James Bowen, a street entertainer, works with his cat Bob. They make an excellent team, but James had no idea when he met Bob that their friendship would forever change their lives.

James had a difficult childhood. He was a homeless drug addict who slept wherever he could. On every street corner, he ate out of trash cans and begged for money.

Everything changed when he met Bob, the kitten he named. He met the ginger stray in an apartment building and they clicked right away. However, because the kitten was sick, James decided to bring him home and nurse him back to health.

James sacrificed everything he had to help Bob improve. This included multiple vet visits, but he refused to abandon his companion. James had planned to adopt Bob once he felt better, but he never had the heart to do so. He finally realized they were inexorably intertwined.

James and Bob are now performing on London’s streets and doing fairly well. The unusual mix has attracted many people’s attention and has become well-known. When a journalist approached James and asked if she might write a book about him, he consented. “A Street Cat Named Bob” has become an international success, selling in 26 countries.

On the big screen, James and Bob’s story was also immortalized. In 2016, a film based on the novel was released in London, giving James a worldwide celebrity. It was even nominated for an award!

Take a look at James and Bob’s London performance: