Chief Mouser To The Cabinet Office

The Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office is the title of the official resident cat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street.

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The Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (or simply, The Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office) is the unofficial title of the official resident cat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street.

There has been a resident Treasury or Downing Street cat "employed" as a mouser and pet since the reign of Henry VIII, when Cardinal Wolsey placed his cat by his side while acting in his judicial capacity as Lord Chancellor.

As the cats are "employed" as civil servants, they do not belong to the Prime Minister in residence and it is rare for the Chief Mouser's "term of office" to coincide with that of the Prime Minister.

The cat with the longest tenure at Downing Street is Wilberforce, who served under Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Margaret Thatcher.

The post is currently held by Larry, since 14th February 2011.

In January 2011, rats were seen in Downing Street, "scurrying across the steps of number 10 Downing Street for the second time during a TV news report", according to ITN. There being no incumbent Chief Mouser at that time, the Prime Minister's spokesman said that there were "no plans" for a cat to be brought in to tackle the problem; however the following day newspapers reported that the spokesman had said there was a "pro-cat faction" within Downing Street, leading to speculation that a replacement may indeed be brought in to deal with the problem.

On 14 February 2011, it was reported that a cat called "Larry" had been brought in to address the problem. The Evening Standard reported that the cat had been selected by David Cameron and his family, from those at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

On 16 September 2012, it was reported that Prime Minister David Cameron had sacked Larry from the post of Chief Mouser, in favour of Chancellor George Osborne's tabby Freya as the new Chief Mouser to patrol Numbers 10, 11 and 12. Some sources described the new arrangement as a 'job share' to avoid any hurt feelings, however the official web site for Number 10 only lists Larry as the official office-holder.

Cats holding the title of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet or Home Office Cat since 1924: Treasury Bill, Peter, Munich Mouser, Nelson, Peter II, Peter III, Peta, Wilberforce, Humphrey, Sybil, Larry, Freya.