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The best moments of Downing Street's Larry the Cat: From greeting Barack Obama to chasing a fox

Larry the Cat has been the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office in the UK since 2011.

The best moments of Downing Street's Larry the Cat: From greeting Barack Obama to chasing a fox

Larry the Cat was adopted from the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home by the Downing Street staff in 2011. (Photo: Gov.uk)

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Media outlets in the UK are reporting that Downing Street officials have made plans to announce the eventual death of the beloved 10 Downing Street fixture Larry the Cat.

Although Larry is still alive, he is said to be in his final years – with his current age of 17 exceeding the average life span of a tabby cat, which is 15 years.

Larry has lived at 10 Downing Street since 2011, overseeing six UK prime ministers. He is also the first cat to be bestowed the official title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office. Here's a look back at some of his viral moments over the years.

1. STANDING ON THE RED CARPET

In July 2023, US President Joe Biden visited the UK to meet then-PM Rishi Sunak. Larry stood on the red carpet that was rolled out for Biden, prompting photographers to cheer for the cat and snap his photos.

However, those cheers quickly turned into boos when officials removed him from the carpet and brought him back into 10 Downing Street.

2. CHASING A FOX

Larry takes his role as Chief Mouser seriously and has gone above and beyond in his duties. In 2022, he was filmed chasing off a fox that was almost three times his size, garnering praise from netizens.

3. RUNNING AWAY FROM LIZ TRUSS

In 2022, Larry got people chuckling when he ran after being petted by then-UK prime minister Liz Truss. Truss had wanted to introduce Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to the cat but it seems Larry had other pressing matters to attend to.

4. FEUD WITH PALMERSTON THE CAT

Larry has had a long-running feud with Palmerston, the former Chief Mouser to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Over the years, the two cats have battled several times with a fight in 2016 causing Larry to lose his collar and Palmerston to sustain injuries to his ear.

5. MEETING BARACK OBAMA

In 2011, during a meeting with then-UK PM David Cameron, then-US president Barack Obama greeted Larry who was later presented with a toy from a member of the US delegation.

Source: CNA/hq
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