Larry marks 15 years as No 10's chief mouser

Larry the cat has marked 15 years as Number 10's resident mouse catcher after serving six prime ministers in Downing Street.

The 19-year-old tabby, officially known as the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office, has won over the public with his frequent appearances outside the prime minister's front door in central London.

He has become as much a part of the Downing Street scenery as the black door itself.

Larry was adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in February 2011 by the then prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.

At the time, Cameron said he was "delighted to welcome Larry to his new home" and that he was confident he would be "a great addition to Downing Street and will charm our many visitors".

In his official role, he is responsible for keeping the rodent population under control at Number 10, although opinions have often differed on how successful he has been.

The job has a long history, with various cats filling the post since the 1920s and earlier records of feline residents in government buildings going back to the era of King Henry VIII.

Larry was the first cat to hold the appointment since Humphrey - who was adopted in 1989 after wandering into No 10 as a stray during Margaret Thatcher's premiership. He was retired in 1997.

Now the equivalent of more than 90 in human years, Larry is believed to have made his first successful catch in April 2011 when he was four.

Over the years he has become a source of light relief during some of the most turbulent political moments, often spotted stretched out on the step of Number 10, chasing pigeons or being interviewed by the press.

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