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Larry the cat, the U.K.'s astir celebrated feline, marks 15 years connected Sunday (February 15, 2026) arsenic the country's Chief Mouser patrolling the corridors of powerfulness astir fig 10 Downing Street.
Recruited to woody with a rodent problem, Larry arrived astatine the Prime Minister's authoritative residence connected February 15, 2011.
He was adopted from the renowned London carnal shelter, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, erstwhile helium was believed to beryllium astir 4 years old. David Cameron was Prime Minister astatine the time.
Since then, the achromatic and tabby cat, officially introduced connected Downing Street's website arsenic the "Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office", has reigned ultimate from the country's astir photographed doorstep.
His authoritative biography connected the Downing Street website says isolated from rodent control: "Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting information defences and investigating antique furnishings for napping quality."
He has lived done six Prime Ministers, from Mr. Cameron to Keir Starmer, weathered the storms of Brexit, Covid-19, the chaos of "partygate," Liz Truss's 49-day whirlwind occupation, and the much orderly months nether Rishi Sunak.
Nothing seems to ruffle his fur arsenic this governmental seasoned glides from situation to situation with feline calm, and the lick of a paw.
A media darling, Larry, who is present believed to beryllium astir 19, often steals the spotlight from visiting overseas leaders.
In December, helium was connected the doorstep to greet the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In January, helium adjacent sent a lensman stumbling connected the reddish carpet aft darting unexpectedly betwixt his legs during a sojourn by Poland's President.
A whiskered influencer, Larry besides boasts an X relationship @Number10cat followed by much than 8,77,500 fans.
Run by an anonymous user, Larry grumbles astir getting caught successful the rainfall and sometimes takes catty swipes astatine politicians, notably U.K. Reform and the medication of U.S. President Donald Trump.
His archetypal months "in office" adjacent inspired a book, "The Larry Diaries", published successful 2011.
Larry present shares the No. 10 residence with JoJo and Prince, the Starmer household cats.
Prince, a Siberian, joined the household successful 2024 aft "negotiations" with Starmer's children— who had wanted a German Shepherd dog.
But determination was a problem: "the lone doorway retired of our caller level is weaponry proof," Mr. Starmer told the BBC successful 2024. "Therefore, getting a feline flap is proving a small spot difficult."
Larry's fans tin unbend though: helium is considered a imperishable civilian servant, which means helium gets to enactment astatine Downing Street for good. Unlike Prime Ministers.
Larry is not unsocial successful being a feline companion to politicians.
On Saturday (February 14, 2026) came bittersweet quality that Palmerston, a black-and-white cat, erstwhile Mouser to the Foreign Office and "Diplocat extraordinaire", had passed distant successful Bermuda wherever helium retired successful 2020.
"Farewell aged person x," Larry posted connected his X account, brushing speech rumours of rivalry betwixt the pair.
Under erstwhile U.S. President Bill Clinton, the black-and-white feline Socks took up residence successful the White House from 1993 to 2001.
Once a stray, Socks became the prima of respective books and was often featured by the U.K. cartoonist Steve Bell successful his regular comic strips.
And successful Belgium, a rescue feline named Maximus has changeable to societal media stardom arsenic the bewhiskered sidekick and PR limb of Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
