He sleeps on the job, rarely wears his uniform and has been known to go AWOL on occasions.

Yet former stray Troop Cat Ed is a much-loved member of the NSW Police Force Mounted Unit stationed in Surry Hills.

He was brought onboard to catch mice and rats in the horse stables, but watch the following video and decide whether you think he's giving it his all.

Regardless of work ethic, Sergeant Melinda Duncan told The Huffington Post Australia he'd become an invaluable team member since coming onboard four months ago.

"We had quite a problem with mice and rats and it kind of made sense to everyone here to get a stable cat rather than chemical intervention," Duncan told HuffPost Australia.

"I've been here 20 years and when I first started there was a stable cat called Bronson. He was a killer. Very good at keeping vermin down.

"Ed still has some learning to do."

He was named after a groom who retired around the same time that Ed started, but Melinda said it didn't hurt the cat's hair colour also matched singer Ed Sheeran.

He's settled into a routine of sleeping by the heater with the security guard at night and springing to action in the early morning.

"His rat catching has gotten better over the last few months," Duncan said.

"He normally brings in 'presents' for our special constables about 4am in the morning and no one wants see that at that time."

When formal occasions demand it, his uniform was custom made just for him by a Gunnedah Police Station volunteer.

Animals who have jobs

King penguin Sir Nils Olav III is a brigadier in the Royal Norwegian Guard.

Penguins named Nils Olav have been the King's, and the Royal Guard's, mascot since 1972.

David Moir / Reuters

Bailey the rescue dog is the Australian National Maritime Museum's Assistant Director, Seagulls.

It's his job to chase away seagulls from the outdoor exhibits.

Australian Maritime Museum

Larry the tabby cat has lived at British Prime Minister's residence 10 Downing Street for much of his life where he's Chief Mouser.

He's been observed getting into spats with neighbouring mouse catcher Palmerston, who fulfills the same job for Foreign Office.

Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

Duke the dog is mayor of a Minnesotan township, which is ironically named after a bird.

Duke won the top spot in Cormorant for the third term in a row in 2016.

WireImage

Punxsutawney Phil Sowerby is the traditional name given to the groundhogs who live in Punxsutawney and predict when winter will end.He/they have been a celebrity ever since the movie Groundhog Day.

Alan Freed / Reuters

Courage the wedge tailed eagle is a retired NT Australian Army mascot who, according to the NT News, was occasionally known to attack dignitaries at formal events.

He's living out his retirement in Townsville.