Larry the Cat wants you to know that he is alive and well. The people running his social media account are tamping down rumors of Larry’s demise.

Larry is the Chief Mouser at 10 Downing Street. He is 16-years-old and that makes him 84 in human years. He’s an elderly cat but he’s still on the job. Any reports of his death are rubbish.

I’m fine. If they tell you I’ve died it’s because the government has had me bumped off to distract from their latest disaster (there’s a term for that…)https://t.co/4vXZTGnaLO

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 24, 2023

With his advanced age, officials at the Prime Minister’s residence are planning on how best to break it to the general public on social media when the inevitable happens. Reports are that he has been in poor health for some time now.

A Westminster source said: “Larry is much loved not only in Downing Street but across the country.

“No one wants to think the worst, but unfortunately we must prepare for it.”

Larry was adopted from Battersea Cats and Dogs home during David Cameron’s residency at 10 Downing Street. Battersea saw a 15% increase in cat adoptions when that happened. Though he was adopted as a pet for Cameron’s children, he is cared for by Downing Street staff and isn’t considered to belong to any Prime Minister who has come after Cameron. Larry has shared the residence with five Prime Ministers so far – Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. He’s been there for 12 years, outlasting the number of years Thatcher and Gladstone spent there.

I’ve seen off four Prime Ministers already; Sunak’s kidding himself if he thinks he’ll be here longer than me https://t.co/LUNFU8ZEBm

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 24, 2023

Larry the Cat has an important job as Chief Mouser. Besides keeping the building rodent-free, welcoming guests, and “testing antique furniture for napping quality”, his official job description, according to the Downing Street website, is “His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house.”

Larry has met two American presidents – Donald Trump and Barack Obama. Larry is usually nervous around men but according to reports, he did well with both presidents but especially well with Obama.

Usually nervous around men, Larry took a shine to President Obama.

Mr Cameron recalled in an interview: “Funnily enough he liked Obama. Obama gave him a stroke and he was all right with Obama.

Interestingly, the press turns Larry into a liberal, though he has resided at 10 Downing Street with Prime Ministers considered to be conservatives. His social media account often includes snark against current residents.

Liz Truss giving advice on how to run the economy is like the ghost of the captain of the Titanic returning to give advice on iceberg avoidance

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 18, 2023

Larry shares his house with a dog now.

Larry has had to share his home with several pet dogs over the years – most recently with Rishi Sunak’s fox red Labrador retriever Nova.

According to the PM’s wife Akshata Murty, Larry has had a few “heated exchanges” with Nova but always “come out on top”.

Over the years the feline has become No10’s most popular faces – and is followed by nearly 1 million people on Twitter.

Never. In. Doubt. https://t.co/0YTx1boNd2

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) September 22, 2023

Long live Larry the Cat.