May 7, 2014

A street cat named Bob – in pictures

James Bowen's life was transformed when he met a remarkable cat called Bob and his book A Street Cat Named Bob went on to become a worldwide best seller for adults. Now a new picture book for children My Name is Bob tells Bob the cat's story!

Cat called Bob: Bob London — I was a busker, living in assisted housing in Tottenham, north London when I discovered an injured Bob lying in my hallway in March 2007. Unable to find the stray’s owner, I took the handsome fellow to the local RSPCA where I had to fork out almost all the money I had on medicine. I then nursed him back to health.
Photograph: James Bowen and Garry Jenkins Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: Bob reading — Bob refused to leave my side and we became a familiar sight on the streets of London, first busking and then selling The Big Issue. I am a former heroin addict, and I credit Bob with giving me the strength to wean myself off drugs. In March 2012, the story of our unlikely friendship was told in the book A Street Cat Named Bob, which became an instant best-seller.
Photograph: James Bowen and Garry Jenkins Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: Bob int2 — We now feature in a new picture book, My Name Is Bob, in which I and my co-writer Garry Jenkins imagine Bob’s life before the our fateful meeting. I have no idea where he came from. He wasn’t micro-chipped and didn’t have a name tag. But I have learned so much about his personality that I was able to make a few educated guesses.
© James Bowen and Garry Jenkins, Illustration: Gerald Kelley Photograph: James Bowen and Garry Jenkins

Cat called Bob: Bob int3 — I felt very strongly that Bob had been cared for by someone else before we got together, possibly an elderly lady who had become too ill to keep him. I have a real sense that he had learned to enjoy being with one person.
© James Bowen and Garry Jenkins, Illustration: Gerald Kelley Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: Bob int5 — I based a scene in which Bob jumps on a bus on a personal experience. When I tried to send Bob on his way after nursing him back to health, my resourceful friend followed me to my regular bus stop and did precisely that. I couldn’t believe my eyes when he just plopped himself next to me. That was the moment I knew we were going to be permanent friends.
© James Bowen and Garry Jenkins, Illustration: Gerald Kelley Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: Bob Int9 — I believe that Bob must have spent time homeless, as indeed I did for a time when I was forced to sleep rough on the streets of London. I swear he knew we were kindred spirits in that way.
Illustration: Gerald Kelley Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: Bob Int14 — My books have now sold more than one million copies in the UK alone and have been published in more than 30 languages. As a result I no longer needs to busk and now spends my time writing and supporting animal welfare and homeless charities, in particular the Blue Cross and The Big Issue Foundation.
© James Bowen and Garry Jenkins, Illustration: Gerald Kelley Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: bob in office — Bob is one of the most famous felines in the world with more than 170,000 followers on Facebook and another 50,000 plus on Twitter where he is @streetcatbob
Photograph: James Bowen and Garry Jenkins Photograph: James Bowen

Cat called Bob: BobJames — Bob loves sitting on my shoulder as we walk the streets of London. These days we can barely make it ten yards before we are stopped by admiring fans begging for a photograph and a quick stroke of Bob’s beautiful head. Sometimes we beat the crowds by riding on a bike, The Bobmobile.
Photograph: James Bowen and Garry Jenkins Photograph: James Bowen

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A street cat named Bob – in pictures

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