The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Bowen, James, and Jenkins, Garry. A Street Cat Named Bob. St. Martin's Press, New York, NY, 2012. Kindle AZW file.

The reader of this guide should be aware that the author is from London, meaning the book was written using European English. Direct quotations in this guide follow that format, but the remainder of the guide is written in American English.

James Bowen was living in an apartment building in London when he first saw the orange tabby cat he later named Bob. Bob looked hungry and alone, sitting in the hallway of the building. James's first instinct was to take the cat into his apartment, but his friend Belle urged him not to take on that responsibility. James himself knew it was not the right time. He had only recently left behind a life of drugs and homelessness. He was busking for a living and was barely able to take care of his personal needs. When the cat remained in the same spot the next day and a man in a nearby apartment said the cat was not his, James took Bob home. He fed and bathed the cat, and he tended a serious wound on Bob's leg. He then sought out medical help though it took all the money he had available at that time. Though he was struggling, it was his nature to see through taking care of Bob. He kept Bob with him for several days, giving him the antibiotics and tending his needs. At the end of that time, James fully expected Bob to leave, going back to his life as a street cat. Instead, Bob followed James as he set out to Covent Garden where he usually played music for several hours a day to earn money.

That first day, James carried Bob on his shoulder to keep him safely out of traffic. The walk from the bus stop to his preferred spot usually took a few minutes, but so many people stopped James to talk about Bob that he was late setting up. When he was finally in place, Bob settled down in James's guitar case and began attracting a great deal of attention. That day, James earned three times as much money as usual. He treated himself and Bob to a nice dinner.

James expected that to be a one-time event, but it turned out that Bob chose to go with him most days. James bought Bob a harness and leash. Later, he had him microchipped. Though James had expected that being responsible for Bob would be a terrible chore, he quickly discovered that Bob gave him a purpose. James pushed himself to work harder at busking because he had to provide for Bob.

Though James wanted to avoid his past, he continued to make daily trips to health agencies as part of his drug rehabilitation program. He continued to take methadone until he decided he was ready to get completely off the drug dependency, and he endured a terrible few days as the methadone wore off. During those days, Bob remained close to James's side, obviously worried but completely devoted.

A close encounter with police for busking in a prohibited area made James realize he had to find a better way to earn money. He became accredited with a program that set people up selling magazines. Again, James found that Bob attracted the attention of people who might not otherwise have stopped, and he learned to manage his small business. He reconnected with his mother and began to mend that relationship. He still felt his responsibility toward Bob meant he could not leave London. As the novel ends, Bob and James settled into their lives with James taking steps toward making their lives better.