A beloved Northumberland hospital cat has been awarded the Freedom of Hexham.
In 2022 Yang the Cat was given a PDSA commendation for offering a calming presence and cuddles to patients at Hexham General Hospital. The thirteen-year-old ginger cat has greeted patients at the hospital, of which is now the official mascot, for more than four years.
He has become something of a local celebrity in the market town and Hexham Town Council have chosen to award him with the right to go anywhere he likes in the town (which most cats already assume they have), an award usually saved for military personnel. The Town Council recognised his "unique" service to the community and Yang was presented with a Freedom to Roam key on a ribbon, a farmed certificate and a box of Dreamies cat treats.
