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Meet Donut, The Hardworking Bodega Cat Who Rides The NYC Subway Home After Every Shift

profile Emily Chan | Oct 21, 2025
Oct 21, 2025
Sunset view of New York City looking
littleny - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

In New York, there are plenty of cute little bodegas to stop in. Those beloved, bustling corner stores keep the city running on coffee and snacks. But the ones worth venturing into have something extra special behind the counter: felines as employees.

Having pets as part of your business is a strategy that is guaranteed to draw in customers. They bring charm and warmth to the city’s endless hustle.

One adorable kitty named Donut helps her owner operate the bodega during the day and close up at night. Donut’s human dad, TikToker @donutthefidicat, recently posted a video detailing their night routine.

“Everybody keeps asking what happens when I leave the bodega at night,” he started the video. “Do I take Donut home, or do I leave her behind? Well, this is our everyday night routine, from closing up the shop, turning off the lights, and getting ready to go grab some grub.”

It used to take just 10 minutes for them to get home because they used to live in the area, but they had to move, so now, he and Donut must take the train home.

After making sure the bodega is in order for the next day and locking it up, Donut rides calmly on her owner’s shoulder to get some food.

Then, they boarded the train. At that point, Donut seemed exhausted from working an entire shift at the bodega, greeting customers and overseeing inventory all day long. She even had her own seat on the subway, where she rested quietly.

When they got home, Donut’s energy perked up again. She pranced up a flight of stairs and waited at the top for her owner to catch up, as if she were racing him to the door.

Soon enough, she started lagging and needed a gentle nudge from her owner to continue up the rest of the way up the stairs.

Sunset view of New York City looking over midtown Manhattan
littleny – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

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We can safely infer that Donut was glad to be home so she could curl up and get some well-deserved sleep! There’s nothing that screams New York more than a bodega cat. Everyone in the comments section couldn’t help but be delighted by Donut’s cuteness.

“She needs a little cat backpack so she can nap on the way home,” stated one TikTok user.

“She’s an actual New Yorker taking the train home,” commented another.

“You should get a cat stroller, so she can get sleep on the way home,” a third person said.

“Guys, you need to realize Bodega cats are BUILT DIFFERENT!! They see hundreds of new people every day, they won’t get spooked like your cat would!” someone else exclaimed.

I think I need to take a trip to the city just to stop by and visit Donut in person! She’s the cutest.

@donutthefidicat

After a long day at the bodega, it’s routine — lights off, alarm on, food run, then home with Donut. Same thing every night, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. ??#viral #catsoftiktok #fyp #bodegacat #catlover

? original sound – donutthefidicat

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By Emily Chan

Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan