Sussex musician pays tribute to 'A Street Cat Named Bob' pet

Dominic Ferris, a pianist and music producer from Shoreham, worked with James Bowen and his cat Bob on a charity single in 2018.

James, who had spent years on the streets in London struggling with drug addiction, had found the abandoned cat and decided to name him Bob.

The pair became inseparable and the majestic ginger cat could often be seen beside James as he busked or sold The Big Issue.

When James published a book about how the cat had “saved his life” in 2012, A Street Cat Named Bob, Dominic said it resonated with him straight away.

Dominic Ferris in the studio with Bob in 2018

The musician said: “I was at the same event as James a few years down the line and asked him if he wanted to release a single for charity.

“And Then Came Bob was all recorded here in my studio in Southwick. They both came down and Bob was walking across the mixing desk.

"He was definitely in charge.

“It’s very sad news as he was such a big part of James’ life.

“Since he found his best friend I think he was the most well-looked after cat ever.

“Bob used to go on book tours and would be there sat on the desk waiting patiently in Waterstones.

“For a cat which has been around the world, he did pretty well.”

James’ first book was also made into a hit film of the same name in 2016, and another feature film, A Gift From Bob, is due to be released later this year - also featuring Bob himself.

Dominic said: “That first book went to the heart of cat-lovers all over the world.

“It was so nice to record a song with James and Bob and it went absolutely wild among his fans.

“We made a video and at the end you can see Bob in my studio and James singing.We were really pleased with it.

“Most of my work is for piano and writing scores for musical theatre, so it was lovely to do something different which was based on a real life story.”

The single, which was released in December 2018, raised money for homeless charities, including The Big Issue Foundation.