Growing fears that Downing Street’s chief mouser is seriously unwell have been put to ease after a government official told ITV News that the elderly cat is ‘happy and healthy’.
It comes after reports that the 16-year-old cat, who has served throughout the premiership of five prime ministers, had been unwell for some time.
A Downing Street spokesman told ITV News: “I would say he is happy and healthy.”
Larry was initially adopted from Battersea in 2011 as a pet for David Cameron’s children.
However, he stayed on in his current, extremely important mouser role when Cameron stepped down in 2016.
The Downing Street website says: “Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.
“His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house.”
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