Gladstone (cat) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gladstone
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Gladstone in 2017
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| Chief Mouser to HM Treasury | |
| In office 28 June 2016 – 22 December 2019 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron Theresa May Boris Johnson |
| Chancellor | George Osborne Philip Hammond Sajid Javid |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. December 2014 (age 10) London, England |
| Occupation | Mouser |
Gladstone (born around December 2014) is a famous British cat. He used to be the official "Chief Mouser" for the HM Treasury building in Whitehall, London. A "mouser" is a cat whose job is to catch mice! Gladstone is a black cat with short fur. He started his important job in June 2016 when he was about 18 months old. He was named after a famous former leader, William Ewart Gladstone, who was a Chancellor and Prime Minister many times. Gladstone the cat's main job was to keep the Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road free of mice. He retired from his duties in 2019.
The idea for a Chief Mouser at the Treasury came after similar jobs were created at 10 Downing Street and the Foreign Office. Those jobs were held by Larry and Palmerston. The decision to get an official mouser for the Treasury was made by John Kingman. He was the acting Permanent Secretary at the Treasury at the time. Gladstone's official title, "Chief Mouser to the Treasury," was announced on July 29, 2016.
Gladstone moved into his new home at the Treasury in late June 2016. However, the public announcement was delayed until late July. This was because of the big news about the referendum on European Union membership.
Contents
Gladstone's Early Life
Gladstone was found by a staff member from the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in May 2016. He was a stray cat who had been neglected. He had been trying to get into the staff member's cat flap for a few weeks. Gladstone had been wandering the streets of London, hungry and without a microchip. This meant his owners could not be found.
At Battersea, he was known as Timmy. Like many homeless cats, he would eat too much, too quickly, because he didn't always have food. A special puzzle feeder helped him learn to eat more slowly.
Gladstone's Career as Chief Mouser
Within just two days of moving into the Treasury, Gladstone caught his first mouse! He was described as "a cold-blooded killer." In his first three months on the job, he caught six mice.
The staff at the Treasury take care of Gladstone's food. They volunteer to pay for his daily needs. On weekends, the Treasury's security team looks after him. His job does not cost taxpayers any money.
Gladstone's Recognition and Fame
On July 28, 2017, Gladstone celebrated his first year at HM Treasury. Just a few days after he joined Instagram in July 2016, he had 1,200 followers. By January 2023, he had over 22,500 followers! However, his Instagram account has not had new posts since February 2020. A special article called 'A cat's life – after a year in the spotlight, Gladstone sets the record straight' shared details about his life at the Treasury. As of July 28, 2017, Gladstone had caught 22 mice. There has been no update on this number since then.
Stepping Back from Duties
Gladstone retired from his duties in 2019. An official statement said, "He is still alive, happy and well and living with an HMT staff member." This means he lives with a Treasury staff member. There are no plans to replace him with another cat. In January 2020, it was said that he was "working from home." In 2021, Peter Cardwell wrote that Gladstone had been out of the Treasury for a few months for "health reasons." He was living in quieter surroundings.
A request for information in 2024 confirmed that Gladstone had indeed retired and moved out. When asked how many mice he had caught, the Treasury said it would take too much time to find out.
See also
- Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office
- Palmerston, former Chief Mouser to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
- List of individual cats
