Original photo by Jamie Lorriman/ Alamy Stock Photo
In the last 15 years or so, 10 Downing Street in London has welcomed six different British prime ministers — and one tenant has lived and served alongside all of them. Larry the Cat is the latest in a long line of pets at the U.K. prime minister’s residence, but the first to be awarded the official title of chief mouser to the Cabinet Office (though others have performed similar functions).
Like his predecessors, Larry has been treated with largely playful coverage by the U.K. tabloids. Adopted from the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home for his alleged hunting abilities, the domestic shorthair was “roasted” by the press when a rodent surfaced at a Cabinet dinner early in his tenure, and he later drew attention for his tussles with fellow mouser Palmerston from the Foreign Office. The government’s media arm has even gotten in on the fun with an official profile that lists such feline responsibilities as “testing antique furniture for napping quality” and “contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house.” Meanwhile, Larry’s unofficial X account has racked up more than 800,000 followers thanks to a steady stream of reliably cheeky quips.
Reportedly tolerant of the family dog that accompanied the previous PM Rishi Sunak into office, Larry showed his predatory instincts remained sharp by chasing away a fox that wandered too close to 10 Downing in October 2022. While U.K. residents may have their hands full with the usual complement of domestic and international issues, they can feel comfortable knowing that Larry is doing his part to keep government operations running smoothly.
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A pet raccoon lived at the White House during the Calvin Coolidge administration.
The White House has also hosted its share of nonhuman residents, including dogs, cats, and even ponies, but the most noteworthy pet to inhabit the U.S. presidential home may well have been Calvin Coolidge’s raccoon Rebecca. When she was gifted to the first family for its 1926 Thanksgiving dinner, the Coolidges took pity on the ring-tailed critter and incorporated her into their menagerie of animal companions. Rebecca Raccoon appeared at the White House Easter Egg Roll, joined the president on vacations, and was given her own treehouse, although she reportedly preferred frolicking in the hallways and bathtubs of the Executive Mansion. The family also welcomed a second raccoon, named Reuben, but Rebecca regained the spotlight for herself after Reuben fled the coop. At the end of the Coolidge administration, she was sent off to retirement at a local zoo.
Tim Ott has written for sites including Biography.com, History.com, and MLB.com, and is known to delude himself into thinking he can craft a marketable screenplay.
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