On July 5, Keir Starmer became the United Kingdom’s 58th prime minister, and Larry the cat is ready to welcome him. Before Starmer wraps up his day, he might meet the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office” for the very first time. Moreover, the 10 Downing Street mascot will be welcoming his sixth prime minister.
Larry the Cat welcomes his 6th UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, to 10 Downing Street
On Friday, Keir Starmer’s first day in office called for several briefings, including one with the famous 10 Downing Street feline. Larry the cat will welcome yet another prime minister to the 17th-century landmark, making Starmer his sixth. According to AP News, the newly appointed prime minister might be making acquaintance with the resident kitty before he ends his workday.
The adorable gray and white tabby has won the hearts of many and has a massive social media following. With over 860,000 followers on X — formerly known as Twitter — he is one of the most famous residents of 10 Downing Street. The feline used to be a stray who Battersea Dogs and Cats Home rescued. He was brought to the iconic landmark to help with the rodent issue.
Larry the cat has served as the “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office” since 2011. He has received and bid farewell to five prime ministers and is all set to welcome his sixth U.K. prime minister, Keir Starmer. While David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak came and went, Larry stayed because somebody needed to be in charge, as he noted in a post on his X — formerly known as Twitter — account.
The feline is about 17 years old and usually keeps busy greeting guests at 10 Downing Street. However, his core responsibility remains the same, which is to find “a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house,” per the Downing Street website.
