Palmerston, a rescue cat who was the chief mouser at the UK Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda. The cat was adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and retired in 2020 after four years of service in Whitehall. In February 2025, a social media post from Palmerston’s account said he returned from retirement to work "as feline relations consultant (semi-retired) to the new governor of Bermuda." A post on Palmerston’s X account announced his death on 12 February, saying: "Palmerston, Diplocat extraordinaire, passed away peacefully on 12 February. 'Palmy' was a special member of the government house team in Bermuda, and a much-loved family member." When retiring in 2020, a letter addressed to Sir Simon McDonald of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said Palmerston wanted to spend more time "away from the limelight" after enjoying "working from home" during the pandemic. In his letter, Palmerston wrote: "I have found life away from the frontline relaxed, quieter, and easier." He added that his 105,000 Twitter followers proved that "even those with four legs and fur have an important part to play in the UK’s global effort." Palmerston also said, "I have championed our work, built our relationships, and celebrated the diversity of our staff." Cats have played notable roles in British political life for years. Winston Churchill had a cat named Nelson, and Humphrey was chief mouser under Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair. Downing Street’s current chief mouser, Larry, recently celebrated 15 years on the job. Also adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Larry has served six prime ministers and symbolizes continuity in UK politics. Despite a 2019 video showing a tense moment, an unofficial X account of Larry paid tribute to Palmerston as an "old friend."