A cat looking sickly, malnourished and covered in what looks like bright chemical paint, has been caught on camera, wandering around a southern kibbutz near the Gaza Strip.
Ynet photographer Roee Idan initially spotted the cat in Kibbutz Kfar Aza and took several images of the animal, which he posted on social media where it gathered attention of other users.
In the images, the cat looks as though it had been abused in addition to being painted, which often occurs at illegal dog fights, in which brightly painted cats are often used as bait for the dogs that often kill them.
On social media the image was noticed by workers at the local "Kfarit" factory, which produces concentrates and mixtures for the plastics industry. They said the cat was actually one of many often roaming the factory's premises on a regular basis.
According to the same workers, the cats often rummage through bins outside the factory in search of food and sometimes tend to find their way to places where some of the paint is discarded, consequently staining their fur.
Because the factory claims it adheres to environmental safety protocols, which dictate that chemical waste should be stored in a way that doesn't endanger humans or animals, it remains unclear how exactly the cats at the factory managed to find their way into the plant’s waste.
The Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council where the kibbutz is located, said the issue is not their responsibility.
The Kfarit factory did not respond to Ynet's request and did not explain how animals managed to come into contact with the factory's waste, and whether these are toxic substances that pose a danger to them.