"Missoula's a very cat-friendly town!" counters Bruce Micklus (the owner) of Rockin Rudy's.

Micklus has lived across the street from Rockin Rudy's location at 237 Blaine St. for years. One day a cat - apparently a stray - showed up. He wasn't warmly welcomed by Micklus's cat, so Micklus took him across the street to the store. Bubba's lived there ever since. He must be at least 12 years old now. "He's been with us for at least 10 years and we figure he was a couple years old when he walked through our doors," he says.

Bubba spends his days and nights hanging out with various people at the store, he says. There's a woman who visits him every day and used to share the whipped cream from her hot chocolate with him, until Rockin Rudy's stopped serving hot drinks. At night he hangs out with the night watchman. He comes and goes as he pleases, and has an enclosed outdoor area to answer the call of nature, Micklus says. "He's a by-himself kind of person," he says, adding, "I wouldn't say he's pampered but he's large and in charge."

In fact, at his last weighing, Bubba topped 22 pounds. He's not overweight, really - he's just big-boned, Micklus insists. Some think he must have some Maine coon parentage because he's so big, though his orange coloring suggests otherwise. New customers are often surprised by his size, and if he's lying still, they'll often ask if he's real, Micklus says.

At the moment Bubba is lying atop a shelf filled with multi-colored, afro-style Halloween wigs. He ruins a lot of product for us because he likes to sleep in some places that are off limits," Micklus says.

Bubba's a typical cat - an enigma. He's both fiercely independent and obscenely friendly."He has his own fans, he has a very loyal following of people," he says. Customers often bring their own pets to the store. Bubba doesn't seem to mind. "It just is a nice feeling when you have animals around," Micklus says, adding. "I've had pets in my stores for my entire life and it just brings in a whole different element."

Bringing pets to work is a good business practice, he says. Bubba's mere presence adds life to the store. He improves employee morale and gives everyone a reason to look forward to going to work. Yes, Micklus deadpans, Bubba gives everyone "fuzzy feelings."

By TYLER CHRISTENSEN