It’s a purr-fect plan.

New York’s iconic bodega cats could be getting some long-awaited protection from abuse under a new proposal to regulate their care by store owners.

Malnourished, sickly and even abandoned deli pets are far too common in the Big Apple, say advocates who are working to make it easier for delis to get their esteemed felines help. 

A new online effort by such pet lover proposes removing the current fines for keeping a cat in a food business — and putting in place both a “certification” program and a fund for vet bills.

“Bodega cats have long been an iconic part of New York City’s soul,” reads the online petition, which has amassed nearly 5,000 signatures to date. 

“Yet outdated health codes and inconsistent care practices leave many of these cats at risk and burden small business owners with unfair fines.”

The petition to start the plan — which would include a $30,000 Bodega Cats Support Fund — was launched by Dan Rimada, founder of the Instagram page @BodegaCatsofNewYork.

“As much as bodega cats are beloved in New York, most of them are abused and neglected,” said independent animal rescuer Tiff Winton, who helped save a cat left behind in a shuttered deli last summer and has since aided several dumped deli cats in the Bronx.

The certification program would require owners to take a free, multilingual online training course about responsible pet care and food safety, according to the petition. 

The pilot would also create an online reporting portal and rely on self-certification and “community-triggered” spot-checks from rescuers.

But Winton argues the certification program is just the first step the city must take to protect its deli cats.

“There needs to be some sort of process that holds bodega owners accountable,” Winton said. “If you have a dog, you have to get a license for it … but there’s no regulations for [cats], nobody is watching if anyone is taking care of them.”

Workers at Rodriguez Deli in Williamsburg, Brooklyn told The Post that they were unsure about the plan and would need to know more. They said their cat, Ashley, last went to the veterinarian two years ago — and reportedly hasn’t required a visit since.

“She is behind on her vaccines,” one worker admitted.

The certification program would be funded through a discretionary funding request in City Council and would launch in 15 bodegas to start, the petition reads. Some money would also be raised through roughly $150 in annual fees from participating bodega owners.

About $20,000 of the discretionary funding, if approved, would be managed by local nonprofits and fund neutering, vaccines, emergency treatment and more, the proposal states. 

The remaining funds would be split on stipends for animal rescuers – who oftentimes pay for out-of-pocket emergency visits in the thousands of dollars, Winton said.

“[Independent rescuers] are not funded at all by the city or anyone – some of the rescues are lucky enough to get small grants – but it’s really a labor of love,” the rescuer said.

Winton recounted the rescue last week of a tuxedo cat on death’s door from a Hell’s Kitchen deli – and a local nonprofit is now helping rescuers like her foot the $7,500 bill after a vet diagnosed the feline with a severe urinary tract infection and blockage.

“They watched this happen, for days they let this go on and on — and they did nothing,” Winton said, adding the cat was rescued “just hours away from dying.”

While the rescuer contends that $30,000 won’t go very far considering the costly nature of some treatments, Winton contends any support from legislation to regulate – or educate – would help the cause.

“The bodega cat issue, to me, seems like it’s solvable. It’s regulation, education, some sort of program where [owners] have to register their cats and keep up to date on vaccines and have them clean and neutered,” Winton said.

“They’re simple things that they should be required to do, just like they’re required to wash their hands before they make a sandwich.”

The city health department directed The Post for comment to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, which said it “has not been approached about this effort” yet.