Sybil (cat)

Sybil (c. 1999 – 27 July 2009) was a cat living at 10 and 11 Downing Street who was employed as the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office as the pet of the chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, and his wife, Margaret. When introduced in September 2007 Sybil was the first cat employed at Downing Street as chief mouser since Humphrey, who retired in November 1997. Six months after moving Sybil, who did not adjust well to life in central London, was moved to the home of one of the Darlings' friends; on 27 July 2009 she died there after a short illness.

Early life and career

Sybil was born around 1999 and was named after Sybil Fawlty, a character in the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. Several publications described her as being of Scottish origin. She was moved from the chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling's family residence in Edinburgh to 11 Downing Street in the summer of 2007, and employed as chief mouser to the Cabinet Office in September of that year. A spokesman for the prime minister, Gordon Brown, said in a press briefing that he "[understood] Mr and Mrs Darling have a cat and it has recently been brought to Downing Street", and that Brown and his wife, Sarah, "do not have a problem with it". Unlike her predecessor Humphrey, who was given £100 per year after his retirement, Sybil did not receive any money from the Cabinet Office to cover food and veterinary costs, with the Darlings covering those expenses. Sybil was the first cat at Downing Street since Humphrey was removed in November 1997, possibly because of Cherie Blair's reported aversion to cats. Upon her arrival The Daily Telegraph stated that those who had written to the Treasury concerning Sybil's welfare had received a "souvenir photo" of her in return.

On 13 September 2007, two days after her introduction, the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher met Sybil during a visit to 10 Downing Street. In March 2008 Sybil was prohibited from hunting mice in the Treasury because of maintenance regulations restricting the use of animals for pest control.

Retirement and death

Six months after moving to Downing Street Sybil, who did not adjust well to life in central London, was moved to the home of one of the Darling family's friends in London. On 27 July 2009 she died after a short illness; the chancellor's spokeswoman announced that Sybil had died at the Darlings' friend's home in London, whilst The Independent stated that Margaret had returned Sybil to Scotland, and that she had died there.

See also

• List of individual cats

References

Notes

Citations

1. Sibyl (disambiguation)
2. Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office
3. Sybil Danning
4. Sybil Christopher
5. List of individual cats
6. Larry (cat)
7. Sybil Ludington
8. Wilberforce (cat)
9. Sybil Thorndike
10. Shirley Ardell Mason
11. Sybil (singer)
12. Humphrey (cat)
13. Cybill Shepherd
14. Sybil Cholmondeley, Marchioness of Cholmondeley
15. Dick Whittington and His Cat
16. Sybil Stockdale
17. Sybil Leek
18. Sybil Jason
19. Freya (cat)
20. Sybil Connolly