Most residents of No 10 don’t seem to stay long these days.
But Larry yesterday marked 15 years in Downing Street as chief mouser, having served under six prime ministers.
He was adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in February 2011 and was originally meant as a pet for the children of David Cameron, who was Prime Minister at the time, and his wife Samantha.
As chief mouser, he is tasked with controlling the rodent population around No 10 – an official position has been occupied by a cat since the 1920s.
Larry, who is now 19, has served under Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.
The Downing Street tabby captured the hearts of the British public because of his frequent appearances outside the Prime Minister’s front door in central London.
Larry’s official role is described as ‘inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality’, as well as ‘contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house’.
The tabby cat’s record-breaking tenure as ‘chief mouser’ was confirmed when he beat Peter III, who lived at Downing Street from 1947 until 1964.
No stranger to the odd tussle, Larry has had testy relationships with other Government cats – including a long-standing four-year feud with his former nemesis, the Foreign Office’s Chief Mouser Palmerston, who retired from his post in 2019.
Larry yesterday marked 15 years in Downing Street as chief mouser, having served under six prime ministers
Larry pictured on his arrival to Downing Street in London from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2011
Larry pictured with his first of a long list of owners, David Cameron, inside 10 Downing Street
Larry has greeted leaders from across the world to his home – but does not always give the warmest of welcomes
David Cameron introduced Larry to Barack Obama during a visit to Downing Street in 2011
Larry made a quick exit after former Prime Minister Liz Truss leant down to give him a stroke in 2022
Always up to mischief: Larry pictured tripping up a photographer on the steps to No 10 in 2026
The chief mouser pictured inside No 10 with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2019
Police also had to break up a fight between Larry and then chancellor George Osborne’s cat Freya.
Not shy with his attitude towards politicians, the famous feline also gave short-lived prime minister Liz Truss the cold shoulder while the former leader was introducing him to her Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen.
His fiesty reputation also led to one of Keir Starmer’s ministers to describe the famous feline as a ‘little s***’.
Ian Murray told a dinner in Glasgow that Larry is ‘the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life’.
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, having been dubbed ‘Lazy Larry’ for his lack of catches previously.
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 EU. There have been fractious relationships with other domesticated animals too.
Larry was known to fight with the late Palmerston, a cat brought in to control the mouse population in the Foreign Office buildings neighbouring Downing Street.
Akshata Murty, the wife of former prime minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak, once told Sky News Larry had ‘heated exchanges’ with her family’s Labrador puppy Nova while they lived in Downing Street, with the cat always having ‘come out on top’.
Should Larry the cat be considered a real national treasure given his long reign at No10?
Comment now
Larry involved in a tussle with his former nemesis Chief Mouser Palmerston, the Foreign Office cat in 2016
Centre of attention: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer points out Larry to Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto
Picture purrfect: Larry beside a photographer’s camera outside Downing Street in 2021
Larry the 10 Downing Street cat sits with press photographers outside Downing Street in 2020
Media trained: The chief mouser takes his job seriously and remains tight lipped about government business
Star of the show: Larry the cat on the red carpet in Downing Street in 2025
Larry the Downing Street cat is taken inside ahead of the arrival of US President Joe Biden in 2023
Larry pictured sunning himself in front of the flower decoration in the national Ukrainian colours, on Ukraine Independence Day in 2022
Read More
Codename for when Larry the Cat dies as Downing Street draws up plans on how to announce death
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in February last year he was initially having to keep his family’s Siberian kitten Prince away from Larry, in case the Downing Street veteran ‘doesn’t like him’.
The Starmers had two cats when he took office in 2024, Prince and Jojo.
Larry has also been reported to be ‘not very keen on men’, according to Lord Cameron, who was surprised at how well the pet gelled with then-US president Barack Obama, one of the many international guests Larry has welcomed to Downing Street.
The chief mouser sometimes appears in official records of such visits, and can be seen lurking on a windowsill in a photograph of Baroness Theresa May with US President Donald Trump while she was prime minister.
Larry has often provided moments of light relief amid the stormy political news of the last 15 years, lying on the step of No 10, unaware of important announcements due to be made by the UK’s political leaders.
A parody social media account dedicated to Larry reflected on his 15 years in Britain’s most famous house.A post on the spoof @Number10cat profile said: ’15 years ago today I arrived on Downing Street in a cage.
‘I’ve seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I’m still going strong.
‘Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole.
‘Bill and Bob – I’m coming for you… ‘
Last year it was revealed that officials have drawn up plans for when Larry finally runs out of his nine lives.
Codenamed ‘Larry Bridges’, a nod to bridge operations for the death of prominent royals, preparations have been quietly put in place for when the 19-year-old passes away.
Until then, Britain’s favourite cat will continue to cause mischief on the steps of his famous home.
