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Palmerston, Foreign Office ‘Chief Mouser,’ Dies in Bermuda at 12

Official tributes highlight his role as a beloved diplomatic mascot.

Overview

  • The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed Palmerston’s death, while his X account said he passed peacefully on February 12.
  • He was laid to rest on the grounds of Bermuda’s Government House, with staff requesting to attend the burial, according to former FCDO chief Simon McDonald.
  • Palmerston left retirement in 2025 to join Governor Andrew Murdoch in Bermuda as a “feline relations consultant,” and Murdoch remembered him as gentle and family to the household.
  • Rescued by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, he became the Foreign Office’s chief mouser in 2016, amassed nearly 100,000 followers, and helped raise more than £3,000 for Battersea.
  • He maintained a friendly rivalry with Downing Street’s Larry, who posted a farewell message paying tribute to his fellow government cat.