"Chemical kitty" might sound like the name of a punk band, but it's apparently a very real thing in one Japanese city. Fukuyama has warned its residents that it appears a cat fell into a tank of toxic chemicals at a metal plating factory and emerged covered in hexavalent chromium. Residents have been instructed to avoid any cat that seems "abnormal" and contact authorities. NBC News reports a trail of yellow-brown paw prints leading away from the tank were spotted Monday morning (see an image here); a check of surveillance video showed the cat exiting the plant late Sunday.
The BBC reports that Nomura Plating Fukuyama Factory said the tank in question had a sheet on top of it, but that a portion of the sheet had been turned back. "The incident woke us up to the need to take measures to prevent small animals like cats from sneaking in, which is something we had never anticipated before," said a rep. The cat's current whereabouts are unknown—it's possible the chemical exposure killed it—and no sightings have yet been reported. Hexavalent chromium is a carcinogenic chemical that can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and blindness; plant workers suit up in masks and gloves when working around it. (More strange stuff stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
