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Larry the cat has resumed his duties in Downing Street after undergoing an emergency operation.
The chief mouser, 19, had a large scar and shaved fur outside No10 this week as he continued to keep Downing Street free of mice for a 16th year.
Following his operation to remove a cyst, Larry had a run-in with a guide dog on his return, though no harm was done.
On X, a parody account named in honour of the cat posted after the skirmish: 'I told the dog that if you think my scar is bad, you should see the other guy…'
After being headhunted from Battersea Dogs and Cats home in 2011, Larry has now seen seven prime ministers and seen off Andy Burnham's dog Axel.
Mr Burnham decided against taking Axel south when he became prime minister fearing the two would not get on.
The Prime Minister is reportedly considering adopting a cat for No10 North, which he opened in Manchester.
London's chief mouser has far more history behind him, with the position first established in the 1920s.
Larry the cat sported a large scar and shaven fur in Downing Street this week as he returned to work
The 19-year-old chief mouser is in his 16th year as No 10's resident prowler and showed no signs of slowing down despite his ill health, as he faced a skirmish with a guide dog
Larry is now just two years shy of becoming the longest-serving chief mouser in British history
Larry has seen a host of foreign dignitaries come and go since his appointment in 2011, including former US President Barack Obama
The tabby has served under seven prime ministers - including Boris Johnson - more than the longest-serving chief mouser Peter III
Larry is approaching a record stint in office, with only Peter III – who lived at Downing Street from 1947 to 1964 – surpassing the tabby's 15 years of service.
But he has not universally pleased colleagues in Government, with culture minister Ian Murray describing Larry as a 'little s***'.
Mr Murray told a dinner in Glasgow that Larry was 'the most miserable animal you'll ever meet in your life'.
Akshata Murty, the wife of former prime minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak, once told Sky News Larry had 'heated exchanges' with her family's labrador puppy Nova while they lived in Downing Street, with the cat always having 'come out on top'.
Former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said in February last year he initially had to keep his family's Siberian kitten Prince away from Larry, in case the Downing Street veteran 'doesn't like him'.
The Starmers had two cats on their arrival in 2024: Prince and Jojo.
Larry has also been reported to be 'not very keen on men', according to his first prime minister Lord Cameron, who was surprised at how well the pet gelled with then-US president Barack Obama, one of the many international guests the cat has welcomed to Downing Street.
The chief mouser sometimes appears in official records of such visits, and can be seen lurking on a windowsill in a photograph of Baroness May with US President Donald Trump while she was prime minister.
Larry has often provided moments of light relief amid the stormy political news of the last 15 years, lying on the step of No10, unaware of important announcements due to be made by the UK's political leaders.