Treasury Bill

Rufus of England
Treasury Bill
Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office
MonarchGeorge V
Prime MinisterRamsay MacDonald
In office
22 January 1924 – 4 November 1924
In office
5 June 1929 – c. 1930
Serving with Peter (1929—c. 1930)
Succeeded byPeter
Personal details
OccupationMouser
GenderMale

Rufus of England, popularly nicknamed Treasury Bill, was a cat who served as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom under prime minister Ramsay MacDonald.[1][2]

Treasury Bill was described as a ginger cat and a "a renowned ratcatcher".[3] His nickname was created among Cabinet members and house staff.[4]

Whilst technically the first cat to serve in this role, he was never officially given the title and only served for less than a year, meaning his successor − Peter − is often considered the first chief mouser.[5]

Treasury Bill served during MacDonald's first term as prime minister in 1924 and returned in 1929 when MacDonald became prime minister for the second time. According to the Sunday Mail, he was apparently still on duty in 1930.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Larry the cat joins David Cameron in Downing Street". BBC.com. 15 February 2011. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2019. During the 1920s, Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's cat - a renowned rat-catcher - had the rather regal title of Rufus of England, but was nicknamed "Treasury Bill".
  2. ^ Campbell, Mel (19 May 2010). "'Miaow, Prime Minister': the bureaucats of Downing Street". Crikey. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2011.(subscription required)
  3. ^ "The history of Downing Street pets". PetAir UK. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024. In 1924, Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald had a ginger cat named Rufus of England who sometimes went by the nickname Treasury Bill.
  4. ^ "Meet Larry, Chief Mouser of the UK and perhaps the most powerful feline in the world". The New Zealand Herald. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  5. ^ "A softer side of government: How Larry the cat became a purr-fect political companion on Downing Street - CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  6. ^ "The Cat that Looked at a Chancellor". National Library of Australia. Sunday Mail (Adelaide). 5 July 1930. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2019.