AFP London on February 13th, as a loyal supporter of British politics, the official cat “Larry” has been sitting in Downing Street for 10 years, has experienced three prime ministers, and has become a legend in its afternoon sleep.
According to the report, “Larry” came to 10 Downing Street on February 15, 2011, when he was four years old. According to the introduction of it on the British government website, “Larry” comes from the “Battersea Cat and Dog House” in London.
It was selected for its rat trapping technique and received the title of “Chief Rattrap Officer.” David Cameron, the first Prime Minister of the Larry Service, said that although Larry caught three mice at the beginning of his term, its performance has been disappointing since then – the work often stays at the “tactical planning stage”.
Downing Street said that Larry’s soft power diplomacy “captured the hearts of the British public”. This includes “Larry” establishing rapport with journalists, photographers and cameramen stationed outside the Prime Minister’s Office.
These people will reward it with caress and snacks.
In 2016, when Cameron left Downing Street, “Larry” stayed firmly.
It used to live in the same house as Teresa May, but now it lives with Boris Johnson.
“In an animal-loving country, Downing Street cats play an important role in public relations,” historian Anthony Selden told AFP.
Selden said that “cats help to reflect the human side of the prime minister” and cats can also “distract from attention” in times of crisis.
Tim Bell, a professor of political science at Queen Mary College, University of London, believes that Larry’s evergreen status is due to the Prime Minister’s desire to solve the problem of “separating politicians from voters”.
Bell said that the prime minister, especially the one who has led to polarization of the people, “will seize every opportunity to make people feel that they have something in common”. He said: “Many Britons have pets. This is an opportunity.
