Daily Mail: Britain’s new prime minister Keir Starmer will bring his cat to the residence
Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer will bring his cat to the residence, which is likely to be an unexpected guest for the main mouser from Downing Street cat Larry, who has lived in the residence of the British prime minister for 14 years, writes the British newspaper Daily Mail.
According to the newspaper, the 17-year-old cat Larry, whose residence has been home to six prime ministers, has gained a reputation for “scaring off opponents”: in 2022, he chased away a big fox from the residence, in addition, he has been feuding for four years with Palmerston the cat – the former chief mouser of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this regard, the publication ironically writes that Downing Street could be in for a “cat-astrophe” (cat-astrophe) when the new prime minister moves his cat Jo-Jo to Downing Street with his family.
“The first part of Starmer’s much-publicised diplomacy could be persuading Larry to put aside his differences when he welcomes his colleague to his new home as the prime minister says Jo-Jo is ‘adored’ by his children,” the newspaper said.
Cat behaviourist Nicky Trevorrow told the paper that tensions could arise in Downing Street if the chief mouser felt “threatened” by his new colleague. She said it was important to keep the cats in separate rooms at first and gradually get them used to each other’s scent before they see each other.
Larry, a cat adopted from a shelter, has served at the British Prime Minister’s residence since 2011. Cats have lived in the residences of British rulers since the XV century. Since 1929 they have official status and a salary of 100 pounds a year. The most famous of them in the XX century was Humphrey the cat, who performed the duties of a mouser under Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair. Humphrey the cat died in 2008, he was about 18 years old.
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