Bob the Street Cat

In 2007, James Bowen was a homeless busker and recovering heroin addict living in supported housing in London when he found an injured ginger tom in the hallway of his building. He spent his last money on veterinary treatment for the cat, named him Bob, and the two became inseparable. Bob began accompanying James on his busking rounds in Covent Garden and at Angel tube station, riding on his shoulder and sitting beside him, drawing enormous crowds. The sight of the pair became well-known in London, leading a literary agent to approach James in 2010. The resulting book, A Street Cat Named Bob, published in 2012, sold over seven million copies worldwide and was translated into forty languages. A film adaptation followed in 2016, with Bob playing himself. James credited Bob entirely with saving his life — the responsibility of caring for another creature gave him the motivation to address his addiction and rebuild his life. Bob died in June 2020 from injuries sustained after being hit by a car, leaving James and millions of readers around the world devastated. A statue of Bob was unveiled at Islington's Angel tube station in 2021.