Larry the Downing Street Cat marks 10 years of service to British prime minister

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Larry the Downing Street Cat, a feline employed to keep the British prime minister's office and residence free of mice, is celebrating 10 years on the job.

The cat, known as the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, has been patrolling the inside and outside of 10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the British government and the prime minister's official residence, for 10 of his 14 years, marking his official anniversary Monday.

Larry was adopted from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London 10 years ago, and has served under three different prime ministers: David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

The cat was adopted in the wake of a large black rat being spotted near the Cabinet Office during a live television broadcast.

Larry was the first cat to hold the "Chief Mouser" title since his predecessor, a feline named Humphrey, retired in 1997.

The cat has been spotted frequently at 10 Downing Street and in the nearby area, often making appearances during live news broadcasts.

Larry's anniversary comes just a few months after Palmerson, the British Foreign Office's Chief Mouser, retired in August 2020 after being employed to hunt for rodents since 2016.