Larry the Downing Street cat forced to live on handouts as Government doesn’t pay for his vet bills
Staff had to dip into their own pockets to cover the costs of him being patched up after fight with rival moggie Palmerston
LARRY the Downing Street Cat is being forced to live on handouts after it was revealed the Government didn’t pay for his vet bills.
When the Number 10 moggie was wounded in a fight with Palmerston in July, the Foreign Office’s resident feline, staff dipped into their own pockets to cover the costs of him being patched up.
A former Conservative environment minister has suggested the civil servants be reimbursed for the cost of treating the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office.
Lord Blencathra submitted a formal question to the Government asking why the upkeep of Larry was funded by staff.
The peer, who served in John Major’s government, asked what systems have the government put in place: “To ensure that there is proper routine and emergency veterinary treatment for government cats, and any other officially owned animals in government service?”
But the government insisted officials were happy to pay for the former rescue cat’s bills because they were so in love with him.
Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen, the government’s spokesman in the Lords, said: “The costs were met by staff through voluntary staff donations due to their affection for Larry.
“There was no compulsion to donate and no refunds have been requested. The remaining funds will contribute towards the future upkeep of the Chief Mouser.”
It comes as Larry is facing a threat to his title as Britain’s most famous political cat from rival departmental felines.
He was recruited from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home under David Cameron’s regime to catch Downing Street’s mice in 2011.
As well as rumours that the Prime Minister didn’t get on with the cat, he faced accusations he was lazy and failed to tackle Number 10’s vermin problem.
Palmerston, known as 'diplomog', took up his post as resident mouser of the Foreign Office in April and the pair have repeatedly clashed, being caught on camera in a stand-off in the street.
In July this year, Larry required treatment for an injured paw, which was believed to have come after brawling with the black and white tom.
The Treasury has also hired a new cat, named Gladstone, further side-line Larry, who was often pictured sleeping in the street outside Downing Street.
And last month the Chief Whip's office said it was getting its own mouser Cromwell, which would bring the feline population along Whitehall to four.