The House of Commons is being criticized for its unsuitable environment for cats due to a rampant rat infestation that has escalated to the point where lethal traps were deployed.

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has conveyed their stance that the Commons' condition isn't suitable for a feline presence.

The extent of the rodent issue within the House has necessitated the utilization of poisonous traps, a measure that inadvertently poses a threat to cats as well, making the environment unsafe for them. Battersea has effectively placed "working cats" in three governmental edifices, exemplified by "Larry" in Number 10, "Gladstone" situated in the Treasury, and the now-retired "Palmerston" in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Within the sprawling 19th Century Palace of Westminster along the Thames, the sight of rodents scurrying has become a commonplace scene during the evening. However, the Commons was deemed unsuitable for a feline occupant due to the utilization of toxic rodent traps, which would pose a considerable health and safety risk to any cat dwelling in the area.

Amidst this scenario, it's noteworthy that one feline regular within the Parliamentary estate, "Attlee," the cat of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, primarily confines its activities to the Speaker's official quarters. Photo by Peter Trimming, Wikimedia commons.