Larry the cat, the U.K.’s most famous feline, marks 15 years on Sunday (February 15, 2026) as the country’s Chief Mouser patrolling the corridors of power around number 10 Downing Street.

Recruited to deal with a rodent problem, Larry arrived at the Prime Minister’s official residence on February 15, 2011.

He was adopted from the renowned London animal shelter, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, when he was believed to be about four years old. David Cameron was Prime Minister at the time.

Since then, the white and tabby cat, officially introduced on Downing Street’s website as the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office”, has reigned supreme from the country’s most photographed doorstep.

His official biography on the Downing Street website says apart from rodent control: “Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.”

He has lived through six Prime Ministers, from Mr. Cameron to Keir Starmer, weathered the storms of Brexit, Covid-19, the chaos of “partygate,” Liz Truss’s 49-day whirlwind occupation, and the more orderly months under Rishi Sunak.

Nothing seems to ruffle his fur as this political veteran glides from crisis to crisis with feline calm, and the lick of a paw.

A media darling, Larry, who is now believed to be around 19, often steals the spotlight from visiting foreign leaders.

In December, he was on the doorstep to greet the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In January, he even sent a photographer stumbling on the red carpet after darting unexpectedly between his legs during a visit by Poland’s President.

A whiskered influencer, Larry also boasts an X account @Number10cat followed by more than 8,77,500 fans.

Run by an anonymous user, Larry grumbles about getting caught in the rain and sometimes takes catty swipes at politicians, notably U.K. Reform and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

His first months “in office” even inspired a book, “The Larry Diaries”, published in 2011.

Larry now shares the No. 10 residence with JoJo and Prince, the Starmer family cats.

Prince, a Siberian, joined the household in 2024 after “negotiations” with Starmer’s children— who had wanted a German Shepherd dog.

But there was a problem: “the only door out of our new flat is bomb proof,” Mr. Starmer told the BBC in 2024. “Therefore, getting a cat flap is proving a little bit difficult.”

Larry’s fans can relax though: he is considered a permanent civil servant, which means he gets to stay at Downing Street for good. Unlike Prime Ministers.

Larry is not alone in being a feline companion to politicians.

On Saturday (February 14, 2026) came sad news that Palmerston, a black-and-white cat, once Mouser to the Foreign Office and “Diplocat extraordinaire”, had passed away in Bermuda where he retired in 2020.

“Farewell old friend x,” Larry posted on his X account, brushing aside rumours of rivalry between the pair.

Under former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the black-and-white cat Socks took up residence in the White House from 1993 to 2001.

Once a stray, Socks became the star of several books and was often featured by the U.K. cartoonist Steve Bell in his daily comic strips.

And in Belgium, a rescue cat named Maximus has shot to social media stardom as the bewhiskered sidekick and PR weapon of Prime Minister Bart De Wever.

Published – February 15, 2026 11:02 am IST

London:

There has been one figure of stability in the last 14 years of political turmoil in the UK — Larry the Downing Street cat.

Now, with a general election fast approaching on July 4, the ageing tabby could be in line for his sixth prime minister.

He has already had five Conservative prime ministers serve under him but if polls are correct, he will soon get his first from the Labour party.

Incumbent Rishi Sunak’s departure would see him take his fox-red labrador retriever Nova too. Not that Larry would mind.

According to Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, the pair have had some “heated exchanges”. But Larry has always prevailed.

Labour leader Keir Starmer recently told the BBC that his family has a cat, Jojo, that his children spoil more than him.

They also have a hamster, Bear, he told the Metro newspaper. But it’s uncertain if either would move with him if he wins.

Larry has been fiercely protective of his territory, frequently fighting to be the top cat with his counterpart at the foreign ministry, Palmerston.

His rival eventually retired to the countryside.

Urban foxes and unsuspecting pigeons have also been chased away, although one feathered interloper narrowly avoided his clutches, as the media looked on.

Longevity 

Larry made his first appearance in Downing Street on February 15, 2011, after being adopted from the Battersea shelter in south London.

He was recruited under then prime minister David Cameron to get rid of mice and even given an official title: “Chief Mouser”.

But his performance in that department left much to be desired, despite a few early successes.

Cameron himself tried to quash rumours that he and Larry did not get along, while reporters on the politics beat have said he is friendly with journalists.

“He’s interested,” the appropriately named BBC political correspondent Helen Catt said in a recent item on Larry.

“He tends to come up and have a look when you’re there with the camera crew, he likes to see what the press are up to.”

But that has its downsides, she added.

“When you’re in Downing Street and you’re doing lives, you’re always very aware that if he pops out behind you, a lot of people really aren’t going to be listening to what you’re saying anymore,” she said.

For the general election, Larry has set out his campaign manifesto on his official @Number10cat social media account.

“I don’t get to vote in the general election but I do have to live with whoever you elect. No pressure,” one post read after Sunak announced the election on May 22.

“Whatever the result of the election, I’ll be here to keep an eye on things,” read another.

Interviewed by AFP on the 10th anniversary of his arrival in power, Larry, via the human running his social media account, revealed the secret to his longevity.

“The key thing to remember is that I live here permanently, the politicians just lodge with me for a bit until they’re fired,” he said.

“They all work out sooner or later that it’s me that runs the place.”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)