Residents of a Japanese city have been warned not to approach or touch a cat that appears to have fallen into a tank of toxic chemicals.
The feline disappeared after reportedly falling into a tank containing hexavalent chromium at a metal coating factory, the city authorities of Fukuyama, in western Japan, announced in a statement on Monday (11).
According to the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, a trail of brown-yellow paw prints leading away from the tank was discovered on Monday morning by an employee of the Nomura Plating Fukuyama factory. Surveillance footage later showed the cat leaving the factory the previous night.
Hexavalent chromium is a highly carcinogenic chemical that can cause skin irritation upon contact and respiratory issues when inhaled. The factory stated that its workers wear masks and rubber gloves when handling it, according to the newspaper.
Local environmental authorities have urged residents not to approach or touch any cat that “looks abnormal.” However, they suspect the cat may have died as a result of the encounter with the toxic chemical.
