The tag line for “A Street Cat Named Bob” (affiliate link) says the book is about “how one man and his cat found home on the streets.” It’s the same way we can find hope during this epidemic: Together.

James Bowen was a recovering drug addict and licensed busker when a half-starved and injured Bob showed up in his housing tenement. The cat remained in front of another apartment for a couple of days before Bowen finally decided to check with the people living there. When Bowen found out the cat didn’t belong to them, he took it upstairs to his apartment, used a fair bit of his busking money to get the cat treated and neutered, and made limited efforts to find its owner.

Bowen thought it was crazy at the time to take on the responsibility of a cat. He could barely take care of himself. He was still on methadone, and he wasn’t very secure in his ability to remain off of drugs. Adopting Bob would be a responsibility that didn’t suit his lifestyle or his life, and it was just what he needed.

By taking care of Bob, Bowen realized he would need to take care of himself. Bowen worked to kick the methadone habit and found a safer job than busking. When that got a little hairy, he found a different place to do the work.

In essence, Bowen and Bob’s journey is the same one we’re all on now. We are trying to find safer places to do our work. We’re isolated, like Bowen and Bob were before they met, and the moment that we realize we’re all in this together and we start working for each other rather than ourselves, we will have better, safer, and healthier lives. “A Street Cat Named Bob” is a charming tale that will warm your heart and fuel your soul during this time of stress.