How plausible is that to homeless-one russet with mustaches and four legs and another with two  legs and former heroin addicted to save each other and-withal-to became a star couple? Well, almost one year ago in England , a former homeless James Bowen published a book about how saving a street cat who also saved him and gave him a new goal in life.

The story starts when James, a young man without house and apparently without hope, moved into a social building after he lived many years on the street, where he earned his bread singing. One night, he found a homeless cat in a bad condition(was attacked by a big animal, probably a dog or a fox),he tried to find his family and when he was sure that  the cat is homeless, he decided to bring the little cat to a vet to heal him, to deworm, vaccinate and castrate him. In the beginning, he didn’t want to keep the cat because he barely was able to care for him, but how to be responsible for a helpless soul?

He tried to make him to go alone and never left him alone in the house hoping that he will go in his way. But the kitten didn’t want to leave and was held after him until he convinced James that he will not leave him alone and he is able to come with him as far uninterested where and how comfortable is. So, they became a team and at one time came to sell The Big Issue magazine(an English program where needy people buy The Big Issue magazine cheap and sell it  at a price more or less double, thus making profit)all the streets of London . So, an invisible young man-as James says even became visible and regained hope with a cat which attracted people around him, his sales grew considerably, and so both had come to live decently. Without anyone realizing, Bob became a star on YouTube and one day James was pleasantly surprised to find that many foreign groups are coming to see Bob. After a while, a literary agency who every day was passing around him proposed to write his story, and so  it appeared the book A Street Cat Named Bob, and  now a children’s edition Bob – No Ordinary Cat.

I do not know when and if the books will come in Romania, but I know it has been translated into Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch and Taiwanese so far, and the original English version is still publishing, and Bob and James are going through the library to sign books several times a month, when they are not somewhere on the streets. They attract crowds, sing, do their pictures, signing books and if someone wants to be aware of what happens to the two, they can join their Facebook page  or on https://twitter.com/StreetCatBob. There are many videos on YouTube with them, including a mini-documentary and a touching interview.

I read this book on stale; I could not put it down. The story is both sad and happy, it is touching your heart, but I feel pity and impressed how two souls vulnerable and hopeless became a powerful and more impressive than any story deliberately lachrymatory. Neither James nor Bob does not complain, they value their friendship with a naivety that some would call it childish. James never forces him to leave if he doesn’t want it-and there were some days when Bob just said he did not want to go and left him home.

James was with Bob when he was ill and cared for him, and Bob stood with James in those hours and days when he completely gave up drugs and went up in withdrawal. James admits that he owes Bob because now he has a new purpose in life, and affectionately is calling him “this little man”. Bob has thousands of friends, likes to be the center of attention and James is happy to accompany him.

When I read the book I thought Bob is a special cat (though it really is!) And the story is unique, but contradicted me a black cat in front of our house who was sheltered. Seem to have been a breed cat, was talkative, dirty and hungry, able to accept anything but to earn a family. Eventually I found a master for him because we could not keep him, but he soon won us because he was able to devote completely to foreigners and would it be easier to adapt immediately. He wasn’t bother by others animals (we were in the country where cats and dogs from the neighborhood come very often to us), didn’t bother that I put a blanket in the living room and just stood there. Then I realized that he was just grateful that he’s off the street. He knew what it means to have family, knew what it means to be on the road, and knew as being of anyone. Finally black cat story ended well, has a family, is happy, but when I think of other adult animal (cats, dogs and not only) who are passing in something like that and don’t have luck to find a family which provide them love and care, I am not so optimistic.

I understand that most people who adopt want a baby animal that they could form, but not all adults are uneducated and wild animals. If they are taken from the street, they will be grateful and will understand that they have to make some sacrifices and to accept everything in exchange for food and love. Obviously, there are persons and persons, but when you adopt a pet don’t exclude him only because it’s an adult!