Cats have long reigned over the Internet’s viral culture, from keyboard cats to LOLcats to Nyan cat, but 2024 is the year cat culture went mainstream. Whether it was JD Vance’s critique-turned-galvanizing rally cry of the “childless cat lady” to the reimagining of “Cats The Musical” into ballroom culture-inspired “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” it’s hard to go anywhere online without hearing or seeing them.
The viral TikTok show “Shop Cats,” produced by Mad Realities TV, has earned its rightful place in the cat zeitgeist. The show is able to simultaneously capture the distinctly New York City phenomenon that is the bodega cat, while also highlighting local communities and how easy it is to connect with the people who inhabit them.
Alice Ma, founder of Mad Realities TV, and Drew Rosenthal, creator and producer, are the creatives behind “Shop Cats.” The Tiktok page has garnered over 368 thousand followers with 5.2 million likes, and each episode is breaking at least 1 million views. It’s no exaggeration to say that “Shop Cats” has been an absolute hit since its first post.
The web-show is the brainchild of Rosenthal, who said the idea came about from a simple fascination with the local bodega cats he and his friends would send back-and-forth to each other after moving to the city.
“Why isn’t this a show? There should be an account with a host who introduces you to all these cats, and you can get to know them without even needing to go there,” said Rosenthal. Working originally in neuro-surgery and making content freelance, he recently made the career pivot to media as head of production at Mad Realities.
The format of the show is fairly straightforward and feels reminiscent of classic MTV shows like “Cribs,” but has a fresh vibrancy thanks to the graphic style, added sound effects, and most of all its host, comedian Michelladonna. In each episode, Michelladonna enters a bodega and “interviews” the cat who resides there, each one the little star of their own neighborhood. She learns of their backgrounds from the local shop owner and employees, and even talks to store regulars who frequent the bodega, sometimes just to pay the cat a visit. Each cat must even pass her test to see if they are a “hunter or a gatherer,” which is adorable in equal measure.
Michelladonna’s star power shines through the screen, as she truly sets the vibe of the entire show. Rosenthal said he “knew she was the one for the show” after the very first meeting. A native New Yorker from Queens and a Latina, she exudes a spirit that anyone can connect to, and she does just that: conversing with the business owners, locals, and of course the cats themselves. She’s hilarious, lovable, and knows the language both of the internet, and of the local New York community she’s a part of.
“Mad Realities reached out to me about this project they had in mind, and once I was in the room, hearing even more about what the intention behind it was, and how they were receptive to my ideas as well of making sure to focus on community and making sure that we had Spanish language captions. I felt really taken care of and joined a delicious team,” said Michelladonna.
Founder Alice Ma is very proud to see how the show has resonated with so many people, and believes it is a result of the emphasis on New York and local communities. “It just so happens that the show highlights immigrant stories in New York as well, stories that haven’t been told as often, [which] is really important to us.” said Ma. So far, the show has featured four languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, and French.
She added, “watching grown men melt over their cat is very fun as well.”
Both Ma and Rosenthal believe that the true heart of the show lies in this idea that the cat is just the subject in which the rest of the community surrounding it can bond over.
In a city that can feel so big and vast, “Shop Cats” is a true reminder that we’re surrounded by community everyday. They explained that the fans will comment or DM their excitement about meeting a certain cat or shop owner in real life, and making those connections.
“I think it’s really cool that we’re actually seeing the effects of us bringing a community together,” said Rosenthal.
“That’s something we’re missing on socials sometimes, true storytelling, like that deeper layer of meaning. The success of the show is a testament to how much people love cats and New York, but you come for the cat and stay for the community aspect,” said Ma.
Ma also thinks that the success of the show has put a new spotlight on the local bodegas and their staff, allowing them to interact with their customers and be appreciated in a new way. The majority of the shoots they have done so far have been fan-submitted, which has made it easy on the creators to scout new cats and shops that are beloved by the locals.
“Bodega cats are such integral parts of our communities and Bodegas act like safe heavens at times, and therefore cats are like our protective angels.” said Michelladonna.
In the spirit of this, “Shop Cats” is hosting “The First NYC Cat Mayor Election” on their Instagram page, where people can nominate their favorite local cats for a chance to be featured on the show.
Reflecting on the cat dialogue that is rampant in pop culture and politics right now, Ma said, “I think it’s really funny and interesting that people are calling Michelladonna the ‘bodega cat lady.’” It is not lost on her that ‘Shop Cats’ is able to be the antithesis to the hateful rhetoric about immigrants and animals that is so prevalent. She feels a responsibility to be telling the right stories that “debunk stereotypes” as well.
Rosenthal stated that for the future of “Shop Cats” he is “excited to shake up and get creative a little bit.” As long as cat stories are at the forefront of the content, the possibilities are endless. Perhaps a “Shop Cats” tour is in the future, as they love the idea of going international with the show.
So the next time you stop into your neighborhood bodega, take the extra time to connect with the people – and animals – who run it, and you may just run into the Internet’s next big star.
