Chemical cat sparks alert in Fukuyama plating plant

Toxic paw prints: The marks are believed to be from a cat that fell into a tank containing toxic hexavalent chromium at the plating factory in Fukuyama, Hiroshima prefecture. Locals have been told not to approach or touch the cat that had scampered off into the night. — AFP

LOCALS in a city in western Japan have been told not to approach or touch a missing cat that fell into a vat of dangerous chemicals and then scampered off into the night.

An employee at a metal plating plant in Fukuyama arrived for work on Monday morning to find feline paw prints leading away from the container, the firm said.