Larry the cat marks arrival of seventh prime minister at Downing Street

LONDON: Larry the cat, the long-serving feline resident of 10 Downing Street, on Monday welcomed his seventh prime minister since arriving at the British leader’s official residence more than 15 years ago.

From the X account @Number10cat, Larry’s account posted a message as incoming leader Andy Burnham prepared to replace Keir Starmer. In the post, Larry said politicians change but cats remain. The account also offered instructions for the new occupants of Downing Street, setting out the cat’s preferred meal schedule and adding that the rest of the role was easy.

Politicians come and go; cats are permanent,

The account also said:

Larry likes his breakfast at 9, brunch at 1030 and lunch at noon with plenty of snacks in between. The rest of the job is a doddle.

From shelter cat to Chief Mouser

Larry was brought to Downing Street on February 15, 2011, during David Cameron’s time in office, to help address a rodent problem. He had been adopted from a London animal shelter and was then thought to be about four years old.

The white-and-tabby cat is officially listed on the Downing Street website as the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office. According to his official biography, his duties go beyond pest control and include greeting guests, checking security arrangements and testing antique furniture for sleeping.

Witness to years of political upheaval

Since his arrival, Larry has remained in place through six prime ministers, from Cameron to Starmer, and is now set to stay on under Burnham. During that period, he has been present through Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, the fallout of partygate and Liz Truss’s brief 49-day tenure.

Now believed to be around 19 years old, Larry has become a familiar figure in British public life and often draws attention away from visiting dignitaries. In December, he was on the Downing Street doorstep when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited.

A social media following and a new possible challenge

Larry’s X account, run anonymously, has more than 900,000 followers. The account regularly posts humorous complaints, including about rainy weather, and has taken pointed swipes at Reform UK politicians and US President Donald Trump.

His early period at Downing Street also inspired a 2011 book titled The Larry Diaries. Over the past two years, he shared the residence with JoJo and Prince, the cats belonging to the Starmer family.

British media have noted that Larry’s next domestic adjustment could be more complicated because the Burnham family has a dog. It remains unclear whether the animal will move into Downing Street.