Humphrey's Problems
In November 1993, an internal memo was circulated in the Cabinet Office, informing staff that Humphrey was suffering from a minor kidney complaint and had been put on a special diet. A ban on feeding him treats was instituted.
Humphrey was accused on 7 June 1994, of having killed four robin chicks, which were nesting in a window box outside the office of John Major, then Prime Minister. However, Major exonerated him the next day, declaring, "I am afraid Humphrey has been falsely accused." It was not until 2006 that he was finally cleared: journalist George Jones of The Daily Telegraph admitted that his piece in the paper's diary column had been no more than "journalistic licence" printed with no supporting evidence. In September 1994 Humphrey was found in St. James's Park and was blamed for having "savaged" a duck there, earlier in the year.
In June 1995, Humphrey went missing. On 25 September 1995 the Prime Minister's press office announced his apparent death. The publicity led to his rediscovery in the nearby Royal Army Medical College, where he had been taken in as a presumed stray and named PC, short for "patrol cat". Upon his return, Humphrey issued a statement through the civil service stating, "I have had a wonderful holiday at the Royal Army Medical College, but it is nice to be back and I am looking forward to the new parliamentary session."
Read more about this topic: Humphrey (cat)
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