Michelladonna has found an unusual way to bring people together on social media. Instead of focusing on celebrity gossip, lifestyle trends or traditional comedy sketches, she visits small shops across New York City to meet their most interesting residents: cats
Her videos feature friendly felines living in bodegas, grocery stores, delis and other local businesses.
The cats often appear to be the real owners of these places while the humans simply work around them.
The series has attracted attention because it offers something different from the usual short-form internet content.
They offer a glimpse into the neighbourhood businesses and the people who keep them running.
Michelladonna is best known as the host of Shop Cats, a social media series produced with Mad Realities.
However, she is also an actor, comedian, director, producer and community organiser.
Her wider creative work shows that the cat videos are one part of a much larger career.
This article looks at who Michelladonna is, how she became known online, what makes Shop Cats popular and why her work has connected with audiences around the world.
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Table of Contents
Who Is Michelladonna?
Michelladonna is the professional and online name of Michelle Reiss, a comedian, actress, director and digital creator from Queens, New York.1
She became widely recognised as the host of Shop Cats, a web series that visits local businesses to meet the cats living there.
She grew up in the Ridgewood neighbourhood of Queens. Her connection to New York is an important part of her public identity and creative style.
She understands the everyday culture of the city’s neighbourhood shops and brings that familiarity into her videos.
Michelladonna’s personality is one of the main reasons the series works. She approaches the cats with the excitement of a television presenter interviewing famous guests.
She also makes time for the people who care for them. Store owners and workers are often just as important to an episode as the animals themselves.
Her official website describes her as an actor, comedian, producer and community organiser. It also lists several projects beyond Shop Cats, including Bodega Chat and I’m Finna Talk.
These projects reflect her interest in comedy, local culture and giving creative people a platform.
Although many people discovered her through cat videos, Michelladonna had already been developing her career in entertainment before the series became popular.
Early Life and Childhood
Michelladonna was born and raised in Queens, New York. In an interview with Remezcla, she spoke about growing up in Ridgewood and described her childhood as a period when she took part in many different extracurricular activities.
Her mother encouraged her to explore activities that interested her. This gave her opportunities to discover different forms of creative expression while growing up.
Her background also helped shape her connection to the city’s neighbourhood culture. Bodegas were not simply convenient places to buy snacks or groceries.
They were familiar community spaces where people could meet, talk and find help with everyday needs. That experience later became important to Shop Cats.
Michelladonna has explained that she wanted the series to show the people behind the shops as well as the cats. She believes the workers and owners are a major part of what makes New York’s bodegas special.
Remezcla also reported that Michelladonna is of Colombian heritage. Her connection to the Latino community and her experience growing up in Queens have influenced her approach to comedy and storytelling.
ok new goal : i neeeed to be on the green carpet for this premiere 💚
— MICHELLADONNA (@michelladonna7) September 30, 2024
Stats Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Professional name | Michelladonna |
| Name reported in profiles | Michelle Reiss |
| Profession | Actor, comedian, director, producer and community organiser |
| Hometown | Queens, New York City |
| Neighbourhood background | Ridgewood, Queens |
| Heritage | Colombian |
| Education | Cornell University |
| Field of study | Applied Economics and Management |
| Best-known project | Shop Cats |
| Production company | Mad Realities |
| Shop Cats launch | 2024 |
| Other project | Bodega Chat |
| Community project | I’m Finna Talk |
| Comedy platform | Muñecas Sucias Comedy |
| Television credit | Game Theory with Bomani Jones |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| Social media name | @michelladonna |
| Official website | michelladonna.com |
Michelladonna’s Decision to Pursue Entertainment
Michelladonna’s path into entertainment was not limited to making social media videos. She pursued her education before deciding to focus on creative work.2
In its 2025 profile, Remezcla reported that she completed her degree and then told her mother she wanted to enter the entertainment industry. Her mother’s response was brief: “Good luck.”
Michelladonna later described that reaction as a meaningful form of support. Her decision involved taking a chance on a career that can be difficult to establish.
Acting and comedy often require performers to keep creating work while looking for opportunities to reach larger audiences.
Michelladonna began exploring stand-up comedy in 2021. She has spoken about not initially feeling that she fitted the traditional image of a stand-up comedian.
As a queer Latina performer, she also wanted to find a creative environment where she could express her own experiences instead of copying an existing style. That search for a distinct voice became an important part of her career.
She continued developing her identity as a performer while exploring different formats, including acting, hosting and digital content.
How Michelladonna Became Popular Through Shop Cats
The project that brought Michelladonna wider recognition is Shop Cats, a social media series about cats living in New York’s local businesses.
The concept is simple. Michelladonna visits a shop that has a resident cat and introduces the animal to viewers. She speaks with the people who look after it and learns about its habits, personality and place in the business.
The format gives the cats the attention normally reserved for human celebrities. A cat might be found resting near a snack display, sitting behind the counter or watching customers enter the shop.
Michelladonna treats these everyday moments as part of the animal’s public personality. The series was developed with Mad Realities.
Creative producer Drew Rosenthal helped develop the idea and works behind the scenes on the show. The series launched in September 2024 and quickly gained an audience on TikTok and Instagram.
A 2024 interview published by People and syndicated by Yahoo Entertainment explained how Michelladonna became involved. Rosenthal approached her about hosting a series focused on bodega cats.
The idea suited her because she was a New Yorker who already enjoyed the city’s bodegas and had a natural interest in cats. She accepted the opportunity and became the familiar face of the series.
One of the show’s most appealing features is its sense of discovery. Michelladonna has said she prefers not to know too much about a cat before filming.
This allows her reactions to feel spontaneous. If she expects to meet one cat and discovers that a shop has two, the surprise becomes part of the episode.
The videos often begin with her saying that she has heard there is a cute bodega cat inside. From there, she introduces the shop and its animal resident.
Why Are Michelladonna’s Bodega Cat Videos So Popular?
There are several reasons why Shop Cats has connected with viewers.
1. The cats have different personalities
The series does not treat every cat as interchangeable. Each animal has its own habits and temperament.
Some are friendly and curious. Others prefer to stay in their favourite corner and observe the activity around them.
Michelladonna’s interactions help viewers understand these differences. She gives each cat time to respond in its own way, even when that response is simply walking away or ignoring the microphone.
2. The videos are easy to watch
The episodes are short and straightforward. Viewers do not need background knowledge to understand what is happening.
They can simply watch a host meet a cat and learn a little about the shop where it lives. The playful presentation also makes the videos suitable for people who enjoy light entertainment.
3. The shop workers are part of the story
A major strength of Shop Cats is that it does not focus only on animals. The people who work in the stores often share how the cats became part of their lives.
Some workers describe the cats as companions. Others explain their habits or tell stories about how customers react to them.
Michelladonna has said that she wants viewers to notice these people. In her view, the workers and owners are a central part of New York’s neighbourhood culture.
4. The series celebrates New York culture
Bodegas are a familiar part of everyday life in New York City. They are small neighbourhood stores that sell groceries, drinks, snacks and other essentials.
For many residents, these businesses are more than shops. They are places where customers recognise the people behind the counter and build relationships over time.
The cats add another layer to that local identity. Shop Cats introduces this culture to viewers who may never have visited New York.
5. The tone is positive
Social media can often be filled with arguments and negative news. Shop Cats offers a different experience. Its videos are designed to make people smile.
The series has attracted viewers who enjoy seeing ordinary people share their affection for their animals. The result is a format that feels warm without needing a complicated storyline.
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The Cats That Helped Make Shop Cats Famous
Several cats have become memorable through the series. Their appearances show how a simple idea can create a growing collection of local stories.3
Kiki was one of the early cats featured in the project. She lives in a Crown Heights bodega and became closely associated with the show’s early episodes.
Drew Rosenthal had a personal connection to Kiki, which helped inspire the concept. Lulu is another cat with a connection to Michelladonna.
She is the cat at a local bodega that Michelladonna has visited herself. In interviews, the host has described her affection for Lulu and the feeling that they have their own little conversations.
Ashley is among the cats featured in the series and has appeared in coverage of Shop Cats. The show’s format gives viewers a chance to learn about the animals through their interactions with the people who care for them.
Other cats have also attracted attention because of their unusual habits, friendly behaviour or strong connection with a particular business. The series has received suggestions from viewers who want Michelladonna and the production team to visit their local shops.
That response has helped the project build a community around the cats.
Michelladonna’s Career Beyond Shop Cats
Although Shop Cats is her best-known project, Michelladonna has several other creative interests.
Acting and comedy
Michelladonna has worked as an actor and comedian. Her official website lists screen and theatre projects, including appearances connected to HBO’s Game Theory with Bomani Jones and short-film work.
She has also performed comedy at venues around New York. Her comedy background is visible in Shop Cats, where she uses timing, expressive reactions and playful conversations to make each visit entertaining.
Bodega Chat
Bodega Chat is another project that explores New York culture. It focuses on the conversations, people and experiences connected to the city’s bodegas.
The concept reflects an idea that also appears in Shop Cats: local businesses are full of stories. A quick visit can lead to a funny conversation, a personal memory or a discussion about the community.
The project gives Michelladonna another way to explore the culture that shaped her.
I’m Finna Talk
Michelladonna is also the founder and host of I’m Finna Talk. Her official website describes it as a free and accessible workshop and open-mic series.
The project supports creative voices from queer Black and Brown communities in New York and Los Angeles. It gives emerging artists an opportunity to share their work and connect with others.
This side of her career shows that she is interested in more than building her own audience. She also wants to create opportunities for other performers.
Directing and producing
Michelladonna has also explored work behind the camera. Her official website identifies her as a director and producer and lists creative projects beyond her hosting work.
In a 2026 interview published by the Webby Awards, she spoke about wanting to continue developing as an artist. She discussed her interest in directing and filmmaking as well as comedy and digital content.
This suggests that her future work may extend beyond the format that first made her popular.
Michelladonna’s Webby Award Recognition
The success of Shop Cats received major recognition when the series won a Webby Award in the Animals category.
The Webby Awards celebrate achievements in internet content and digital media. Winning one gave the project recognition beyond its regular social media audience.
In an interview published by the Webby Awards, Michelladonna spoke about what the achievement meant to her. She explained that it showed her that people had welcomed her work and appreciated the joy it brought to their feeds.
She also credited the people involved in making the show. The creative idea, filming, editing and relationships with the featured shop owners all contribute to the final episodes.
The award was not simply a win for a collection of cute cat videos. It also recognised a project that celebrates local communities and the people who make neighbourhood businesses special.
The Importance of Bodegas and Their Cats
To understand the appeal of Shop Cats, it helps to understand the role of bodegas in New York City. A bodega is a small neighbourhood grocery store.
These businesses are found across New York and often serve customers who live or work nearby. They sell everyday essentials and provide a familiar place for people to stop during their daily routines.
Bodega cats have become part of the city’s popular culture. Some live inside shops and are known by regular customers.
They may sit near the counter, sleep in a comfortable corner or watch people come and go. The cats can also have a practical role.
Some shop owners keep cats because they help control rodents. Others simply enjoy having an animal around and see it as part of the shop’s identity.
However, keeping cats in food businesses can raise health and safety questions. New York City health rules restrict animals in food establishments, with limited exceptions.
The presence of a cat in a shop should not automatically be treated as proof that the arrangement meets local regulations.
This wider context makes the Shop Cats series interesting. It introduces viewers to the affection people have for these animals while also showing the relationship between small businesses and their neighbourhoods.
Michelladonna’s approach is to make the stories entertaining without forgetting the humans behind them. That balance is an important part of the show’s identity.
What Makes Michelladonna Different From Other Social Media Creators?
There are many creators who make videos about cats. Michelladonna stands out because the format combines comedy, local reporting and community storytelling.
The cats are the main attraction, but they are not the only reason people watch. Viewers also get to see the shop owners and workers who care for the animals.
The series makes room for their conversations and personalities. Another difference is Michelladonna’s connection to the setting.
Growing up in Queens gave them a familiarity with the places and people featured in the videos. Their conversations often feel like casual neighbourhood interactions rather than formal interviews.
The host also brings a strong performance style to the series. Their expressive reactions and playful questions give each episode its own rhythm.
Most importantly, the idea has room to grow. There are many neighbourhood shops and many cats that have not yet appeared on the show.
Suggestions from viewers can continue to provide new locations and stories.
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FAQ’s
1. Who is Michelladonna?
Michelladonna is a New York-based comedian, actor, director and digital creator. They are best known as the host of Shop Cats, a social media series featuring cats that live in bodegas and other local businesses.
2. What is Michelladonna’s real name?
Michelladonna is publicly identified as Michelle Reiss in media profiles. Michelladonna is the name used for their entertainment and social media work.
3. Why is Michelladonna famous?
They became widely recognised through Shop Cats. The series features visits to New York businesses where Michelladonna meets the resident cats and talks with the people who look after them.
4. What is Shop Cats?
Shop Cats is a social media show produced with Mad Realities. It introduces viewers to cats living in bodegas, delis and other local businesses. Each episode combines cat interactions with conversations about the shops and their communities.
5. When did Shop Cats start?
Shop Cats launched in September 2024. It quickly attracted attention on TikTok and Instagram because of its short episodes and unusual subject.
6. Who created Shop Cats?
The show was developed with Mad Realities. Creative producer Drew Rosenthal helped develop the idea, while Michelladonna became its host and on-screen personality.
Conclusion
Michelladonna has built a recognisable place in digital entertainment by turning an everyday part of New York life into an engaging social media series.
Shop Cats may appear to be a simple show about cats in bodegas but its appeal goes beyond cute animals and funny interactions.
The Webby Award recognition has given the project a larger platform, while the audience’s interest suggests that there are still many stories waiting to be told.
As Michelladonna continues to develop new creative work, they are showing that a successful online identity does not have to be built around one format.
For now, the bodega cats remain a major part of their public profile. But the person behind the microphone has a much wider creative vision.
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