Health officials in Fukuyama, Japan warned the population The presence of a potentially deadly cat, which she should neither touch nor approach. “Even if the cat looks normal, don’t touch it. Call the authorities,” they urged.
The animal was found to have fallen into a tank containing hexavalent chromium, a highly acidic and carcinogenic chemical substance. The tank is owned by Nomura Plating Fukuyama, a metal coating factory.
An alarm was raised when a factory worker found an orange animal print near the tank.
A cat in Fukuyama, Japan has a tank of chemical residue (a hexavalent chromosome) and is transformed into a similar chemical weapon.
We are desperate because exposure causes kidney damage, infections, skin ulcers and cancer. pic.twitter.com/Nb3xrmxw7K— Therealbuni (@therealbuni) March 14, 2024
Faced with these doubts, they checked the security cameras and confirmed the fact: We can clearly see the cat running out of the tank from the factory. “We immediately alerted the police, the city of Fukuyama and the immediate neighbors of our factory,” the company said.
Hexavalent chromium, if touched or inhaled, can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, kidney and liver damage, nose and skin irritation and ulceration, eye damage, etc. So contact with the animal is dangerous.
One of the most famous cases related to this substance was the spill of 1.4 billion liters of contaminated water in Hinckley, California in the 1950s. This is the case that inspired the movie Erin Brockovich starring Julia Roberts.
Wanted dead or alive
The tank, over two meters long and three meters deep, was covered at one end with a kind of sheet metal, which would have been turned, leaving an open space for the animal to fall into the container.
According to Agence France-Presse, a company spokesperson, Motonari Ibaraki, revealed that “This incident made us aware of the need to take measures to prevent small animals like cats from hidingWhich we never expected before.
As the city’s Department of Environmental Protection continues to search for the animal, it has warned residents not to approach the cat even if it appears normal. however, They also noted that the animal likely died from exposure to the toxin.
Although a cat’s fur can protect its skin from immediate severe burns, Cats lick to clean themselves, which can cause them to ingest toxic solutions.
“I believe that unfortunately he has died or will die soon due to chemical burnsLinda Schenk, a researcher specializing in chemical risk assessment at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, told AFP.
During this time, the cat may be alive or dead. In any case, it will be important to find him so that peace can return to the city.
