Bob the Cat flies first class to promote new movie “A Street Cat Named Bob”

by Michael Broad · October 18, 2016

You remember Bob, the ginger tabby street who dramatically turned around the life of James Bowen, 37, who was, before he met Bob, a London busker and heroin addict.

Their story is all over the internet and rightly so (see tagged articles) . It’s as good a story as Grumpy cat, probably better because it is more positive and less exploitative. This is because Bob was a street cat. He needed a human companion. And James was street person who needed a cat companion (although he did not realise it at the time). This is an incredibly positive story. It’s win, win. You know..before James met Bob he had deep vein thrombosis from injecting himself with drugs in the groin.

James Bowden and Bob the cat. Photo by Annie Mole on Flickr

James wrote a highly successful book about how Bob transformed his life – A Street Cat Named Bob (the film has the same title). It sold 6 million copies and now James lives in a decent house in South London with Bob.

In the four years since the publication of his book, James is much happier and healthier.

“The world I have grown to see through Bob’s eyes is a very different one. There was a time when I couldn’t distinguish one day from the next. Now I cherish each one. I am happier, healthier and more fulfilled than I have ever been.”

The film has been made and five look-a-like cats were flown in from Canada to play the role of Bob. As it happens, Bob himself, the superstar, proved to be the better actor. They were filming near Bow Street magistrates’ court, a place where James busked with Bob, and the cat actors were looking anxious so they used Bob instead as he was right at home. In the end it was decided to use Bob for most of the scenes. The extra cats were used for the stunts and when Bob was cuddled. The real Bob does not like to be cuddled.

“Bob does not do cuddles, he’s a shoulder cat.”

James and Bob live with a black and white rescue kitten. The house where they live was bought by Bob! Great. The power of cats.

The first class air travel mentioned in the title to this article is factored into Bob’s contract (actually James’s contract) and their first promotional tour is to Germany where the book was a major success.