London: A cat fight for control over Britain's corridors of political power turned brutal today with 10 Downing Street's chief mouser coming to blows with its Foreign Office feline neighbour.
Larry, the Prime Minister's residence No 10 Downing Street's mouse-catcher, has never really got on with Foreign Office neighbour Palmerston but this morning the two so-called 'chief mousers' had to be physically separated by political photographer Steve Back.
"It was utterly appalling, the fighting has been going on for weeks and weeks. This morning I was there covering normal political events and suddenly Palmerston appeared from the foreign office," Back told 'The Daily Telegraph'.
"Suddenly these two were at each other hammer and tongs. First they were hissing at each other and we didn't think they were going to fight, so we walked off. The next thing we heard there was this terrible screaming. We turned around and they were fighting outside No. 11, literally ripping fur off each other. Palmerston's ear is in a terrible mess and Larry has lost his collar," he said.
The photographer, who has been reporting on the cat fights on his Twitter account 'Political Pictures', said he was worried that if no one takes action, their rivalry could end in death.
"They are going to end up killing each other they were brought in as a PR stunt and now it has gone too far. No one seems to care it's happening outside (Prime Minister) Theresa May's window! There now even are rumours the Cabinet Office is going to get a cat it's cat madness on Downing Street as they are all fighting over a small space," Back warned.
Pictures of one fight showed Palmerston has a clump of fur missing, and Larry had to have veterinary treatment for a sore paw.
The two were both adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats home. Larry in 2011 and Palmerston earlier this year.
Members of the public have started taking sides in the fight, calling themselves #teamlarry or #teampalmerston on Twitter.
Last month, Palmerstone even sneaked into the Prime Minister's home before being unceremoniously evicted by Scotland Yard officers.
