:22:32,319 --> 00:22:34,680 the ones checking in on them. So hats off to 449 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,920 like cat rescue organizations, and we work with a lot 450 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,200 of them. We just raised eight thousand dollars in a 451 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,880 fundraiser and we donated all the money to four different 452 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,480 cat rescues that we work with. But rat, yeah, bodega 453 00:22:47,519 --> 00:22:50,440 cats are starved or they're you know, locked away twenty 454 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,119 four to seven. It's not the case. They're not starved. 455 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,240 A lot of people say they're starved so that they 456 00:22:55,319 --> 00:22:58,640 are trained to only eat mice. There's not that many mice. 457 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:00,599 These cats would start to death. It's just it's a 458 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,839 silly misconception. It's not true. It's a complete myth. These cats, 459 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,119 the ones that we visited, are fed, they are well 460 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,519 cared for. They're stables in the community. They get so 461 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,880 much love and so much attention throughout the day from 462 00:23:13,039 --> 00:23:16,200 regulars passing, you know, in and out. Do all bodegas 463 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,160 treat their cats equally? Definitely not. There's absolutely abuse and 464 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,759 there's neglect that happens in terms of inside of Bodega's, 465 00:23:24,039 --> 00:23:27,319 But it happens everywhere. It's not exclusive to Odega's. Animal 466 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:28,759 abuse happens everywhere. 467 00:23:28,519 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 3: Right, Unfortunately it does. And I was going to comment 468 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,720 that can happen from someone adopting a cat, that can 469 00:23:33,759 --> 00:23:36,559 happen from a cat order. There's plenty of others. And 470 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,240 then what's your third point. 471 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 6: Well, I was going to say by documenting them, what 472 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,119 we're trying to do is encourage shop owners to take 473 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,640 pride in their cats, right, to really showcase their cats 474 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,400 and be proud of their cats, which hopefully we'll raise 475 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,759 the bar for the cat's well being. So not just 476 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,400 having the bodega owner care for their cat and love 477 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:56,519 their cat, but also like people that see our account 478 00:23:56,599 --> 00:23:58,960 and see Bodega Cats of Instagram or see the Shop 479 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,559 Cats show on Instagram, we want yours to fall in 480 00:24:02,599 --> 00:24:05,079 love with bodega cats and we want them to care 481 00:24:05,079 --> 00:24:08,279 when something happens. Oftentimes these cats will get snatched from 482 00:24:08,319 --> 00:24:11,319 a store, they get stolen, or they'll go missing, or 483 00:24:11,519 --> 00:24:14,160 sometimes they get hit by a car, and the community 484 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,880 outpouring is huge. People really get upset when bad things 485 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,960 happen to their local bodega cats. So hopefully by showcasing 486 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,920 these cats, we're making people care more. And we're trying 487 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,880 to avoid the out of sight you know, or out 488 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,920 of sight out of mind kind of you know idea 489 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,519 where Let's put these cats in front of people. Let's 490 00:24:33,519 --> 00:24:36,440 get them to really care about their neighborhood cats. And hopefully, 491 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,400 you know, that's what we're doing with our account to 492 00:24:39,519 --> 00:24:42,000 showcasing these are what healthy cats look like. Let's make 493 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,880 sure that they all look like this, right. 494 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 3: Do you think bodega cats could influence cat adoption from 495 00:24:49,039 --> 00:24:52,359 rescues or shelters a little? Maybe for someone who doesn't 496 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,279 have a cat, who sees a bodega cat all the 497 00:24:54,279 --> 00:24:56,319 time and thinks, you know, maybe I should get a cat. 498 00:24:56,519 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 6: That's interesting, that's really interesting. 499 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 3: It's a stretch. But I'm just one because the more 500 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,400 that are adopted, the less that are, you know, the other. 501 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,519 Speaker 6: Shore and so well, you can't hurt. Yeah, no, it 502 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:08,559 can't hurt. I would hope that like the people that 503 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,519 really care about their bodega cat who haven't adopted a 504 00:25:11,519 --> 00:25:14,200 cat just yet, Number one, I absolutely hope they adopt 505 00:25:14,279 --> 00:25:17,279 a cat from a rescue organization. But until then, if 506 00:25:17,319 --> 00:25:19,599 you haven't adopted a cat yet, check in on your 507 00:25:19,599 --> 00:25:22,240 local budea cat, ask the owner to spay and to 508 00:25:22,319 --> 00:25:24,599 neuter their cats. That is a huge problem in New 509 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,079 York City, as it is everywhere, but especially in New 510 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:29,680 York City, there is a massive feral cat problem, and 511 00:25:30,039 --> 00:25:32,559 bodega owners are not spaying and neutering their cats as 512 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,359 much as they should. So I would say, until you 513 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,920 got your own cat, treat the bodega cat as your cat. 514 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,039 Ask about the bodego owner if they spain, they need 515 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:40,599 to their cat until you get yours. 516 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,839 Speaker 3: What I was meaning as people visiting the bodega cat 517 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,160 like every day. Oh, I stopped there five times a week. 518 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,519 I see this cat, and then I should get my own. 519 00:25:49,759 --> 00:25:53,319 The other thing is people sometimes say, well, sometimes the 520 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,160 boat because it's not the easiest to transport cats, so 521 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,400 the cats stay like overnight, you know, in the store 522 00:25:59,599 --> 00:26:03,319 by them. To me, that's not an issue. Cats do sleep. 523 00:26:03,519 --> 00:26:06,039 I mean some are nocturnal, but they do sleep. And 524 00:26:06,759 --> 00:26:08,839 what would you say to someone who says they're by 525 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,400 themselves when the store is closed. 526 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 6: It does happen. I mean, these cats are left alone 527 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:14,440 for a period of time. I think that they've really 528 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,519 gotten used to kind of the solitude at night. A 529 00:26:17,559 --> 00:26:19,680 lot of these bodegas are open twenty four to seven, 530 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,160 but the ones that are not, yeah, I mean I 531 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:22,960 think they just get used to the solitude. These are 532 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,119 working animals, right, So I think we should look at 533 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:27,319 it through a different lens and just consider them. These 534 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:30,119 are cats with a purpose. And when you see these cats, 535 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,359 you can you notice that they feel their purpose and 536 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,839 that they know that they're there as a working animal. 537 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:36,440 So I think maybe just looking at it through a 538 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,440 different lens kind of helps. But I would love for 539 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,279 these cats to have attention twenty four to seven. But 540 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:43,839 during the operating hours of these bodegas, they get a 541 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,400 ton of love and a ton of intention from people 542 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:47,599 passing through the bodegas. 543 00:26:47,799 --> 00:26:48,519 Speaker 3: That's good to hear. 544 00:26:48,599 --> 00:26:51,559 Speaker 6: Do you have a favorite, Yeah, there's probably a couple favorites. 545 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,079 I'll tell you my favorite and then I'll tell you 546 00:26:53,079 --> 00:26:55,839 a quick story if we have time. Sure, sure, Okay. 547 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:00,359 My favorite is probably Tiger in Williamsburg. He's a Metropolitan you, 548 00:27:00,519 --> 00:27:03,599 He's a Scottish fold cat and the owner there, his 549 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,960 name's Chicu. Very very nice guy, very kind guy. He 550 00:27:07,079 --> 00:27:09,759 let me. I was interviewed by News twelve, which is 551 00:27:09,759 --> 00:27:11,759 actually kind of funny. That's where Peggy and I met. 552 00:27:11,759 --> 00:27:13,960 We broke interviewed for the same segment on News twelve, 553 00:27:14,039 --> 00:27:16,359 and I reached out on Instagram to the owner, and 554 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:17,799 I said, hey, would it be cool if like a 555 00:27:17,839 --> 00:27:20,359 news crew came to your bodega and we filmed with 556 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,400 you and your cat and we asked you a couple questions. 557 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,160 He said, absolutely, come by. Come by. It's still on 558 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:26,759 my website if you guys want to watch the video. 559 00:27:26,799 --> 00:27:29,880 We have the video there. But that cat, or the 560 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,440 owner of that cat, Chico, he cares for his cat 561 00:27:32,519 --> 00:27:35,599 and deeply. He was showing me photos of when Tiger 562 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,519 went to the vet and when he got his second 563 00:27:38,519 --> 00:27:42,400 bodega cat in a different location in Williamsburg. And he's 564 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,400 a really shining star type of example of a bodega 565 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,000 owner that cares deeply about his cat, takes a cat 566 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,039 home every single night, and I think that should be 567 00:27:51,039 --> 00:27:53,039 the standard, right, Like how happy that cat is. He 568 00:27:53,039 --> 00:27:55,319 does his own Instagram page. People stop in just a path, 569 00:27:56,079 --> 00:27:58,440 so he probab him a favorite. And Scottish folds are 570 00:27:58,599 --> 00:28:01,640 like they're very common breed a bodh cats, So it's 571 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,160 cool to see, you know, a traditional Scottish fold with 572 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,759 his ears, you know, and a tabby coat. Really funny story, 573 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:09,920 and I'll keep this one kind of brief, not to 574 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,359 hog up all the time. But there was a cat 575 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:15,279 named Zoro. I won't mention exactly where he is, but 576 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,680 he's in in Alphabet City in New York City, this 577 00:28:18,799 --> 00:28:21,759 kind of named Zoro. He's at a Mexican restaurant out there, 578 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,799 and the owner was telling me that a health inspector. 579 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,559 So health inspectors are kind of key here because bodega 580 00:28:27,599 --> 00:28:31,599 cats are technically illegal, you're not technically allowed to have them. 581 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,400 A lot of times the health inspectors will look the 582 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,279 other way. Sometimes it's better to have a cat than 583 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,519 to have a rodent infestation, so they kind of look 584 00:28:39,559 --> 00:28:41,759 the other way. They understand that there's like this kind 585 00:28:41,759 --> 00:28:43,880 of funny New York City catch twenty two that happens 586 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,680 with bodeta cats. But anyway that the health inspector came 587 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:51,440 looking for infestation, for any violations, code violations, and he 588 00:28:51,559 --> 00:28:54,160 saw the cat, didn't really care. He saw the food, 589 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,039 saw the water, didn't really care about the cat. He 590 00:28:56,079 --> 00:28:59,720 was there looking for, you know, bigger issues. And the 591 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:01,960 owner of this Bodheo cab was a little bit nervous 592 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,119 because sometimes they do get a summons for having a cat. 593 00:29:04,119 --> 00:29:06,559 It's about two hundred dollars for having cat. You know 594 00:29:06,839 --> 00:29:09,319 place that serves food, and the health inspector was on 595 00:29:09,359 --> 00:29:11,839 his way out. The owner of the Bodetta was pretty relieved. 596 00:29:12,079 --> 00:29:15,000 As the inspector's reaching for the door, he grabs the handle, 597 00:29:15,119 --> 00:29:17,559 he pulls back the handle, and then the cat named 598 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:21,400 Zoro takes his claw out, scratches the health inspector from 599 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,039 elbow to wrist and a nice cut on his arm, 600 00:29:24,599 --> 00:29:27,240 and so the helps dependent closes the door. He looks 601 00:29:27,279 --> 00:29:29,880 back at the owner of the of the Mexican restaurant. 602 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,160 He's like, really, man, really, and the guy's like, hey, sorry, 603 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,400 it's a cat. There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry, 604 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,000 but he still didn't get a summons. The guy walked out, 605 00:29:38,039 --> 00:29:40,160 everything's okay. But that was my favorite because you know, 606 00:29:40,279 --> 00:29:42,920 Zora the sword fighter leaving a nice claw on a health. 607 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:49,039 Speaker 3: Right at health inspector. You know, that's just how cats are. 608 00:29:49,119 --> 00:29:51,680 You never know, you can pet one and then all 609 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,480 of a sudden they don't want like wow, you know, 610 00:29:54,559 --> 00:29:55,759 the claws just come. 611 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:57,319 Speaker 6: So that's all right. 612 00:29:57,559 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 5: I just saw something on the news today though, that 613 00:29:59,759 --> 00:30:03,160 new or is they can considering making bodega cats legal. 614 00:30:03,359 --> 00:30:05,720 It just popped up on my banks, so I don't 615 00:30:05,759 --> 00:30:07,799 know what's happening with that, but that would be yeah, 616 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:08,599 pretty cool. 617 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 6: We started that petition, It got about I think it's 618 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,000 a thirteen thousand signatures on change dot org, and we 619 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,079 were asking for the city council to legalize bodega cats, 620 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,160 not so that there's a ton more of bodega cats, 621 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:22,839 but just so that the city can step in and 622 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,559 enforce minimum standards of care for bodega cats. Right so, 623 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:28,680 right now, the city they can't force bodega owners to 624 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:30,759 spay and neuter. There's not a lot the city can do. 625 00:30:30,799 --> 00:30:32,920 Even though they want to help these cats that live 626 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:34,680 in these stores, they can't do anything about it while 627 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,279 they're illegal. So what we're saying is, hey, city council 628 00:30:37,759 --> 00:30:42,240 legalized bodega CATS's let's make them official workers of this store. 629 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,119 And that way the city can step in and provide 630 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,440 resources and maybe you know, allocate funding to cat rescues 631 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,079 to help these bodega cats through kind of this proxy 632 00:30:50,119 --> 00:30:53,640 of this cat rescue. Yeah, Keith Powers introduced or is 633 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,880 going to introduce legislation based on our petition. 634 00:30:56,039 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 3: That is great news. Okay, we're talking about at a 635 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:02,839 time where can people find out more about cats, about 636 00:31:02,839 --> 00:31:06,799 Town Tours and about Bodega Cats of New York. And 637 00:31:06,839 --> 00:31:09,799 thank you both Peggy and Daniel for coming on Catitude. 638 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, take it away, Dan, great, great, And so for 639 00:31:13,119 --> 00:31:17,079 the for the cat tours, we are discoverable at cats 640 00:31:17,119 --> 00:31:21,240 about towntours dot com. You can book tours up until 641 00:31:21,519 --> 00:31:23,480 I guess the end of December. Once it gets a 642 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,519 little too cold, probably gonna start shutting down and then 643 00:31:26,559 --> 00:31:28,400 we'll be back up in the spring. And for the 644 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:31,240 listeners at home, we have a coupon code for ten 645 00:31:31,279 --> 00:31:33,160 dollars off a tour if you'd like to come on. 646 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,759 So it's Attitude twenty twenty five, all one word, all 647 00:31:36,759 --> 00:31:39,480 our broadcase. You get ten bucks off for being a 648 00:31:39,519 --> 00:31:43,400 listener to pet Life Radio. And for the Bodega Cats, 649 00:31:43,519 --> 00:31:46,640 it's at Bodega Cats of New York on Instagram and 650 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,920 it's the same name Bodega Cats of New York dot com. 651 00:31:50,319 --> 00:31:52,640 We saw merch there and you'll find out more about 652 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:56,519 our petitions and about our fundraising efforts, so you can 653 00:31:56,599 --> 00:31:57,359 learn more there. 654 00:31:57,599 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 3: Okay, Well, thank you so much, Daniel. Peggy, what would 655 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,480 you tell listeners that are thinking about making a trip 656 00:32:03,519 --> 00:32:06,119 to New York and thinking should I squeeze in a 657 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,000 cat tour or or I don't know. So what would 658 00:32:09,039 --> 00:32:12,039 you tell them that why that they should Yes, you 659 00:32:12,039 --> 00:32:14,720 should go on this Cat's About Town tour. Absolutely. 660 00:32:15,079 --> 00:32:17,319 Speaker 5: All you got to do is look at our Google reviews. 661 00:32:17,759 --> 00:32:20,240 We have got I mean, all of our reviews are 662 00:32:20,319 --> 00:32:23,039 five star and we have a lot of tourists. I 663 00:32:23,079 --> 00:32:26,319 had just this week, I had tours from North Carolina. 664 00:32:26,359 --> 00:32:29,720 We get people from California and they do give us 665 00:32:29,799 --> 00:32:31,839 these five star reviews and they say, you know, we 666 00:32:31,839 --> 00:32:33,799 were looking for a tour. We were looking for something 667 00:32:33,799 --> 00:32:37,119 in New York City. We're looking for something different, and 668 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,799 we stumbled uponcats Abound Tours and it's the best decision 669 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:43,440 we made. It's the best tour we could have possibly 670 00:32:43,559 --> 00:32:45,799 chosen out of all of the other tours that are 671 00:32:45,839 --> 00:32:48,559 out there, because it's just so unique and it's just 672 00:32:49,079 --> 00:32:52,519 really fun. So just just go to Google and you 673 00:32:53,119 --> 00:32:53,799 see the proof. 674 00:32:54,039 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 3: Well, thank you so much. I'm interested Cat's history. I'm 675 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,359 there so again. Thank you Peggy and Daniels so much 676 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,640 for coming on Caatitude, And I guess I should say 677 00:33:03,839 --> 00:33:04,440 stay warm. 678 00:33:04,839 --> 00:33:06,799 Speaker 5: Well, we hope you come up and visit us and 679 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:08,799 just reach out to us. If you come up and 680 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,240 you want to go on a tour, you are our guest. 681 00:33:11,759 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 3: Oh, I appreciate that. I hope you guys all enjoyed this. 682 00:33:15,279 --> 00:33:18,200 If you're in New York, definitely check out Cats about 683 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,240 Town tours. There's a lot besides cats. There's a lot 684 00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:25,400 of history involved, and I'm sure you will love it. 685 00:33:25,599 --> 00:33:28,240 I want to thank my guests today, Peggy and Daniel 686 00:33:28,279 --> 00:33:31,880 for coming on Caatitude. Thanks to my cat crew Bill 687 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:35,440 are all from South Florida who rescued me, so thank you, Dennis, Charlotte, 688 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,079 Molly of course, huge thank you to everybody listening. Cattitude 689 00:33:39,279 --> 00:33:43,680 greatly appreciated. And a huge, huge, amazing thank you to 690 00:33:43,759 --> 00:33:46,839 my producer for all he does. He makes our shows 691 00:33:46,839 --> 00:33:49,720 sound amazing. Thank you Mark Winter for all you do, 692 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,440 and remember, lose the attitude, have Catitude. 693 00:33:54,359 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: Let's Talk pets every week on demand only on petlve 694 00:33:59,079 --> 00:34:00,000 radio dot com. 695 00:34:00,079 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 2: Cop