Officials in the city of Fukuyama, in southern Japan, have told people they should stay away from the animal, which was last seen in security footage leaving a plating factory on Sunday, CNN said.

A worker found a trail of pawprints on Monday, leading to a 10-foot (3-metre) vat of hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing chemical that can lead to rashes and inflammation if touched or inhaled, officials said.

It's not clear if the feline is still alive, CNN said, quoting a Fukuyama City Hall official.

A sheet covering the chemical vat was found partially torn by employees, according to Akihiro Kobayashi, manager of the Nomura Plating factory in Fukuyama.

Workers, who normally wear protective clothing, have since been on the lookout for the cat, he told CNN, but no health issues have been reported among staff.

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Fukuyama city's environmental team also reportedly warned the public not to touch "a cat that seems abnormal".

Nomura Plating also alerted neighbours to its factory, as well as city authorities and the police, news agencies said.

"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," a company representative added.