But that’s my auntie's cat: Man's claim on 'stray' No 10 ratcatcher (… and there’s a Facebook campaign to get him back)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Strikingly similar: Ms Sutcliffe took the picture of Jo the cat on the left before he disappeared, while the right hand picture is of Larry at Downing Street


His appointment to catch rats in the corridors of power made headlines around the world.

But it appears that Number 10's newest addition Larry the cat has already had one loving owner, who was left devastated when he ran away last October.

Margaret Sutcliffe adopted a stray cat two years ago who looks strikingly similar to the Downing Street moggy who moved in last month.

Now her nephew Tim has started a campaign to get him back, and is using Facebook to urge people to contact David Cameron by email.

Mr Sutcliffe opened the webpage on Sunday to campaign for the cat's safe return to his aunt, who lives in Bermondsey, London.

Currently 482 members have joined the group, with several confirming via the page that they had contacted the Prime Minister demanding his return.

Using the group's description, Mr Sutcliffe claims that the cat's ratcatching skills were honed in the flats where Ms Sutcliffe lives.


Distraught: Margaret Sutcliffe has been left 'devastated' by the cat's disappearance and said 'she nearly died' when she saw him at Downing Street


He adds that the cat wouldn't let anyone hold him except his aunt, showing much the same character traits that saw Larry attack an ITV news team.

Mr Sutcliffe continues that he believed the cat ended up at Battersea Cats Home, before it was re-homed to Downing Street.

Posting on the wall of the group, Ms Sutcliffe wrote: 'I'm overwhelmed by all these messages. I just wish they'd see sense and send Jo home.

'I still can't believe that my Jo has ended up being taken into Downing Street. I nearly died when I saw him in the papers.


Campaign: The 'Free Jo the Cat from Downing Street' Facebook page set up by Tim Sutcliffe


'He never let anyone hold him except me, so I'm not surprised he scratched those journalists!

'It sickens me that David Cameron isn't satisfied with cutting all our services and hiking up the VAT... he's taking our pets as well!

'I've just found some of his cat hair on the sofa, so we can prove it's Jo with a DNA test if we have to.'

The animal's rise to fame after he was bought in to catch a rat who appeared on the doorstep during a live broadcast during ITV's News at Ten.

He is the first cat in Downing Street since Humphrey, who was banished when Cherie Blair moved into the home in 1997.


New home: Larry walks across the Cabinet room table where the Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers hold their discussions

source: dailymail