Celebrating 15 Years as the Most Popular Resident of No. 10 Downing Street

For almost 300 years, a rather unassuming Georgian building of black bricks with a shiny black door has been the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister. And for the past 15 years, it has also been the (un)official home to a beloved cat by the name of ‘Larry’. The tabby and white domestic shorthair had a rather inauspicious start, having been found as a stray and brought to the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, one of the UK's oldest and best-known animal rescue centres. In 2011, during the tenure of Prime Minister David Cameron, Larry was pulled from anonymity to serve as company and playmate to the Prime Minister’s children. His keen prey drive and impressive hunting performance, coupled with his friendly demeanour towards government officials and visiting heads of state, led to his promotion from household pet to ‘Chief Mouser to The Cabinet Office’, earning him a permanent position at the United Kingdom's top political residence.

The Downing Street website describes Larry's duties as "greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for nap quality."

Over the years, Larry has witnessed the coming and goings of six Prime Ministers, two heads of state, the confusion and challenges of multiple Covid-19 lockdowns, met with President Barack Obama, avoided eye contact with President Donald Trump, and was unceremoniously removed by a Downing Street staffer before he had the chance to greet President Joe Biden (an action that was met with much booing and protest by witnesses!). Despite his resident status, the glossy front door at Number 10 has not been tarnished by the installation of a cat door, meaning that part of the government staff's duties includes letting him inside, and outside, and inside, and outside…

Relationships and Rivalries

Throughout his time in the top feline job, Larryn has occasionally had to share his space with feline and canine family members of the various incumbent human residents. Battersea Dogs & Cats home were reportedly on hand to broker a deal between Larry and the Jack Russell mix belonging to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while Larry was responsible for teaching some manners to the fox red Labrador puppy belonging to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.¹

The UK’s current Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, brought his rescue moggie, Jojo, when he took up residence at Number 10, and although his children were apparently keen to add a German Shepherd to the family, a compromise was found in the form of a Siberian kitten named Prince.

More famous, however, was Larry’s long-standing rivalry with a neighboring feline resident of the British Foreign Office named ‘Palmerston’. Although the pair were occasionally seen to tolerate one another, the friction between the high-ranking cats culminated in some violent confrontations, resulting in veterinary visits. When Palmerston retired to the countryside in 2020, it was rumored that this was actually a strategic move as attempts to broker peace between the two had failed repeatedly.

Palmerston moved to Bermuda in 2025 and sadly passed away on February 12, 2026.²

Chaos and Controversy

Just like any top political figure, Larry has experienced his fair share of controversy, gossip, and hoaxes over the years. In 2011, a story emerged that a former owner had come forward to claim ownership of Larry; however, this was later proven to be a hoax. He has, on more than one occasion, been filmed in pursuit of local pigeons, and has even been seen chasing a fox away from the grounds.

Larry has also been the victim of false health claims, having been reported to be on death’s door in 2023 and 2024, despite being in good health, which is good news if he hopes to one day climb the ranks to the top job. In the lead-up to the UK’s 2024 general election, an opinion poll showed Larry to have a higher favorability rating (40%) than both the sitting PM (Sunak, 22%) and his successor (Starmer, 34%).

With any luck, the people of the United Kingdom will soon be seeing Larry leading the country. Perhaps it’s the type of political change we all need!

Feature Image Credit: Flickr and Pete Souza, Wikimedia Commons

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