User:Tim O'Doherty/sandbox-i

File:Philip Snowden-Edwin Marcus.png, chancellor of the Exchequer]]

Rufus was the cat of Ramsay MacDonald, prime minister for two terms in the 1920s and 1930s, and was "a renowned rat-catcher".{{Cite news |last=Molloy |first=Shannon |date=27 October 2019 |title=Meet Larry, chief mouser of the UK and perhaps the most powerful feline in the world |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/meet-larry-chief-mouser-of-the-uk-and-perhaps-the-most-powerful-feline-in-the-world/NBSONJUMXHVL75RJFI3N7KP5EI/ |access-date=2 July 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |language=}}{{Cite news |date=14 February 2011 |title=Larry the cat joins David Cameron in Downing Street |language= |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-12460596 |access-date=2 July 2023}} He had belonged to the permanent secretary to the Treasury, Warren Fisher's friend in Kent, but was given to the Treasury after she had repeatedly caught him hunting the birds in her garden. Upon his arrival, Fisher gave him the name Rufus.

In 1924 he was moved from the Treasury to 10 Downing Street, and began his duties as the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office. According to C. Patrick Thompson he was "sandy", "aloof", "testy" and "even an unfriendly sort of cat", but noted that he was "[t]he Terror of the mouse empire, the feline Attilla",{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=C. Patrick |date=18 May 1930 |title=The cat that looked at a Chancellor |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/618985090/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 July 2019 |work=Evening Star |publisher= |page= |pages=81–82}} and a reporter from the Daily Mirror stated that he was "most ingratiating when we met".{{Cite news |first= |date=19 November 1930 |title=The cat that wants more |pages=4 |work=Daily Mirror |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/789811105/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023}} Rufus was noted to bring the carcasses of the animals he had hunted to MacDonald; upon realising that they would be disposed of afterwards, he began instead bringing them directly to the bin.{{Cite news |last=Ough |first=Tom |date=2 September 2019 |title=Sepsis, incontinence, and murder mysteries: a history of Downing Street pets |language= |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/pets/news-features/sepsis-incontinence-murder-mysteries-history-downing-street/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023 |issn=}} He was nicknamed "Rufus of England"{{Cite news |date=12 July 2016 |title=Larry the cat escapes Downing Street eviction |language= |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36772515 |access-date=2 July 2023}} and "Treasury Bill", the latter for "reasons presently to be explained".{{Cite news |last=Sommerlad |first=Joe |date=9 March 2021 |title=From Joe Biden’s dogs to Larry the Downing Street cat, a guide to presidential pets |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-dogs-presidents-pets-prince-harry-b1814656.html |access-date=2 July 2023 |work=The Independent |language=}}{{Cite news |last=McDonagh |first=Melanie |date=20 February 2011 |title=The real route to popularity – if you want to get ahead, get a cat |pages=37 |work=The Independent |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/723945524/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=3 July 2023}}

Rufus was given 2d per day, spent on fish, meat and milk, which was raised to 3d per day by the chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden in March 1930, despite Snowden being "notoriously deficient in the milk of human kindness".{{NoteTag|The idea was suggested to Snowden by the civil servant Maude Lawrence.{{Cite news |date=30 May 1930 |title=Puss gets a rise: official vote for the benefit of Treasury cat |pages=10 |work=Midland Counties Tribune |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/800318168/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 July 2023}}}} According to a story{{emdash}}which The Times stated "may be apocryphal"{{emdash}}Snowden was told by Treasury officials and Warren Fisher that Rufus was underfed; Snowden made a note to increase Rufus's pay via a vote in the Commons.{{Cite news |last=Booth |first=Jenny |last2=Malvern |first2=Jack |date=16 February 2011 |title=Larry the No 10 ratter begins cutting on day one |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/larry-the-no-10-ratter-begins-cutting-on-day-one-z2cnh50w2z2 |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 December 2023}} Another story has it that Snowden had been constructing the budget when he noticed Rufus in the room with him. Taken by the cat, he increased its pay.}} {{Cite news |date=16 June 1928 |title=Facts and figures in the news |pages=3 |work=Essex Newsman |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/793746480/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023}}{{Cite news |date=18 November 1930 |title=A bureau-cat—and other tales. |pages=16 |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/768861447/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023}}{{Cite news |date=10 June 1928 |title=Meet Rufus, Treasury cat. |pages=10 |work=The Weekly Dispatch |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/813483989/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023}}{{Cite news |date=13 July 1930 |title=Good short stories |pages=18 |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/385519431/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=3 July 2023}}{{Cite news |date=27 May 1930 |title=Civil servant cats |pages=8 |work=Liverpool Post and Mercury |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/891759185/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 July 2023}}{{Cite news |date=10 January 1931 |title=Rufus, the Treasury cat, wants more milk |pages=11 |work=The Kingston Whig-Standard |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/728531805/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 July 2023}} In December 1930, the financial secretary to the Treasury, Frederick Pethick-Lawrence, was questioned in the House of Commons about Rufus's health. The Western Mail reported that Rufus "had an affliction under one ear and was obviously in no mouse-catching mood".{{Cite news |date=13 December 1930 |title=The Treasury cat comedy |pages=6 |work=Western Mail |url=https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/image/814975228/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 July 2023}}

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{{s-ttl| title=Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office | years=1924–no earlier than 1930}}

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{{Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office}}