Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of rescue cat Larry becoming Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office in a bid to deal with a rat problem at 10 Downing Street.
(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, file)LONDON – Larry the cat, a four-legged inhabitant of London’s 10 Downing St., is marking a decade as Britain’s mouse-catcher in chief on Monday.
The former stray, adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, was given the title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, an unofficial pest control post.
However, despite the prime minister moving Jack Russell cross Dilyn into Downing Street, Larry remained in office.
Larry became known for his occasional scraps with neighboring cats -- especially Palmerston, chief mouser to the Foreign Office across the street -- and fondness for sleep.