Street Cat Bob Memorial Statue
the cat who saved a life
A bronze tribute in Islington to Bob, the ginger street cat whose friendship with a busker became a bestselling book and film.
Free to visit · Islington · Angel · N1 2DN
Opening: Garden daylight hours
In a small garden in Islington sits a bronze statue of a ginger cat, tail curled, gazing out at passers-by. This is Bob, the stray cat who in 2007 befriended James Bowen, a busker and recovering addict, and whose companionship helped turn his life around. Bowen wrote about their friendship in A Street Cat Named Bob, which became a worldwide bestseller and a hit film.
After Bob died, fans and supporters funded this memorial near where the pair once lived and busked. It is free to visit, a genuinely heartwarming tribute to an ordinary cat who became a symbol of second chances and the quiet power of animal companionship.
Getting there: In Islington Green, a couple of minutes from Angel station.
Best time to go: Daytime, on a walk through Islington near Angel.
Insider tip: Find the statue in Islington Green, often with small tributes left by readers of the books. It stands close to the streets where James and Bob actually lived and busked, so the spot is the real thing.
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