Cats ruled out for parliamentary pest patrols over welfare concerns

The use of cats to control vermin on the parliamentary estate has been rejected because of concerns for their safety.

While Downing Street has long-serving mousing stalwart Larry, free-roaming felines to get rid of rodents across the sprawling, historical site have been ruled out as too risky by the authorities at Westminster.

Construction traffic, the threat of getting trapped by automatically closing doors and a lack of guaranteed on-site cat care are among the reasons cited.

Dealing with problematic pests at the Grade I listed landmark has been an ongoing issue, with plenty of nooks and crannies providing an ideal hidden habitat and piles of parliamentary papers ensuring a ready supply of nesting material.

The kibosh on cats to control mice and other vermin in Parliament emerged in response to a written parliamentary question by Labour peer Lord Berkeley, who asked what consideration had been given to feline pest patrols.

Responding, Senior Deputy Speaker Lord Gardiner of Kimble said: “On advice given previously to the House of Commons, the decision was made not to bring a cat on the estate on the following grounds:

“The estate had too much construction activity on site to provide a safe living environment for a free-roaming cat;

“The risk of self-closing doors leaving a cat trapped without sustenance for significant periods of time;

“The absence of assured daily arrangements for cat care.”

He added: “We continue to work with our pest control contractor to implement targeted and effective regimes across the Palace.

“The Department of Estates and Facilities is in discussion with Churchill Cleaning Services to increase the level of intervention and with a view to this being in place by beginning of the summer recess.”

Further down Whitehall, Larry has held the rat-catching portfolio at Number 10 since 2011 when David Cameron was in office and has loyally served successive prime ministers.

In his role as chief mouser, the Battersea Dogs and Cats home alumnus has often been caught in the glare of the world’s media, amid unfolding political events and visits by global leaders.

His erstwhile rival, Palmerston, of the Foreign Office, with which he was reportedly engaged in a turf war, had retired to the countryside, but subsequently returned to frontline diplomatic duties with an overseas posting to Bermuda as “feline relations consultant”.

The Treasury also has its own dedicated mouser, Gladstone, although his social media account indicates he takes a more relaxed approach to his official duties.