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Larry the Downing Street Cat Marks 15 Years as Chief Mouser

At roughly 19, the Battersea rescue remains on duty at No. 10 as a nonpartisan fixture of British public life.

Overview

  • Serving under six prime ministers from David Cameron to Keir Starmer, Larry has slowed with age but continues his patrols at No. 10.
  • Adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, he arrived on Feb. 15, 2011, and is considered a permanent civil servant who stays regardless of who is in office.
  • His official duties include greeting guests, inspecting security and testing antique furniture for napping quality, while his hunting record is mixed.
  • Recent cameos included greeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December and causing a photographer to stumble during January’s Polish presidential visit.
  • The milestone follows news that Palmerston, his once-rival Foreign Office cat, died this month in Bermuda after retiring in 2020.