Does Boris Johnson like Larry the Cat or any cat?

On this page there is a picture of Larry the Cat on Boris Johnson's desk at Number 10 Downing Street. He has a slightly strained smile. That's the first clue as to whether he likes cats. Secondly, nobody has tried to answer the question as to whether he likes or hates cats. And thirdly we know that he has adopted a dog. I suspect that his wife is the prime motivator in that adoption. He could have adopted a cat and if he had it would have been a full-time indoor cat living in his apartment above number 11 Downing Street. This is quite a big apartment so it wouldn't have been that bad a life.

Larry the Cat and Johnson in his office. Photo: Unkown No 10 adviser I suspect.

Perhaps the key point in answering the question is this: if he did like cats, we would all know about it. Somebody would have stated that on the Internet by now. But everything to do with Johnson and animals on the Internet is about Johnson and his dog; no mention of cats whatsoever.

CLICK FOR PAGES ON CAT CELEBRITIES

I'm going to have to guess but I think I can guess quite accurately. My distinct impression is that Boris Johnson is ambivalent about cats. He neither like them or dislikes them. I think that he has a sensitivity towards animals which would predispose him to liking all animals including cats.

On a straight choice between living with a dog or a cat he would choose the former. There is also the usual background issue which is that men normally favour dogs and women normally favour cats. You have to throw that well-known factor into the pot when deciding about Boris Johnson's attitude towards felines.

When he was at the Foreign Office he had to contend with Palmerston. Palmerston was the office cat at the Foreign Office although he's been retired because of stress partly brought on because of being persecuted by Larry! The Foreign Office is just adjacent to number 10 Downing Street. I wonder how Boris Johnson got on with Palmerston? I don't expect that he saw him that often because it is an enormous building.