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I don’t know about you, but seeing Spider-Man (the cat) safe and sound, taking up the hero’s mantle (and iconic mask), makes me smile so much my face hurts. But this cat’s presence does more than just ratchet up the cute factor. It also captures an inextricable part of life in the Big Apple: the bodega cat. For a series as quintessentially New York as Spider-Man, these small details are of no small importance.

As urban legend has it, the bodega cat serves two purposes. One: They’re adorable. Who wouldn’t want to shop in a store with an angelic kitty guardian watching the door? Two: They scare rats and mice away. In fact, as reported by the New York Times, bodega owners prefer to keep cats around, despite the fact that having one in the shop is a violation of the city’s health code, because having a rodent infestation is far more odious. (According to the city’s statute, fines for both rodent infestation and having a cat on premises are roughly the same amount. But cats are presumably way better for business.)

spider-man the cat in spider-man miles morales
Not pictured: A decadent yet inexpensive grilled chicken wrap that keeps you from perishing by hunger after a long night out.
Screenshot: Game Informer / Insomniac

I’ve lived in New York City for nearly seven years—not quite long enough to be an officially minted New Yorker, but certainly long enough to no longer be considered a newcomer. Nine times out of ten, when I go into a bodega, sure enough, I’ll see a cat. Bodega cats are woven into the city’s fabric. There’s even a website, a popular Twitter account, and a slightly less popular but no less heartwarming Instagram account dedicated to the existence of New York City bodega cats. Seeing that Insomniac did good by the bodega cat gives me faith that it’ll adeptly capture the essence of New York City as well as it did in 2018’s terrific Spider-Man.

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Anyway, here’s Game Informer’s video in full, which shows the full mission that unlocks the cat suit:

And, for good measure, courtesy of the New York Times, here are some bodega cats.

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