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Not to be confused with Evil Bob.

Bob the Jagex cat is an enigmatic black cat and reincarnation of the ancient hero Robert the Strong. He travels the world of Gielinor with his girlfriend, Neite, although he generally returns to his human Unferth's house every week. Like all cats, his speech can only be understood through the use of the Amulet of Catspeak.

As Bob likes to wander the world, he has one of the largest wander radius of all NPCs in the game, spawning in his human Unferth's house in Burthorpe every time there is a system update, but after which he is able to wander anywhere that is not restricted by physical boundaries, being able to wander to far away places such as Edgeville and Port Sarim. It is possible to locate Bob by using the Amulet of Catspeak after it is enchanted in A Tail of Two Cats which, when operated, will open a menu that looks like a cat's face. By clicking on the whiskers, the dial will rotate. When the eyes light up and a cat meowing sound is heard, Bob can be found in the direction that the dial is pointing.

Lore

Bob's history was not revealed, leaving many to speculate, until Jagex released the quest, A Tail of Two Cats. In this quest, it is revealed that he once was an ancient warrior Robert the Strong. It is currently unknown how Robert the Strong turned into a cat. It is during the course of A Tail of Two Cats that we meet Bob's "girlfriend", Neite.

Encounters

Bob is often seen, mostly by chance, by many players. The Catspeak amulet, which is received in Icthlarin's Little Helper, is required to speak to Bob; otherwise, he will simply meow aloud. When a character first speaks to Bob with their Catspeak amulet, the following dialogue ensues:

Bob: Erm, hello? Can you understand me?

Player: I certainly can, I am wearing this amulet I got in Sophanem!

Bob: Ah so you've met one of the local felines, wise and confusing Sphinxes.

Player: Wow!!! You know the plural of Sphinx!!! What else do you know?

Bob: All sorts of stuff! I pick up no end of comments on my travels, want to hear one?

Player: I certainly do. Share your wisdom, Bob!

Bob then says a tidbit of wisdom.

If a player has a cat follower when he or she speaks to Bob, the conversation goes quite differently.

Bob: Hi, my name is Bob.

Cat: Hello Bob!

Player: Do you two know each other?

Cat: I don’t think so...

Bob: Yes you do. Dive deep, search your feelings.

Cat: OK, I will try.

Player: What’s up puss?

Bob: If only you knew the power of Bob. Your master never told you who your real father was, did he?

Cat: No, but what’s that got to do with... no, nooooooo! It cannot be!!

Bob: Yes. I am your father!

Cat: That’s impossible!!

Bob: You can destroy Zamorak. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule this place as father and son.

Cat: OK dad, maybe later, you’re scaring me!

Player: I think that’s about enough of that. I’m off.

Wisdom

On subsequent encounters, only a shorter, more random conversation occurs.

  1. Bob: If a player falls down in the forest and nobody is there, does he make any noise?
  2. Bob: Sorry I am too busy marking my territory.
    Player: Your territory? This place is ruled by Grand Highmage Gower and his minions.
    Bob: I think not. They are my minions. And I let them think he is in charge. I’m the real power behind the throne.
  3. Bob: Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are Guthix!
    Player: What do you believe Bob?
    Bob: Well I don’t believe much really since I know I am Zar..erm, well no I erm, meow?
  4. Bob: Don’t get distracted easily! See I’m distracting you right now!
  5. Bob: Sorry I'm far too busy calculating thermal vectors.
    Player: EH?
    Bob: Erm, sorry… I meant erm, meow?
  6. Bob: Nothing interesting happens.
    Player: Eh? That's hardly useful.
    Bob: Ahh but you see. It does all sorts of wondrous things.
    Player: Like what?
    Bob: Well its more to do with what happens when you hear that being said. You see, something interesting happens somewhere else.
    Player: So what you're saying is that if nothing interesting happens to me, then something interesting is happening for someone else that IS interesting?
    Bob: Yes, that’s about it.
    Player: Ok…I see… I think.
  7. Bob: Player name, why do you keep your cat in the bank?
    Player: I thought it was too dangerous to bring it out with me.
    Player: Or, I could let the poor thing get butchered! Is that what you want?
    Bob: Butchered!!! I think not. Cats are easily as tough as sheep. Cats were the second thing Guthix brought here, after sheep of course.
    Player: Weird. I thought Gnomes and the Dwarves were the first ones. Oh well back to school for me.
  8. Bob: Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia.
  9. Bob: So, you want to know how us cats keep so clean all day?
    Player: Must be all that washing you do.
    Bob: You would think so wouldn’t you. But is being covered in spots really clean?
    Player: Eeww... gross.
  10. Bob: Anything that is not nailed down is a cat toy.
  11. Bob: If at first you don’t succeed, take a short nap.
  12. Bob: Yeah I could tell you something really useful, but then I would have to "1-Hit you" to death.
    Player: Bob, you couldn't 1-hit a noob.
    Bob: Care to wager on that? Sorry hang on, I’ve got no pockets. Maybe next time.
    Player: I’ll be waiting.
  13. Bob: Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
  14. Bob: I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats in infinitely superior.
  15. Bob: There are many intelligent species in the universe. They are all owned by cats.
  16. Bob: Cats and teleporting don’t mix well. That’s why I walk everywhere, messes my hair up terribly.
  17. Player: Do you like all the monsters around here?
    Bob: No, not really. I am actually signed up with the HAM fanatics. Kill the whole lot of 'em!
    Player: That’s a bit cruel isn’t it?
    Bob: Yeah, that’s one of my best qualities. Just behind sneaky and vicious. Besides, after a few doses of catnip, they all look like mice to me!
  18. Bob: Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.
  19. Bob: Sorry no time to chat, still got mouse bones stuck in my teeth. How awkward.
  20. Bob: You know, cats are the first species to fully evolve. We’re perfect.
  21. Bob: Preserve nature. Pickle a dog!
  22. Bob: Do you like dogs?
    Player: Yes!
    Bob: Me too. Care to swap recipes? I have a rather unique hotdog sauce.
    Player: Bob, you’re a bit messed up really aren’t you.
    Bob: No, I just know what I like. Besides, it was a joke.
    Player: A joke? I doubt the dogs are laughing.
    Bob: What dogs? I have already rid this place of dogs. Have you ever seen one?
    Player: Yes actually. I heard there are a few wild dogs about here somewhere.
    Bob: Right!! Fellow cats prepare for war!!

The Cat Rulebook

Bob may instead tell the player a rule for cats to follow. These poke fun at the idiosyncratics common to housepet cats.

  1. Always act afraid around dogs, especially if you’re near a human. They will pick you up and fuss you, then shout at the dog. Most amusing.
  2. When assisting a human at work, make sure you sit behind its right leg. You stand a much better chance of getting picked up and stroked. Also it's very amusing when they try to avoid you and smash themselves in the knee.
  3. If you ever make a mistake, which is rare and probably involves a dog, make sure you wash yourself immediately. This will give everyone the impression that it was done on purpose.
  4. Beware the bag monster. These things live in small bags under newspapers, sometimes hidden in shoes if they are clever. They will be very small and take the same color as the hiding place. Attack these things on sight- stop at nothing. If you see a bag or shoe you have not inspected recently, pounce!!!

A Tail of Two Cats

During the quest, A Tail of Two Cats, players go on a journey to discover Bob's true lineage in order to impress another cat. During the adventure, you find out that Bob is actually the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, Robert the Strong, who defeated a Dragonkin at their castle. This fact can dispel all rumours about Bob being Zaros since the Sphinx offers you indisputable proof by means of a vision.


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