Larry the Cat Celebrates 15 Years as Downing Street's Chief Mouser
In the ever-changing world of British politics, a constant presence with four legs and whiskers marks a significant milestone. Larry the cat, the nation's official rodent-catcher and unofficial first feline, celebrates 15 years of service this Sunday, having provided a reassuring fixture under six prime ministers. Some might even suggest that the prime ministers have served under him, highlighting his enduring appeal.
A Symbol of Stability in Turbulent Times
Philip Howell, a Cambridge University professor specialising in human-animal relations, noted, "Larry the cat's approval ratings will be very high, and prime ministers tend not to hit those numbers. He represents stability, and that's at a premium." This sentiment underscores Larry's role as a nonpartisan figure in a highly charged political environment, offering a touch of whimsy and consistency.
Larry's journey from a stray on London's streets to the hallowed halls of 10 Downing Street is remarkable. Adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home by then-Prime Minister David Cameron, he made his debut on 15 February 2011. His official duties, as outlined on the UK government website, include greeting guests, inspecting security defences, and testing antique furniture for napping quality.
Global Encounters and Photo-Bombing Fame
The grey-and-white tabby enjoys free rein, often seizing opportunities to upstage world leaders arriving at Downing Street's iconic black door. Justin Ng, a freelance photographer, remarked, "He's great at photo-bombing. If there's a foreign leader about to visit, we know he'll just come out at the exact moment that meet-and-greet is about to happen."
Larry has encountered numerous global figures, navigating around or over them with characteristic aloofness. He notably took a liking to Barack Obama and elicited a smile from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit. In 2019, when U.S. President Donald Trump visited, Larry famously crashed the official doorstep photo opportunity before napping beneath the presidential armoured car, 'The Beast'.
Rodent-Catching and Rivalries
Reports on Larry's rodent-catching prowess vary, though he has been photographed with occasional mice and a pigeon that escaped. Ng quipped, "He's more of a lover than a fighter. He's very good at lounging around and showing people that he's very nonchalant."
Larry has shared his residence, sometimes uneasily, with various prime ministerial pets, including Boris Johnson's Jack Russell cross Dilyn and Rishi Sunak's Labrador retriever Nova. He is kept separate from current Prime Minister Keir Starmer's family cats, JoJo and Prince, who reside in private quarters, leaving Larry to preside over the working areas.
He also maintained a famously volatile rivalry with Palmerston, the diplomatic top cat at the Foreign Office, with frequent tussles before Palmerston's retirement in 2020. Palmerston sadly passed away this month in Bermuda, where he had been serving as a feline relations consultant.
Enduring Legacy and Public Appeal
Now aged 18 or 19, Larry has slowed somewhat but continues to patrol his territory and nap on a window ledge above a radiator just inside the No. 10 door. He embodies British soft power in feline form, and any prime minister contemplating his removal would face significant public backlash. Howell asserted, "A cat-hating PM, that seems to me to be political suicide."
He highlighted Larry's nonpartisan status as an official pet, distinguishing him from American presidential pets often used to soften leaders' images. "The fact that cats are less tractable is part of the charm," Howell added. "He's whimsically not partisan, but he tends to take to some people and not to others, and he won't necessarily sit where you want him to pose. There is a certain unruliness about Larry which endears him to many."
As Larry marks this milestone, his presence continues to offer a unique blend of stability and whimsy, reminding everyone that even in the heart of government, a cat can reign supreme.
