Larry (cat)

Larry is a cat who has served as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street since 2011. He is a brown-and-white tabby, believed to have been born in January 2007. By July 2016, when Theresa May became prime minister, he had developed a reputation of being "violent" in his interactions with other local mousers, especially the Foreign Office's much younger cat Palmerston. His Prime Ministers are David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. And his monarch is Elizabeth II.

Larry
Official portrait, 2016
Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 February 2011 Serving with Freya (2012–2014)
Monarch	Elizabeth II Charles III
Prime Minister	See list David Cameron Theresa May Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Sybil (2009)
Personal details
Born	c. January 2007 (age 17) London, England
Residence	10 Downing Street
Occupation	Mouser civil servant
Awards	Blue plaque at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (2012)

Health

Since being a kitten, Larry has been in good health and has lived over the average of other cats.

In January 2016 Larry had suffered an infection, which he later recovered from.

On 24 September 2023, The Sun reported that Larry was seriously ill and that 10 Downing Street were in the process of preparing his death. Downing Street denied this and said Larry was "happy and healthy."

Early life

Larry is a rescued stray cat from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home who was chosen by Downing Street staff. Larry was intended to be a pet for the children of David and Samantha Cameron, and was described by Downing Street sources as a "good ratter" and as having "a high chase-drive and hunting instinct". In 2012, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home revealed that Larry's popularity had resulted in a surge of 15% more people adopting cats.

Official duties

Larry outside Ten Downing Street

The Downing Street website describes Larry's duties as "greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences, and testing antique furniture for napping quality". It says he is "contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house" and has told Downing Street that such a solution is still in the "tactical planning stage".

Unlike his predecessors since 1929, Larry's upkeep is funded by the staff of 10 Downing Street. Fund-raising events to pay for his food are believed to have included a quiz night for Downing Street staff held in the state rooms.

Work as a Chief Mouser

He made his first known kill – a mouse – on 22 April 2011. On 28 August 2012, Larry made his first public killing, dropping his prey on the lawn in front of Number 10. In October 2013, Larry caught four mice in two weeks and one staff member rescued a mouse from his clutches.

In July 2015, George Osborne and Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock cornered a mouse in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's office, trapping it in a brown paper sandwich bag. The press joked that the Chancellor of the Exchequer might take over the Chief Mouser position.

David Cameron explained during his final Prime Minister's Questions in 2016 that Larry is a civil servant and not personal property, so would not leave Downing Street after a change of premier.