Larry, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office

• 2011 Took office
• Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Previous address
• Under review Mousing record

Downing Street has kept official cats for about a century. Larry, a brown-and-white tabby, was recruited from a rescue shelter in 2011 to deal with a rat seen on the evening news. He has since outlasted a remarkable number of prime ministers, which makes him one of the longest-serving residents of the most famous door in Britain.

Critics have pointed out that his early mousing results were, in the words of the press, "disappointing." Supporters point out that he has never once been involved in a scandal, which is more than most of his colleagues can say. Our illustration shows a mouse enjoying a cup of tea on his doorstep. We stand by it.

Mayor Stubbs of Talkeetna, Alaska

Talkeetna is a historic district, not a city, so it has no official mayor. In 1997 residents decided that a kitten from the general store would do nicely. Stubbs, named for his missing tail, held the honorary title for twenty years.

His administration was considered a success. He greeted tourists, posed for photos and was famously served water laced with catnip in a wine glass. He survived a dog attack in 2013 and returned to work to cheers and fan mail. He never raised taxes, because he never knew what taxes were.

Tama, Stationmaster of Kishi

In 2007 the Kishi Station on Japan's Wakayama Electric Railway was losing money and about to be unmanned. Its new operator made a calico cat named Tama the official stationmaster, complete with a custom cap, and paid her in cat food.

It worked spectacularly. Tourists came from everywhere to see her, ridership rose, a cat-themed train with ears was built in her honour, the station got a new cat-shaped building, and Tama was promoted to "Super Stationmaster" and then to executive positions. When she passed away in 2015, thousands attended her funeral and she was enshrined as a Shinto goddess. Her successor, Nitama, carries on the family business.