Skip to main content

Potentially Hazardous Cat, Fukuyama Residents Warned Not to Touch Cats on the Streets

The environmental team in the city of Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan, issued a warning that residents are prohibited from approaching or touching cats roaming around on Tuesday, March 12th. This was caused by the discovery of tawny cat footprints at the Nomura Plating Fukuyama Factory, Japan.

 

Nomura Plating, via The New York Times

The cat footprints were found by one of the factory employees away from the container of hexavalent chromium, a highly potent and toxic carcinogenic material.

"We immediately notified the police, Fukuyama city residents, and residents around our factory," said a Nomura Plating Fukuyama Factory representative.

Traced from CCTV, a cat was seen running away from the factory. It is suspected that the cat touched the toxic material which was stored in a 3-meter-deep container barrel. There is no recording of how the cat came in contact with the chemicals. According to the BBC, the factory owner said the tank was covered with a sheet. However, the sheet was revealed when they found the cat's footprints.

According to local media Asahi Shimbun, touching the chemical can cause skin inflammation, and inhaling it can cause respiratory problems. Experts doubt whether the cat will survive long after coming into contact with the chemical substance.

"Even if fur can protect the skin from severe burns, cats clean their fur by licking it, then transfer the corrosive solution into the mouth," Linda Schenk, a researcher specializing in chemical risk assessment at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, told CNN.

Until now, the cat's whereabouts are unknown and the search is still ongoing. But officials, experts, and citizens speculate that unfortunately the cat is already dead or will die soon due to contact with toxic and dangerous chemicals.

Several residents regretted this incident because they may have lost a cat's life. However, this incident made the factory introspect to maintain safety from the entry of small animals such as cats.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Cure for The Deadly Feline Disease FIP Will Be Available Soon in the US

Medication for FIP, the deadly feline disease, will be available for the first time in the US on June 1. If you are a cat owner, you may be familiar with the name Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). This is a disease that affects cats. It is caused by a mutation in the feline coronavirus. It is something you never want your own cat to contract since this is usually a fatal comdition. Most cases of feline coronaviruses are largely harmless and go away on their own, b ut occasionally the virus mutates to become FIP. The tissues around the kidney, brain, or belly may become extremely provocative as a result of FIP. While the early signs of FIP might vary, they frequently include your cat sleeping more than normal, an occasional fever that rises and falls, appetite loss, and low activity. "Once a cat develops clinical FIP, the disease is usually progressive and almost always fatal," the Cornell website states. However, good news comes for cat owners. The reason is, that re...

T-Rex, A Cat Whose Both Front Legs were Amputated Can Now Walk Again

A new prosthetic from an anonymous donation was given to T-Rex, a South Haven rescued cat, this week because both his front legs were amputated. The custom-made set of wheels was donated by an anonymous engineer and builder from California. Tyrannosaurus Rex the cat after leg amputation. (March 14, 2024) The cat was previously discovered under a boat in Covert Township, Michigan. Unfortunately, Tyrannosaurus Rex simply called T-Rex had to get his legs amputated. The staff at the Al-Van Humane Society in South Haven has been caring for him to recover for more than two weeks. “We’ve had a lot of people just call and check up on him see how he’s doing. A lot of people have donated towards his care, which is amazing, and even to our emergency medical fund which helps animals like him,” Madison Steffens, the intake coordinator at the shelter, said. This help for T-Rex began after the director of Big Lake Humane Society in Muskegon heard about the rescued cat's story. He initiated th...

This Is The Reason Why Cats Like to Sleep in Car Hoods

It's no longer a secret that cats can sleep anywhere. They are even often found sleeping in uncommon places such as under the car, on top of the car, or even inside the car hood. seniorcatwellness.com So, what is the reason? A veterinarian from The Paws Pet, Marie Celina Lughti-Mergilla, explained that the habit of sleeping or simply taking shelter on the hood of a car is their natural instinct to look for a safer and warmer place. “Cats like warm places. Because they have a higher body temperature than humans," said Mergilla. "Stray cats usually come into the engine room because they are looking for shelter to stay warm. They do this to save energy when taking a nap. They also like the engine room, because it is dark and they can sleep in peace," she added. According to Cats Protection, the fact that they sleep a lot is an extraordinary characteristic of cats in general. The average cat spends 18 - 20 hours sleeping a day. Some experts say this habit is normal and n...