Cats, dogs and other pets have been turned blue by ink cartridge dust blowing across gardens. The ink emanated from a garden shed which caught fire and which contained the ink cartridges.
We are told that the dye is non-toxic but very hard to get off. Firefighters have confirmed that the powder is non-hazardous.
Glenys Axcell, 74, has two cats and three dogs. They were covered with the blue dye as was her furniture and clothes. She said that she didn’t notice until the next morning. Her dog walker pointed the problem out to her.
“It was only when the dog walker came over and said, ‘Look what’s happened’ that I realised it was in my head to.”
Another neighbour, Terry Oliver, 33, said:
“We weren’t affected but I pulled up on my drive after work and couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s not often you see a blue cat. I took pictures. My daughter saw one and asked if it was a Smurf’s cat.”
Jasmine Shafey said that her rabbits were blue. She was freaking out. She tried to wipe of the ink but without success. While Linda Mclean said that her cats and dogs had turned blue. She said that they a canister of ink had exploded.
It appears that this little newsworthy event took place in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, UK. Personally, I have some suspicions that the picture of the cat is completely genuine. I don’t think you would end up with a cat being so evenly covered with dye but I might be wrong.
Tendring District Council is investigating to determine what action might be taken. They say that it should be possible to “identify how to deal with the material, including removing it”. The dye is apparently semi-permanent.
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I believe that the ink powder turned the cats & dogs blue. It turned vegetation a much darker hue. Powdered ink is very fine & all pervading.
What I don’t believe is that it is harmless. Cats will ingest it as they clean themselves. Commercial ink is made from some pretty noxious ingredients.
The report I read said the ink was stored outside of a small factory, in plastic bags.
The cats need a good washing with a cat shampoo at the vets, to minimise potential problems.
The insurers of the home/factory should pay for the cost of getting the cats and dog properly checked out and safely cleaned.