The world's most famous mouser, Larry, the chief mouse hunter at the residence of the British prime ministers, marks 15 years since he was adopted in Downing Street. Although his exact age is unknown, it is estimated to be around 19 years old.
Motanul Larry celebrates his 15th birthday at the residence of the British prime ministers PHOTO: X/ @aaronscott_dp
Larry arrived at 10 Downing Street on 15 February 2011, having been adopted from an animal shelter during David Cameron's time in office. Since then, he has become a constant presence at the center of British power, with a “career” that already spans six prime ministers.
Over the years, Larry remained in office as political leaders changed. It has weathered the storms of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, the 'partygate' scandal, Liz Truss' lightning-quick 49-day tenure and the more orderly period of Rishi Sunak's government. It is currently under the sixth Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
According to his official biography published on the Downing Street website, Larry's role is not limited to rodent control. “Larry spends his days greeting house guests, inspecting security systems and testing antique furniture to see if it's suitable for sleeping”it says in the description, quoted by News.ro.
Media star at official meetings
Larry has repeatedly managed to attract the attention of the media, including at official events of the highest level. In December of last year, the motan was surprised at the door, welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In January, it even caused a small incident when it unexpectedly stepped between the legs of a photographer who tripped on the red carpet during the visit of the president of Poland.
The photographer of the president of Poland tripped over Larry PHOTO: Profimedia
His first months “in office” also inspired a book, The Larry Diaries, published in 2011, which helped cement his status as an unofficial symbol of Downing Street.
Influencer with over 877,000 followers
Larry is not only famous in the traditional press. Motanul also has an account on the X platform, @Number10cat, followed by more than 877,500 fans. Run by an anonymous user, the account is known for its tongue-in-cheek jokes and acid comments about politicians, including the UK Reform party and the administration of US President Donald Trump.
“Rishi Sunak will become the Prime Minister. His family is very rich, so from tomorrow I will have caviar and lobster on the menu“, is one of the jokes published on the account. Another referred to the changes at the top of power: “Rishi Sunak has tendered his resignation to the King, but Keir Starmer hasn't been appointed Prime Minister yet, so who's in charge? I“.
Larry didn't groom former Prime Minister Boris Johnson either. “Time to clarify a few things: 1. I am not 'Boris Johnson's cat'. 2. Like all Prime Ministers, he is only a temporary resident of Downing Street. 3. I live here permanently. When he eventually leaves, I will stay. 4. Yes, this is all very embarrassing, but it will be over soon.”“, the motan wrote in that period.
During the political instability under Liz Truss, Larry quipped: “The king asked me to become prime minister because this absurdity has lasted long enough.”
15 years after “installation” his official, Larry remains one of Downing Street's most enduring and beloved figures, with a stability in office that few politicians can claim.
