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    Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat

    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat Empty Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat

    Post by Kitkat Fri 15 Jul 2016, 11:14

    Prime ministers normally reside at 10 Downing Street, a Georgian residence with approximately 100 rooms just a few minutes' walk from Parliament. But while Cameron held his final press conference outside the iconic No. 10 door, he and his family actually live next door in No. 11 as part of a residence swap with his neighbor, treasury chief George Osborne. Number 11 had more space for Cameron, his wife Samantha and three children aged 5 to 12.

    Whereas the U.S. presidential system allows departing leaders more than two months to extricate themselves from the White House, the Camerons have had barely a day to clear out their home of the past six years.

    The same company that moved the Camerons into Downing Street in 2010 arrived Tuesday to take them out again. Simply Removals says they contained the family's Downing Street possessions in 330 boxes, 30 rolls of tape and three rolls of bubble wrap.

    One family member is staying behind on Downing Street by mutual agreement: Larry the Cat.

    Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat

    The 9-year-old tabby is the government's official Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, a tradition with its claws in the 16th century court of Henry VIII.

    After TV crews repeatedly spotted mice sprinting across Cameron's doorstep in 2011, the premier took his family to a south London animal shelter and picked Larry. The Mays and Camerons have decided that Larry should continue to keep ravaging the rodents of Downing Street. Larry spent much of Wednesday keeping watch on the press pack instead.

    Nearby, addressing the Commons for the final time as premier, Cameron declared his love for Larry and brandished a photo of him cuddling the cat in his lap. "Sadly I can't take Larry with me. He belongs to the house and the staff love him very much. As do I," Cameron said as lawmakers responded in unison: "Awwwww!"

    https://www.mail.com/int/news/uk/4476178-larry-cat-stays-5-things-to-uk-power-shift.html#.1272-stage-hero1-6
    Whiskers
    Whiskers

    Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat Empty Re: Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat

    Post by Whiskers Mon 18 Jul 2016, 09:45

    Its better for Larry to stay there, would be upsetting for him to have to move away from his home. Cats are territorial creatures and are more attached to their home ground than they are to the people who live in it.
    I hope Mrs May likes cats!
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat Empty Re: Downing Street's Resident Rodent Ravager - Larry the Cat

    Post by Kitkat Mon 18 Jul 2016, 12:11

    Hi Whiskers,

    Yes, I was thinking that too.  It must be quite a wrench for the family to have to leave their beloved pet behind now, but as they have said he is loved by all the staff there, and used to them, and would be quite an upheaval for him to have to move away from what he knows as his home.

    I remember when I had my two cats, when we went away on holiday we used to have a friend that knew them either stay in the flat or come each day to feed them, see to the litter trays, and talk/play with them and let them out in the garden for a while if they needed to. (The female one would not use the inside litter tray unless she was absolutely desperate and yet funnily enough had no problem using the one outside).
    We actually found a lovely Cattery run by some very caring people, which was like a sort of luxury hotel for cats.  They had their own "villas" as they called them (in our case a double one with an upstairs for the two of them, who were brother and sister and got on really well together) and their own enclosed outside little 'garden' part where they could get the sun or just get a bit of exercise.  Pepsi (the male) was fine with it, he was a very gentle cat who got on well with everyone and I think he would have been quite happy anywhere and with anyone - but ultra-sensitive female Poppy would be quite traumatised by the whole situation.  They stayed twice in the 'Cat's Hotel' for a couple of weeks at a time, and each time found the same thing where Poppy was concerned.  In fact, after that whenever she set eyes on the cat carrier (ready to take them to the vet for vaccinations etc) she would get into such a state and we had an awful job even just getting her to get into the carrier.  Poor thing probably thought she was going back to that place again.

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