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​Larry The Downing Street Cat: Will He Live With Boris Johnson at Number 10?

​Larry The Downing Street Cat: Will He Live With Boris Johnson at Number 10?

Larry has been living on Downing Street under both Cameron and May, but will he keep his position as chief mouser under Johnson?

Mark Cunliffe

Mark Cunliffe

Saying that the last few years in British politics have been pretty turbulent would be quite the understatement. However, there is one part of Downing Street that symbolises stability in this troubling time, and it's not Boris Johnson. Larry the cat assumed office on 15 February 2011 and has worked as the chief mouser alongside David Cameron and Theresa May.

Now Boris Johnson is the prime minister of the UK, people have become worried that the feline's position might be under threat. This has been exasperated by rumours of him not hitting his KPIs and having violent altercations with various members of staff. Obviously being the most powerful cat in Britain comes with a lot of pressure, and that's set to increase as the latest Conservative leader battles towards his no deal Brexit.

Will Boris keep Larry on as his chief mouser? Or could Larry do an Anne Milton and resign? Let's find out about the feisty feline.

Larry keeps guard as Boris approaches
PA images

Official duties

Despite the title of chief mouser, Larry has plenty of other responsibilities which include greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences, and testing antique furniture for napping quality.

How did Larry get the job?

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home recommended Larry to Number 10 after rats decided to call it home. Apparently, he had "a high chase-drive and hunting instinct" which made him perfect for tackling the infestation. In 2012, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home revealed that Larry's popularity had resulted in a surge of 15% more people adopting cats.

Lazy Larry

Despite coming in with high reputation, Larry took two whole months to catch his first rodent. On Good Friday, Larry appeared through a window from the Downing Street garden with a mouse in his mouth. According to reports, he dropped his trophy at the feet of the prime minister's secretaries.

However, as rats plagued the Downing Street Lawn, Larry preferred to spend his time lounging in the corridors, which gained him the nickname 'Lazy Larry' by the tabloid press. There were strong rumours that Larry was almost released from his position in 2012 after he failed to prevent a rat attack on Cameron while he relaxed in his study.

Larry is known for fighting other cats
PA Images

Will Larry leave now Boris is PM?

Larry has kept his political allegiances to himself so far so it doesn't look like he'll resign from the coveted position anytime soon. During Prime Minister's Questions in 2016, Cameron stated that Larry is a civil servant and not personal property, so wouldn't leave Downing street after a change of leadership. The Labour party has also confirmed that Larry would keep his job as chief mouser if they ever made it to Number 10.

Controversy

By July 2016, when Theresa May became Prime Minister, Larry had developed a reputation of being "violent" in his interactions with other local mousers, especially the Foreign Office's much younger cat Palmerston.

It remains to be seen whether or not Boris will encourage this behaviour as his tenure begins. Larry, you are the true hero of 10 Downing Street.

Featured Image Credit: PA Images

Topics: UK News, Entertainment, Celebrity, Cute, Funny, Cat, Animals, Boris Johnson, Politics