A statue honouring the feral cat that served as the model for the movie and book A Street Cat Named Bob has been installed.
Bob’s life-size bronze sculpture was revealed on Thursday in Islington Green in north London.
When James Bowen first met Bob in 2007, he was homeless and struggling with heroin addiction. He took care of the cat after discovering it injured and abandoned.
Eventually, Mr. Bowen published a best-selling book about their romance, which was adapted into a movie in 2016.
When it was unveiled, Mr. Bowen said: “Bob has my utmost admiration, and I appreciate the time we spent together.
“From the first minute I met him, he improved my life. He gave me hope and impacted the lives of millions of others all over the world.
“I hope that people will stop and realise that everyone deserves a second opportunity and that no one is alone” when they visit Bob’s statue or just pass by.
Mr. Bowen started bringing the ginger cat with him while he busked or sold The Big Issue in London while he was homeless.
Since the 2012 release of A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life, five further books have been published in more than 40 different languages.
