Larry the cat in Downing Street is preparing to live with his seventh prime minister, Andy Burnham, since he began roaming the halls of the British government headquarters more than 15 years ago.

An account attributed to Larry the cat commented in a post on X platform that 'Politicians come and go, but cats stay.'

In another post, Larry gave instructions, saying 'Larry likes to have breakfast at 9 a.m., a snack at 10:30 a.m., lunch at noon, plus many snacks between main meals. The rest is details.'

Here are four things to know about the black-and-white cat residing in Downing Street, who has become a symbol of stability amid the political crises and scandals he has witnessed.

Larry's Origins

Larry arrived at the British government headquarters in Downing Street on February 15, 2011, from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, on a mission to catch mice.

On the official Downing Street website, he is described as 'Chief Mouser,' where it is written 'Larry spends his days greeting guests, checking security devices, and testing the quality of furniture for naps.'

Larry's age has not been officially disclosed, but his account on X indicates that he is 19 years old.

Seven Prime Ministers

Before Burnham's arrival, Larry lived through six prime ministers, welcoming Conservative David Cameron in 2011, who left office in 2016 following the Brexit referendum.

After that, Larry witnessed the fallout of Brexit and the turmoil that led Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May to resign in 2019.

He then soon witnessed the 'Partygate' scandal, involving Prime Minister Boris Johnson organizing illegal parties in Downing Street during the COVID-19 outbreak.

In 2022, he got to know Prime Minister Liz Truss for a brief period of no more than 49 days, before her Conservative colleague Rishi Sunak replaced her for 20 months.

In 2024, Larry finally got to know a prime minister from the Labour Party, after Keir Starmer took office by defeating Sunak, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

Related News

Global Star

Larry boasts an account on platform X with over 900,000 followers.

This humorous account was created by an anonymous person, where Larry appears complaining about the weather and directing sharp criticism at politicians, especially Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform Party.

The cat's first 100 days in Downing Street were the subject of a book titled 'Larry's Diary' published in October 2011.

As evidence of his global star status, Larry regularly steals the spotlight from foreign leaders visiting Downing Street.

A notable example was when he was present last December to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Rivalry with Two Cats

During Keir Starmer's two-year term, Larry had to deal with the presence of the family's two cats, Jojo and Prince, because Downing Street is not only the government headquarters but also a residence for prime ministers who wish to live there.

And although it is still unknown whether Burnham will leave the Manchester area to reside in Downing Street, questions arise about the relationship Larry will build with the new prime minister, whose family owns a dog.