Cats Use Fax as Toilet, Spark Japan House Fire
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James Joyner | Friday, June 10, 2005 |
Now, here’s a headline you don’t see everyday: Cats use fax as toilet, spark Japan house fire (Reuters)
Two kittens picked the wrong place to relieve themselves when they urinated on a fax machine, sparking a fire that extensively damaged their Japanese owner’s house. Investigators in the western city of Kobe have concluded that the fire in January was caused by a spark generated when the urine soaked the machine’s electrical printing mechanism. The fire damaged the kitchen and living room before it was put out by the house’s owner, who was treated for mild smoke inhalation, said Masahito Oyabu, a fireman at the Nagata fire station in central Kobe.
The kittens quickly ran to safety, he added.
“If you have a cat, or a dog for that matter, be careful where they urinate,” Oyabu said. “Especially keep them away from electrical appliances and wires.”
Words to live by.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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