Who exactly is Larry the Cat? Twitter Goes Wild for ‘Chief Mouser’ as May Resigns

As Britain waited for Theresa May to announce her intention to resign as prime minister, Twitter was distracted by another 10 Downing Street resident—Larry the cat.

Live footage outside the PM’s official residence captured a Number 10 worker moving the property’s “chief mouser” at 9.44 a.m. BST (4.44 a.m. ET), roughly fifteen minutes before May made her speech.

Larry (mèo) – Wikipedia tiếng Việt

Some took the cat’s removal as a sign the PM’s hotly anticipated announcement was coming. “ALERT: Larry the cat’s been cleared off the Downing Street steps, it’s on,” user Andy Silke tweeted.

Political commentator Dan Hodges added: “Larry has just been taken inside Downing Street. Which is just as well. Given May’s luck, she’d have walked out and tripped over him.”

Others called for the cat—an enduring symbol of stability through times of political upheaval—to step in as the country’s leader. “I demand that they bring back Larry the Cat. Must be our new PM,” tweeted user LMarstonCFC.

Political commentator Edward Hardy shared a picture of Larry with the comment: “Larry the Cat: ‘I would like to announce that I am standing to be the next Conservative Party leader. I believe I am the pawfect catdidate to lead this country'”

Who is Larry the Cat? As May Resigns, Twitter Goes Wild for 'Chief Mouser'
Chief Mouser Larry the cat sits in Downing Street sporting a union jack collar on October 12, 2017 in London, England. Steve Back/Getty Images

Larry joined Number 10 as “chief mouser” in 2011, when David Cameron was still resident. The official Number 10 mouse-catcher, Larry was originally adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats home, according to his government biography. Cameron, like May, resigned over Brexit. He left office after the remain camp lost the U.K.’s European Union membership referendum in 2016.

Arguably the most popular resident of Number 10 since he moved in, Larry receives daily treats and gifts from the public, the bio states. Alongside greeting guests and finding the best antique furniture for naps, his day-to-day responsibilities “include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house,” the government website reads. “Larry says this is still ‘in the tactical planning stage.'”

Photos: Larry the Cat's 12 Years as Chief Mouser - The Atlantic

Other furry former residents of Number 10 include Humphrey, a stray who walked into the Westminster address in 1989, as the BBC previously noted. In his later years, speculation the cat had been booted from the house forced a Tony Blair-era Downing Street spokesperson to comment on his status. “One: the Blairs like cats. And two, the suggestion Cherie [Blair’s wife] got rid of Humphrey is a vile slur,” the spokesperson said.

Aside from Larry, other cats have made their way to the top of the most prestigious institutions. Many Americans will remember former White House resident Socks, a cat belonging to Bill and Hillary Clinton. A press darling, the cat was once pictured sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office— an ornate desk gifted by Queen Victoria in 1880.

Video: 10 Downing Street's Larry the cat bravely chases away fox - The  Boston Globe

A college at the University of Oxford has hosted a long line of mousers all known as “Simpkin.” As well as discouraging mice, the cats reportedly keep the college’s porters “in check,” according to their official webpage.

Larry | Larry, Chief Mouser, on International Cat Day | Number 10 | Flickr

Students mourned the loss of Simpkin III back in 2016. “He was a truly terrible mouser, a sometime successful bird-catcher, and a loyal and faithful companion to many students, fellows and staff. He never married,” read the college’s online eulogy. “Simpkin will be greatly missed, but we fully expect that he will not be the last of his name.”

The college was right and in January 2017 Simpkin IV (formerly Buddy) was adopted from an animal charity.

Related Posts

Family Dumps Their Malformed Face Dog, But An Angel Shows Up To Make Everything Right

What matters in beauty is our insides. Physical features are not important in this because everyone has beautiful features. Lucky, who was not lucky at all, was…

Stray Dog Bids a Heartbreaking Farewell to the Professor Who Loved Him for 4 Years

Dogs are known for their loyalty towards their owners, and stray  dogs show this loyalty without having a home. It must really hurt to visit someone at that time. This…

Halloween Special: The Wiener Dogs’ Spooky Shenanigans and Trick-or-Treat Adventures

In the Halloween special episode, Crusoe, Oakley, and Daphne, three charming dogs, wear the best costumes to go trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. They soon discover that most…

Dog Seen Wandering On The Streets Of Detroit With Stuffed Animal Got Rescued

It was really painful to witness; A German Shepherd was found wandering the streets of Detroit with her beloved stuffed animal. Now there is relief that this…

Heroic Labrador Retriever Fights Mountain Lion To Save Two Children And Protect The Family

KSLTV News reports that on July 19, a Labrador retriever in Cedar Hills, Utah, battled off a mountain lion to save its family. Despite suffering horrific injuries, the dog lived to see another day. Ella, a 7-year-old yellow Lab, observed the mountain …

Dog who fell off shrimp boat found alive days later after swimming six miles to shore

When Monster, a dog, fell off a shrimp boat, her owner thought she was lost forever. However, a few days later, the tenacious dog made it back home by swimming to shore. A shrimp boat captain from San Leon, Texas named Keith “Kiwi” Soffes likes his dog …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *