Who is Larry the Downing Street cat? How old is he and why is feline campaigning to be next UK prime minister

The UK has announced its next Prime Minister (PM) and it isn’t Larry the Cat.

Liz Truss has beaten Rishi Sunak in the Tory Leadership Contest by 81,326 votes to Sunak’s 60,399.

The Foreign Secretary will be sworn into office on 6 September by the Queen at Balmoral.

But as well as Truss and Sunak, a third contender has thrown his collar into the ring - Larry the Cat.

Billboards appeared all over London at the weekend, announcing the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office had what it takes.

But who is Larry the Downing Street Cat and who is behind his billboards? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Larry the Downing Street cat?

Larry the Downing Street Cat has been a permanent resident at Number 10 after former prime minister David Cameron adopted him from Battersea Dogs and Cats home in 2011.

The trusted feline has watched over three prime ministers including David Cameron, Theresa May and the outgoing PM, Boris Johnson.

But if billboards around London have anything to go by, Larry soon hopes it’ll be him leading the cabinet.

How old is Larry the Downing Street cat?

Larry the cat is 15-years-old, which is the equivalent of 76-years-old in human age.

Downing Street’s number one feline, he moved into the prestigious address on 15 February 2011 at just four-years-old.

He is the first cat at Downing Street to be bestowed with the official title of Chief Mouser.

Larry was adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats and is honoured there with a blue plaque.

Why is Larry campaigning to be the next PM?

Billboards calling for Larry to be the next PM have appeared in Hackney, Peckham and on Shepherd’s Bush roundabout.

They show Larry in an election poster alongside Truss and Sunak, as well as solo posters of Larry wearing a Union Jack dickie bow.

In one billboard poster shared on Larry’s social media account, the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office is captioned alongside the words “Larry for Leader”.

The picture was shared on Larry’s Twitter account with the words “Dreams can come true...” alongside the hashtags #Larry4Leader and #YesWeCat.

Who is behind Larry the Cat’s billboards?

The group in charge of Larry’s campaign are Don’t Panic.

They have also set up a website, Larry4Leader, to raise awareness of the Downing Street feline.

The tongue-in-cheek website, includes all of Larry’s demands including “treats (when you dangle a feather)” and asks why “160,000 Tories get to choose for 67 million people? (And 34 million pets!)”

Larry’s full “Meow-festo” includes policies such as:

• Treats (when you dangle a feather).
• Responsible Hiss-cal Policy.
• Meals for every child, wet food for every kitten.
• Cats to decide when boxes are ready for recycling.
• No more Downing Street parties without Larry.
• He’s the only candidate with clean paws.
• No more political cat fights. Calm and civil discourse only please.
• Decriminalisation and regulation of catnip markets.
• No lying in No. 10 unless it’s on a comfy cushion.
• Showing the nation that our current political system is neither fair nor democratic and that the fate of our country being decided by 160,000 people is not only antiquated, it’s damaging.

Is Larry on Twitter?

Larry the Downing Street Cat has an unofficial Twitter account where he has over 600,000 followers.