A revised and expanded edition of Shop Cats of New York (Running Press) collects portraits and short profiles of the city’s working felines, from bookstore greeters to a long‑running resident of the Algonquin Hotel.
The volume is a collaboration between San Diego‑based photographer Andrew Marttila and New York writer Tamar Arslanian. It updates a 2016 edition that had gone out of print and features dozens of cats — most new to this edition — who are part of the daily life of small, independently owned businesses across the five boroughs.
Marttila handled the photography while Arslanian provided the text. The pair said they photographed the animals without forcing poses: Marttila said he lets the cats “call the shots,” using treats, crinkle toys and patience to capture natural moments. Arslanian, who lives in Gramercy with three cats, said the book is as much about place as about pets — nearly all the establishments shown are local small businesses and the cats are woven into their identities.
The book opens with Gracie, a rescue from the Bronx featured on the cover. Part Snowshoe Siamese, Gracie greets visitors to Quimby’s Bookstore in Williamsburg and is known for lifting a white paw in a motion that resembles the waving maneki‑neko figurines in the store window. Marttila and Arslanian say Gracie has many fans; the bookstore has posted signs asking customers not to disturb her while she sleeps.
The book also records longstanding traditions and new arrivals. Hamlet — the current orange cat at the Algonquin Hotel in Times Square — is the eighth male named Hamlet to live at the storied hotel, which opened in 1902. The hotel has changed ownership over the years; Marriott acquired the property in 2010 but the animal resident has remained. The present Hamlet, sometimes called Hamchop, spends much of his time in a reading nook dubbed “Hamlet’s Corner,” where he can watch activity on 44th Street.
Other featured cats include Freya, a small, feisty gray who arrived as a street cat and now patrols Brooklyn Glass, an artist‑run studio in Gowanus that offers glass‑blowing and neon classes. Arslanian said Freya was one of the harder subjects to photograph because of her independent nature and the staff’s fondness for doting on her.
Shakira, a tubby tabby at Time Galleries antique shop, makes frequent use of the many hiding spots among the shop’s wares. Marttila said he had to lure the Staten Island rescue with a crinkle ball and treats before she would appear for photographs.
The book also highlights pairs and communities. Patience, a long‑haired ginger, and Fortitude, a gray tabby, work at Wild East Brewing Co. and were rescued from a hoarding situation involving some 40 cats. Their names reference the marble lions outside the New York Public Library — Patience and Fortitude — icons associated with resilience during the Depression era. Sammy and Hazel, who live at Chelsea Florist, are profiled together; Arslanian noted they are housemates rather than a romantic pair, and described Sammy as a familiar figure on the street outside the shop.
Marttila said his approach to photographing the animals emphasized respect and spontaneity rather than staged setups. Arslanian framed the book as a look at how animals and small businesses shape neighborhood life in New York, noting that the felines featured are often integral to each establishment’s character.
Shop Cats of New York is available now from Running Press. The new edition expands the earlier collection and offers portraits and short histories intended to document the everyday roles cats play in the city’s commercial and cultural spaces.
