His brief is to keep mice away from No10, but Larry the cat might be after a promotion after successfully chasing off a fox.
The feline was filmed prowling outside the prime minister’s residence on Tuesday morning as the fox disappeared into some bushes. But, out of sight was not out of mind for Larry who stalked his rival before diving into the hedges and chasing away the animal which was almost twice its size.
Larry serves the official post as chief mouser and has overseen four prime ministers since being rescued from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2011 - making him the longest serving cabinet member.
He is also a match for other local cats, having been seen wrestling with Palmerston - his foreign office counterpart who lives across the road. In 2016, around the time of the referendum, the pair were in the news when Palmerston tried to sneak into No10.
Downing Street’s website has a dedicated page in Larry’s honour.
A statement reads: “He has captured the hearts of the Great British public and the press teams often camped outside the front door. In turn the nation sends him gifts and treats daily.
“Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality. His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house.”
