Meet A Bar-Hopping Cat

Cat owners get a bad rap as being anti-social and aloof, like their cat counterparts, but one woman in Austin is shattering that stereotype. Miranda Lee and her Cornish Rex cat, Lizzy, are fixtures in the local bar scene. 

"I've been taking her with me since day one mostly because I just didn't want to leave her at home when I went out," Lee wrote in an email.

Lee was methodical when looking for her pet. As an allergy sufferer, she originally thought a cat was out of the question, but as a full-time student working a couple jobs, she was too busy for a pet that required regular bathroom breaks.

"I looked into if there was even such a thing as a hypoallergenic cat, and there was!" she wrote. "Her breed is known to act more 'dog like,' which is another reason I chose a Cornish Rex."

Now, Lizzy, named after the Beatles' song "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," is a constant companion, often riding on Lee's shoulders around town. Lee also has a BirkSun bag that contains a portable litter box and a blanket that Lizzy will sneak off to for a nap. There's also a wardrobe of little sweaters and jackets to keep the cat warm in the winter and a "Drinking Buddy" T-shirt.

"She's so good when I'm at my local bar, The Little Longhorn Saloon, listening to music, she'll sit on the barstool and watch me while I go dance," wrote Lee. "Never tries to jump off, just waits till I come back and she crawls back in my lap or back on my shoulders."

Not that a cat in a bar isn't attention-getting. Lee often gets stopped for photos and questions about Lizzy. And Lizzy is, for lack of a term, an attention hound, and she is not afraid of snuggling up to people and dogs. In all the years of bar-hopping, though, Lee has only had one unfortunate incident.

"I've only had one time where a dog was legit trying to eat her and the owners started yelling at me how stupid it was to bring a cat to the bar. Luckily, the manager came out and clarified it is a pet-friendly bar and all pets that come to the bar need to be friendly. So they ended up leaving and other people clapped!"

But for the most part, Lizzy is just an adventurous cat who loves being outside — not just visiting bars but also canoeing, and rock climbing. This is one cat who doesn't mind being held and snuggled but who does have very particular taste in food and drink.

"People have tried to get her to drink beer but she doesn't really have much to do with it. She's a very responsible cat, if only she could be my DD," Lee joked. There was one exception though: "One time Banger's Sausage House even brought her a saucer of warm milk, and she was in heaven!"

If you do take your pet out to a bar or restaurant, be aware that there are some human foods that you shouldn't share with them.