A kitten that was accidentally trapped in a washing machine on a 60C cycle has made a full recovery.
Lisa Keefe, from Nottingham in the UK, did not realise that her Bengal crossbreed Bobby had climbed inside the washing machine for a nap. She raced to get him when she heard “a loud thudding noise” from inside the appliance.
The vet at the clinic who treated him said: “In my 15 years as a vet, I’ve never seen a case like this.”
Nine-month-old Bobby was taken to Nottingham Pet Hospital on the verge of collapse and needed IV fluids to treat shock. His brush with death has lead him to be nominated for a PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) Pet Survivor award.
Ms Keefe, 47, said Bobby was known to climb in the machine and she had put him outside before putting in a new load. But she said the curious kitty must have snuck back in and hidden under a duvet before she switched on the appliance. “As soon as I heard the noise I rushed to the machine and could see the colour of his fur mixed in with the quilt. I was petrified and raced to get him out,” she said.
The kitten was in the washer “for about two minutes”, and Lisa added, “Bobby has learned his lesson the hard way, he doesn’t go anywhere near the washer any more.”
Vet Tamsin Thomas said: “Bobby was on the verge of collapse as his body was soaked through and his temperature was dangerously low. We gently dried him out, kept him warm and gave him IV fluids to treat shock.”
Mr Kellow, the vet who treated Bobby, said the kitten had sore eyes from the detergent, but within a couple of hours was “as right as rain”.
We think Bobby has learned his lesson but this is a good reminder to us all to check our machines before switching them on.
