Palmerston, the beloved cat who served as chief mouser at the Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda at the age of around 12. The rescue cat, adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, retired in 2020 after four years of service in Whitehall.
In February 2025, a post on his social media account announced he had come out of retirement to work as 'feline relations consultant (semi-retired)' to the new governor of Bermuda. His death was announced on the same account, stating he passed away peacefully on 12 February.
Palmerston's retirement letter in 2020, addressed to Sir Simon McDonald, then permanent under-secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, expressed a desire to spend more time away from the limelight after enjoying working from home during the pandemic. The letter, written in Palmerston's name, noted his 105,000 Twitter followers and his role in championing the UK's global efforts.
Cats have long been a feature of British political life, with Winston Churchill's cat Nelson and Humphrey, chief mouser to the Cabinet Office under three prime ministers. Downing Street's current chief mouser, Larry, also from Battersea, has served six prime ministers and is celebrating 15 years in the job.
