Monday, September 04, 2017
Fight over top cat status in Whitehall
Poor Larry! Number 10's cat may well have the ear (or the lap) of the Prime Minister but his work record is far from perfect. According to the Telegraph, he has a record of snoozing while the mice play around him. By contrast, Foreign Office cat, Gladstone is setting new records for kills
The paper says that Palmerston, the FCO’s resident mouser, has caught at least 27 mice since his arrival in Westminster in April 2016:
Palmerston’s prolific record is likely to heap further pressure on the performance of Larry, the Number 10 cat, who was pictured earlier this year playing with a mouse before allowing it to escape in a clear dereliction of his duties.
Documents released under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws show Palmerston, named after former foreign secretary and two-time prime minister Viscount Palmerston, caught almost 30 mice since he came from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
But volunteers who look after the black-and-white cat claim that figure is "likely to be much higher".
The FCO said: "The FCO does not keep an accurate figure for the amount of mice caught by Palmerston.
"The PUS's (Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Simon McDonald) office do receive reported sightings of Palmerston catching mice - so far (since Palmerston's arrival in April 2016) this figure is at 27. "This figure is likely to be much higher as these are only reported sightings."
The FOI request also reveals that Palmerston is "usually" fed Whiskas, although much of his food is donated meaning he enjoys a variety of brands.
Is it time for Larry to step up to the plate and prove himself in the mouse catching stakes.
The paper says that Palmerston, the FCO’s resident mouser, has caught at least 27 mice since his arrival in Westminster in April 2016:
Palmerston’s prolific record is likely to heap further pressure on the performance of Larry, the Number 10 cat, who was pictured earlier this year playing with a mouse before allowing it to escape in a clear dereliction of his duties.
Documents released under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws show Palmerston, named after former foreign secretary and two-time prime minister Viscount Palmerston, caught almost 30 mice since he came from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
But volunteers who look after the black-and-white cat claim that figure is "likely to be much higher".
The FCO said: "The FCO does not keep an accurate figure for the amount of mice caught by Palmerston.
"The PUS's (Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Simon McDonald) office do receive reported sightings of Palmerston catching mice - so far (since Palmerston's arrival in April 2016) this figure is at 27. "This figure is likely to be much higher as these are only reported sightings."
The FOI request also reveals that Palmerston is "usually" fed Whiskas, although much of his food is donated meaning he enjoys a variety of brands.
Is it time for Larry to step up to the plate and prove himself in the mouse catching stakes.
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We have a visiting cat that stands sentry in the back garden waiting for 'visitors' who he then 'escorts' off the premises in his mouth. He is our guard on duty. Our own cats are spoilt pampered utterly off duty.
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