Chief mouser Palmerston dies after swapping Foreign Office for Bermuda

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Aneesa AhmedFebruary 14, 2026 at 05:08 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Palmerston, the former chief mouser of the UK Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda on February 12th. The rescue cat from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home served at Whitehall for four years before retiring in 2020. In February 2025, Palmerston came out of retirement to work as a feline relations consultant to the new governor of Bermuda. During his time at the Foreign Office, Palmerston gained over 100,000 Twitter followers and was known for championing the office's work and building relationships. Palmerston follows a tradition of cats in British political life, including Downing Street's current chief mouser, Larry, who is celebrating 15 years in the role.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Winston Churchill 30% Larry ×230% United Kingdom 40% Sir Simon McDonald 40% Foreign and Commonwealth Office 40% Whitehall 50% Battersea Dogs & Cats Home ×260% Bermuda ×370% Foreign Office ×280% Palmerston ×6100%

Keywords

chief mouser 100% palmerston 90% rescue cat 70% foreign office 70% diplocat 60% bermuda 60% political life 50% larry 50% battersea dogs & cats home 40%