The third Battersea cat has made its way to office in Westminster as the Treasury welcomed Gladstone as its chief mouser. 

The black moggy has been rehomed to Horse Guard Road to conquer the 'menacing mouse problem' plaguing the office of Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Runnymede and Weybridge. 

Gladstone has been named after William Ewart Gladstone, the former Chancellor and four times Prime Minister. 

April 13: Rags to riches: Cat found wandering the streets takes up new home in Foreign Office after Battersea Dogs and Cats Home takes him in

Wandsworth Times:

Battersea’s head of catteries, Lindsey Quinlan said: "We are thrilled that Gladstone has now taken up residence in the Treasury and have high hopes that he’ll be ready to take on the rodents of the Horse Guard Road offices.

"He’s a confident cat who absolutely loves people so he’ll have to tear himself away from his cat cuddles to get down to business becoming a marvellous mouser.

"Staff at Battersea fell in love with Gladstone during his stay here, his big cheeks and big heart match his big personality and we think the staff at the Treasury will quickly fall for his charm too.

"History has it that Gladstone and Palmerston’s political namesakes had a rocky relationship so we look forward to hearing how he gets on in Westminster and whether he makes friends or foes with his famous Battersea feline predecessors."

Gladstone arrived at the home in May as a neglected stray, brought in by a member of staff.

The one-year-old domestic short hair was wandering the streets of the capital, hungry and with no microchip to allow staff to find his owners.

He follows in the footsteps of political puss Larry who was rehomed from Battersea to 10 Downing Street five years ago, and more recently Palmerston who went to live at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office back in April this year.

A spokesman from the Treasury said: "We are delighted to introduce our new cat, Gladstone, to the heart of British politics. Gladstone can look forward to pouring over Budget scorecards, greeting visitors from around the world, but most importantly, setting his sights on the rodent population of the Treasury and assisting our pest controllers in keeping down the number of mice in our Horse Guard Road offices.

"We are confident that Gladstone will live up to the legacy of his namesake, William Ewart Gladstone, and go down in history as one of the most impressive cats to roam Whitehall."