Bob the street cat passes away this week.

[locall1961]

That’s what they said, the driver may not have known. I lost a cat years ago to the next door neighbours dog who escaped their yard and came into ours and attacked and killed my cat, I was devastated and still am 9 years later. I still cry when I think about how he died. It’s a different pain to when an animal passes from an illness as your always thinking, “what if” and tend to blame yourself.

[michellebartley]

The cat went missing daytime Saturday not at night, it was found about 1/2 mile from the house, something must have happened to spook it, I mean why would it go so far, just can't understand why it wasn't in an enclosure and better looked after. I guess we'll never know the full answer. It was a very sad ending and it must have lived an interesting life.

[zanadoo_56]

As I have noticed in a documentary on tracking cats in the UK, and from conversations with UK friends, they are still very used to letting their cats out to roam, especially out in the daytime. 

Cat flaps are the norm from the house, not attached cat enclosurers.  Also, speaking as someone who had a modest size cat enclosure built, they can be very expensive.

Also there are a lot of areas that have no rules about confining cats to protect wildlife, and some overseas people I know thought the idea of council cat registration was hilarious.

Bob was a street cat who probably would not take to a life totally indoors so it was always going to be a risk.

[locall1961]

Also there are a lot of areas that have no rules about confining cats to protect wildlife, and some overseas people I know thought the idea of council cat registration was hilarious.

Yeah here in Australia most places have council registration. Very rare that people pay it though. Only time I ever paid it was when I got my cats through rescue as it’s compulsory to have the cat registered with the council. But as I never let my cats outside I did not understand why I would have to pay the council for the privilege of having my cats inside. It really is just another revenue raiser which they don’t earn much from as no one pays it....lol

[michellebartley]

But being such a famous movie star cat I think he should have been taken care of better, he was a celebrity he was getting on in years and his health wasn't good, I just think there's a bit more to the story than meets the eye. I've had cats nearly all my life, I've shown cats at cat shows, for a cat to wander that far from home in broad daylight is very strange indeed, what a sad ending to his very famous life. I'm positive that there was a cat enclosure at Bob's house. I don't think his owner James is going to say EXACTLY what happened that day Bob went missing. It's just sad and it could have been preventable.

[4channel]

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@zanadoo_56 wrote:

As I have noticed in a documentary on tracking cats in the UK, and from conversations with UK friends, they are still very used to letting their cats out to roam, especially out in the daytime. 

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Was that the documentary where they showed tracking on how far cats were going and had it marked out like a map?

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@zanadoo_56 wrote:

Bob was a street cat who probably would not take to a life totally indoors so it was always going to be a risk.

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Yes, being an ex-street cat he may have been an outdoor cat and had to get out to feel normal. That's possibly part of it. Still I can't  help  wondering if what Michelle has said about there possiblly is miore to the story has some bearing on all of this.

[michellebartley]

Bob got out through a skylight that wasn't locked at James Bowen's house, apparently that's how he got out, by pushing it open. It was a while before they realised he was gone, by then it was too late, he took off. I just read it on the Streetcat Bob, Facebook page.

[locall1961]

Thanks for the update michellebartley. No matter what happened or how he got out, being a street cat or cat that likes to go outside he would have tried any way to get out of that is what he wanted. No one should blame his human as a lot of people have done in these posts, just cause he had made money from Bob does not mean he should lock the cat up. He was used to coming and going and travelling far and wide. I’m sure James blames himself without the help of anyone else. So sad to see all the cats we’ve been following all these years leaving us in quick succession, Angry Cat, then lil Bub and Bob. The three of my favourites that I followed, all gone😢

[michellebartley]

The memorial for “Bob” was unveiled yesterday at Islington,London, UK It’s really impressive it was on the news over there and in the papers. A lot of people donated to have it built there’s a bronze statue of “Bob” plus a seat with it.

[locall1961]

What a lovely thing for people to do. He will be very much missed around the traps so will be nice for people to have a lasting memory of him