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A Street Cat Named Bob, the cat which inspired the book of the same name and several spin-offs, has died aged at least 14 years old.
The books were written by author James Bowen, who found the abandoned cat when he was recovering from drug addiction. Bob was injured when Bowen found him and he’s said that nursing him back to health gave him a reason to get up each morning. With Bob at his side, Bowen would busk and sell The Big Issue on the streets of London.
Their story inspired Bowen’s first book ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’, published in 2012. The book was made into a film in 2016, with sequel, ‘A Gift from Bob’ slated for release this year or next.
A statement on the official Facebook page for Bowen’s books announced the news. In it Bowen said that Bob saved his life. ‘He gave me so much more than companionship. With him at my side, I found a direction and purpose that I’d been missing. The success we achieved together through our books and films was miraculous. He’s met thousands of people, touched millions of lives. There’s never been a cat like him. And never will again. I feel like the light has gone out in my life. I will never forget him.’
Fans have been paying tribute to the cat on Twitter:
I met them a few years ago in Covent Garden and took this #highfive shot. A bit more sad news in these difficult times. RIP Bob and my condolences to James. x pic.twitter.com/DH4ukLp4W2
— snapperdrew (@drwb12) June 16, 2020
Here's ours. Neal Street 2013. That's my daughter.
— MadameCholet (@PurpleDon1973) June 16, 2020
I never met somebody so humble. Poor James must be distraught pic.twitter.com/02hcKxJmhB
That's very sad. I actually met James and Bob outside Covent Garden Underground station way back, something like 2009, maybe fractionally before that. Lovely cat with a lovely temperament. pic.twitter.com/P0ljDPRsPc
— Simon Brown (@Nakir_Eldrun) June 16, 2020
In other news, next year’s Baftas have been postponed by two months.
And somebody walked the whole of the Monopoly board in lockdown.