Entering his 14th year at #10, Larry welcomes 6th new PM in 8 years.
Larry the Cat at #10. Editorial credit: Drop of Light / Shutterstock.com
Following the results of Thursday’s snap election in the UK that will see Keir Starmer become the 6th Prime Minister in the last 8 years, our beloved Larry has remained the one constant at the most famous address this side of 221B Baker Street, 10 Downing Street, since 2011. Given the addage will all know that ‘dogs have owners and cats have staff’, it’s clear who is clearly in charge.
Serving as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street, the residence and home office of Britain’s prime minister, Larry the Cat was appointed in 2011 and finds himself now preparing to enter his 14th year in residence in 2025, now ready to serve his sixth PM in the last decade, (three of them in the span of 45 days!). Larry has outlasted prime ministers David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss (45 days), Rishi Sunak and now the new PM, Keir Starmer.
Said to be entering his 16th year on Planet Earth, Larry has enjoyed an enormously loyal following among British citizens over the years. So much so that a viral tweet from an unofficial account hours before Liz Truss announced her resignation in 2022, “The King has asked me to become Prime Minister because this nonsense has gone on long enough,” attracted thousands of comments to where a #Larry4Leader campaign was established before Rishi Sunak was annouced as the U.K.’s new Prime Minister. According to the campaign, Larry’s stands for including a “responsible hiss-cal policy” and “no lying in No 10 unless it’s on a comfy cushion”.
Larry, a former stray adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, was recruited by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to deal with a pack of rats seen scuttling close to the British leader’s official residence, and entered Downing Street on Feb. 15, 2011. “Throughout his time at Number 10, Larry has proven himself to not only be a brilliant ambassador for Battersea but also demonstrated to millions of people around the world how incredible rescue cats are,” said Lindsey Quinlan, the head of cattery of Battersea.
Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defenses and testing antique furniture for napping quality. His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house. Larry says this is still ‘in tactical planning stages’.
It’s clear who is in charge at #10 as Larry set out his agenda to the new PM not long after the vote was final.
Welcome, Keir Starmer to 10 Downing Street.
In: Odds & Sods
