A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life Hardcover – July 30, 2013

*The cat doesn’t die*This is an engaging, easily readable book. I fell in love with Bob and James immediately. If you love books about redemption and cats, this is the book for you. It’s a glimpse into street life in London, the terrors of addiction, and the kindness of strangers. It would be a good book club selection.

Absolutely LOVE this true story. A wonderful book for animal and especially cat lovers. I had loaned out my previous copy to a friend and never got it back I was so happy to get another copy to reread. It’s undeniably heart warming. The healing powers of animal friendships are very real. We got our current cat after losing our two elderly cats to cancer. Our current cat is a rescue from a hoarding situation. She really needed us as much as we needed her. It has been truly a blessing for her and for us.

James Bowen was a drug-addicted busker (street performer) in London when a wounded street cat came into his life. James felt sorry for the poor moggie and took him in -- temporarily, he thought, until the cat could heal and get back out to his street life. But "Bob," as he called his new pal, had other ideas, and by the end of the book, it isn't only Bob who is healed. This is hardly a great work of literature, but it is a fine example of the popular genre of animal redemption tales: stories of how animals can help people through times of great personal difficulty and challenge. A fun, heart-warming and quick read for anyone who loves animals.

A friend recommended the book, A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life by James Bowen. This true story was a combination of sad, hopeful, heart-warming and inspiring. I also watched the movie, which followed pretty closely to the book. It was truly an entertaining book.James Bowen suffered from a variety of maladies and had been diagnosed with such things as ADHD and Schizophrenia. He also went through a struggle with drug addiction and homelessness. Trying to turn things around, he was undergoing addiction treatment and living in sheltered-accommodations. Bowen supports himself on London streets by busking, or singing and playing his guitar for donations. He doesn’t realize how much his life will change when an orange, needy, street cat appears near his apartment. The cat is in need of medical attention and Bowen takes the cat to the veterinarian—even though he barely has enough money for himself. Soon it is evident that the cat is here to stay and Bowen names him Bob. Bob starts following Bowen when he goes to “work,” and he realizes that Bob is actually an asset on the street. “Seeing me with my cat softened me in their eyes. It humanized me. Especially after I’d been so dehumanized. In some ways it was giving me back my identity. I had been a non-person; I was becoming a person again.” People also became more generous with donations. Some regulars even brought Bob presents including treats, toys and even hand-made scarves.Having Bob also made Bowen focus on someone other than himself. “Bob was my baby and making sure he was warm, well fed and safe was really rewarding. It was scary too.” It also brought other changes in Bowen. “Thanks to him I’d rediscovered the good side of human nature. I had begun to place my trust—and my faith—in people again.A Street Cat Named Bob is a true success story, but you will have to read the book to find out the ending. I suggest watching the movie as Bob plays himself, and he really is a talented and personable cat—even if you are not a cat lover.

Very touching story. I am glad I read it! It was interesting and much different from what I normally read.

I can definitely say that this was an amazing story to read and learn from. First of all, how it is that a pet can help a human being in such a way that changes our lives, in a good way. Besides, I run into so many new words that I can only guess their meaning by their context. This is one of the best ways to learn new words. I am not that familiar with the British lexicon. I really liked and enjoyed learning so many new terms they use--now I am a little more familiar with them.So, the bottom line for me. Interestingly, we may not be interested in learning about a drug addict and how they may be able to get clean but we are very much interested in learning about an amazing cat--that somehow, is out of the norm. I can see Bob was not a normal cat--he was a very special cat indeed. I always have cats at home and I can attest that each one of them has a very unique behavior that makes them special. I also learned a bit about ginger cats--as I too have one. In fact, he looks just like Bob too.Now looking forward to starting my other two books about this amazing Bob cat. However, the book was very different (better) from the movie. I strongly recommend you read the book, you will love it.

As someone who has only lately arrived as a cat person, I found this book very enjoyable. Cats are caring and intuitive companions, and Bob is a perfect example of that. He's serious and silly, goofy and wise, and very loving while still maintaining boundaries. Cats aren't pets, they're partners.