UK’s Larry the cat, 19, marks 15 years, 6 PMs, as chief mouser

South China Morning Post · Feb 15, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Larry the cat is marking 15 years as the UK’s chief mouse catcher at the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, having served six prime ministers there.During his tenure, the 19-year-old tabby, officially known as the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office, has captured the hearts of the British public because of his frequent appearances outside the prime minister’s front door in central London.Larry was adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in February 2011, and was originally intended as a pet for the children of then prime minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha.As chief mouser, he is tasked with controlling the rodent population of the building at the heart of the British government, although his success has been disputed.Various felines have occupied the post since the 1920s, and there are even earlier historical records of cats on government residences dating back to the era of Henry VIII, who died in 1547.Now more than 90 in relative human years, Larry is believed to have made his first kill on the job at the age of four in April 2011.A favourite among the bank of press cameras, he was witnessed pouncing on a pigeon while the media waited for an update on post-Brexit negotiations with the European Union.