A Minnesota cat is lucky to be alive after surviving a full cycle in a washing machine.
Felix, a 1-year-old tabby, seemingly snuck into the machine while his owner was doing laundry.
"I had checked the washer like I always do but turned my back to retrieve more clothes and he apparently went in then," Stefani Carroll-Kirchoff told USA Today. "The clothes were dark and he is dark and the room was dimly lit."
Once the cycle was complete, Carroll-Kirchoff heard a meow and discovered Felix tangled in the wet clothes. He was rushed to an emergency clinic, where he was hospitalized with a concussion, hypothermia and temporary blindness caused by detergent.
Felix is expected to make a full recovery. While it’s unusual to survive such an ordeal, Felix is far from the only cat to explore the laundry room.
“Cats have a natural tendency for seeking out small, safe and confined spaces, and an open door to the washer or dryer can seem inviting,” says Dr. Lauren Jones, a veterinarian in the Philadelphia area. “As front-loading washers and dryers are becoming more common, more cats may accidentally get stuck inside.”
Cats who go through a wash cycle run the risk of aspiration pneumonia, near-drowning, chemical burns from laundry detergent or bleach, head trauma and thermal burns. Dryers pose risks including burns and overheating.
“Any of these injuries can be fatal, and sadly, most are,” says Jones.
To make washers and dryers less tempting, pet parents should provide plenty of safe places in the home, such as enclosed beds and cat condos.
For many kitties, however, a washing machine will always be more interesting than a cat bed.
“Always, always, always check the inside of the washer and dryer before starting a load of laundry,” says Jones. “Sort through the laundry carefully in case your cat has buried himself under a pile of comfy clothing.”
Photo via Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota/Facebook