Larry, The Downing Street Cat - Press Interest again

By now, I am quite accustomed to press attention, particularly of the slightly desperate variety that flourishes on a slow news day. There are, after all, only so many times one can write about the weather before turning to me. Last week, however, matters escalated. It was Tuesday—my nineteenth birthday, no less—when I once again found myself unwillingly promoted to Person of Interest. One hopes for cake or at least a card on such occasions; instead, I got cameras. The cause of this excitement was the visit of the Polish President, Karol Nawrocki—a name that will mean a great deal to some people and absolutely nothing to the rest of us. Until that moment, I had lived a full and happy life without any awareness of his existence. Mr Nawrocki had come to Number 10 to thank the Prime Minister for the UK soldiers stationed in Poland as part of NATO’s Forward Land Forces. Regrettably, during the meeting, there was no mention of tuna sandwiches, nor any expression of gratitude for how wonderful it is to have me around, which is why I felt free to absent myself from proceedings. Thus, I was sitting quietly on the red carpet, doing what I do best—nothing at all—when a photographer emerged from Number 10 with the kind of distracted urgency normally associated with people who have just realised they have left the oven on. This alarmed me. Instinct took over. I bolted. In the ensuing moment, there was a brief, inelegant ballet involving me, the photographer, and the narrow margins between dignity and disaster. I very nearly tripped the poor fellow, which would have been awkward for everyone involved. Fortunately, he proved surprisingly agile for a man carrying expensive equipment and avoided me neatly. Had he not, the consequences would have been severe. There would have been outrage. Statements. Possibly questions in the House of Commons. Committees might have been formed. Careers ended. Democracies tested. But none of that happened. No harm done. Peace and love, Lazza #London #LarryTheCat #CatsOfInstagram #Cats