Cats In Politics
Let's face it, the world would be a lot calmer if cats ruled the world.... Okay, maybe not at 2 am with the zoomies (but that's another conversation!)
But we aren't here to talk about our cats' world domination plans, even though they are pretty close to some powerful people in history. Yes, most world leaders do enjoy the companionship of the canine type, but what about the feline kind?
Well, we are here to show you some of the most pawsome cats in political history (and some even current felines in power!)
1: Larry the Cat (The UK's most powerful cat)
(Photocredit: (X/@Number10cat)
Larry the Cat, also known as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, is the UK's most powerful cat.
A domestic tabby short-haired cat, Larry was first introduced to the political world back in 2011, when David Cameron was Prime Minister and was initially a pet for Cameron's children. It was reported that in 2012, thanks to Larry, cat adoptions increased by 15%...talk about being an influencer for your feline friends!
Since 2011, Larry has seen six different UK Prime Ministers. Not only does he serve the role of Chief Mouser, he also takes pride in greeting guests from all over the world, posing for the news reports and of course, napping!
2: Hank The Cat
Hank the Cat (August 2001 – February 13, 2014) was a Maine Coon cat and politician who was put up as a joke in the 2012 US Senate election in Virginia. As you can imagine, cat plus US politics will always attract national and even international news! Hank reportedly came in third place!
Could you imagine turning on the news in the morning after the elections, to see that your new representative was Hank!
Sadly, Hank never really gained any political power, but will always be known as the cat that almost did! Hank sadly passed away in 2014 due to stomach lymphoma.
3: Stubbs - Mayor!
(Photo credit: West Rib Cafe & Pub in 2006)
Stubbs, the ginger cat Mayor...Okay, he wasn't officially a mayor, but an honorary mayor of the town, Talkeentna, Alaska, from July 1997 until July 2017.
According to records, Stubbs was a big attraction to the town, for locals and guests, even receiving his own mail
Every afternoon, Stubbs went to a nearby restaurant and drank water mixed with catnip out of a wine or margarita glass.
Stubbs passed away at the age of 20, but his legacy carries on to this day.
4: Palmerston
(Photo credit: FCO)
Palmerston, the tuxedo, held the lavish title of Chief Mouser of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) at Whitehall in London from 2016 until 2020.
Adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Palmerston is named after a former Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston. I mean, tuxedo cats are fancy-looking, so why not give them a fancy name to match!
Palmerston loved to grab news headlines and try to steal the limelight from his counterpart, Larry.
Palmerston was in the news on 3 May 2016, as it was reported that he had caught his first mouse. On 11 July 2016, Palmerston was caught on camera in a stand-off between himself and Larry in and around Downing Street. On 26 July 2016, Palmerston was caught sneaking into Number 10 Downing Street when the black door was left open. He was later evicted by the resident police. On 1 August 2016, a journalist caught Palmerston and Larry having a serious cat-fight, which led to Palmerston having damage to his ear and Larry losing his collar.
Safe to say, Palmerston LOVED to cause drama! In July 2020, Palmerston retired to live the life of luxury, slow the lifestyle down, but in 2025, he came out of retirement to take up a new role, as Feline Relations Consultant to the new Governor of Bermuda, Andrew Murdoch who has owned Palmerston ever since.
Four powerful felines who left their paws on the political world!