Larry the Cat yawns as he’s photographed in Downing Street, after Liz Truss made a statement, where she announced her resignation as Prime Minister.
Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
Larry the cat is Downing Street’s Chief Mouser, and has worked there since February 15, 2011.UK Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned on Thursday after six weeks in office.When Truss leaves office, Larry the Cat will have outlasted four prime ministers.
The internet is hailing Downing Street’s longtime resident, Larry the Cat, for outlasting four prime ministers.
Larry, the official cat at the British prime minister’s 10 Downing Street residence, holds the title of Chief Mouser. He was adopted from the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home on February 15, 2011, per the UK government’s website.
Larry’s key responsibilities at the property include “inspecting security defenses” and “contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house,” per the website.
After Larry was adopted, he lived with then-Prime Minister David Cameron. He’s since seen several bosses in the form of Cameron’s successors, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss.
Truss resigned from her position on Thursday after less than seven weeks in the role, saying she could not deliver the mandate she was elected on.
When Truss’ successor takes office, Larry will have served his fifth boss in less than 12 years.
The Twitter account for Larry the Cat on Thursday proposed him as a candidate for the UK’s next leader, instead of the Conservative Party’s possible slate of successors.
“The King has asked me to become Prime Minister because this nonsense has gone on long enough,” read a tweet from the account on Thursday.
Many Twitter users seemed to approve of this suggestion. One Twitter user posted a photoshopped image of Larry in front of a crowd holding signs that reads: “Larry for Leader.”
“Nice to have some stability at last, and I hope we can see a continuation of the key policy of chasing foxes out of Downing Street,” another Twitter user wrote, likely referring to Larry chasing a London fox off his turf earlier this month.
“All hail Larry,” another tweet read.
Truss will be prime minister for the next week while her party scrambles for a replacement. The Tories hope to have a new leader in place by October 28, per Reuters.