Park Slope Search for Missing Bodega Kitten Jabal, Explained
Three-month-old Jabal was picked up from just outside the Eighth Street Mini Market in Park Slope, Brooklyn, on Thursday morning as the shop opened for the day.
Store surveillance video shows a man walking with a woman picking up Jabal and leaving as the kitten squirmed, according to the store owner's account of the footage The Guardian. Owner Imad "Jimmy" Innab said he reviewed the video after noticing Jabal was missing. The kitten lives at the market and had been wearing a collar when taken CBS New York.
Jabal had arrived only recently. The market's earlier bodega cat, Victoria, died in June after 17 years there. Innab took in Jabal to succeed her. An earlier account said Innab's father obtained Jabal to replace Victoria.
The response was quick and local. Innab and his family offered a $500, no-questions-asked reward for Jabal's safe return, meaning he can be returned without fear of trouble. Supporters canvassed Park Slope streets, walking block by block to search, and residents put up flyers PIX11. Dan Janzen, who lives across the street and shops regularly at the market, is among the neighbors following the search. Online, a Reddit thread titled "Anyone Know These Two?" about the disappearance drew about 1,000 upvotes and more than 240 comments.
Coverage of the search has become part of the record. CBS New York published a report titled "Surveillance video shows couple taking Brooklyn bodega cat" on September 12, 2026, written by Andrew Ramos. Fox 5 New York reported that the Park Slope community rallied behind the bodega owner after a couple took the three-month-old kitten from outside the store Fox 5 New York.
A possible turn came on September 14, when a woman vowed to return Jabal to its Brooklyn owner. In a video interview, the woman said she felt relieved.
The broader context here is why a missing kitten can bring out a whole block. A bodega cat, a cat that lives in a small corner store, acts like a familiar landmark that regulars and newcomers both know. Losing Victoria after 17 years, then losing her successor within months, explains the strong reaction. The reward terms also matter. No questions asked lowers the barrier to return. The pattern is familiar: public video, small reward, neighborhood canvass.
In my view, the next question is narrow. A vow is not a return. Until Jabal is back at Eighth Street, the flyers, video stills and thread keep circulating. The facts establish a taking, not a motive. What to watch is whether a private handoff follows the public promise.
