Flower Cat

I met this fluffy guy on Friday as he guarded a shop in the Flower District. I like his white "Got Milk?" moustache. Many small business in New York City have resident cats, particularly delis, bodegas, and stores where food might fall prey to marauding mice. Even the New York Times ran an article about these cats back in December. Although these cats violate city laws banning animals from food-selling establishments, many owners, as the Times article points out, take the chance and rely on these felines to combat the threat of vermin. As a cat lover, I always enjoy walking into a shop that has a cat lounging in an aisle. Yet one can even encounter dogs in shops these days. While they may not be employed for pest control, I suspect having a big, friendly dog asleep at the door might draw dog-loving customers in. But why do I seem to spy more dogs at hair salons? Is there a connection I'm missing? At my wife's favorite salon, one can often find a pair of Boxers holding court. And there's an upscale salon on 10th Street near Fifth Avenue that nearly always holds two very large St. Bernards either asleep on the floor or sprawled on the sidewalk out front.