The quiet city of Fukuyama, in Japan, is on alert after discovering the first signs of an unexpected visitor at the local electroplating factory. The protagonist of this unusual story? A cat with “anomalies” that has generated concern throughout the community.

It all started with the appearance of mysterious footprints, of an ochre tone and with a variable number of fingers, in the vicinity of the Nomura Plating Corporation factory. A review of security cameras confirmed the presence of the intruder, prompting authorities to issue an urgent public alert.

Fukuyama residents have been warned about a potentially dangerous feline, which apparently fell into a tank of toxic chemicals at the factory and managed to escape, heading towards the city. The authorities have taken preventive measures, contacting various institutions such as the City Council, school management and nurseries to inform them about the risk that this animal represents.

According to Motonari Ibaraki, a representative of Nomura Plating, the footprints were discovered near the tank by an employee on Monday morning, while security footage shows the cat escaping from the factory at around 9:30pm last night.

The tank in question contains hexavalent chromium, a highly toxic substance used in the electroplating process. The effects of exposure to this chemical are serious and include everything from lung cancer to damage to organs such as the kidneys and liver, as well as irritation to the skin, nose and eyes.

Given the possibility of finding this cat on the streetsSatoshi Taki, Fukuyama City Environmental Conservation Division, warns citizens not to try to approach the animal and to contact the authorities immediately if they see it.

Although the feline has not been sighted again to date, it is suspected that its experience at the factory may have been fatal. Nomura Plating has announced that it will implement measures to prevent future animal intrusions into its facilities, in the hope of avoiding similar incidents in the future.

Source: The New York Times

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