My Wife Nearly Drowned 2 of our Kittens in the Washing Machine

[JCMach1]

We had a feral cat abandon 4 beautiful (4 wk old kittens) about two weeks back. We had to baby, handrear and give them lots of love.

Today my wife was a bit spaced-out about her father going in for a triple bypass and somehow in the few brief seconds the frontloading washer was open two of the kittens (Julie and Natasha) somehow got in unnoticed. My wife shut the door and turned the machine on. Fortunately, she had stuck around making lunch. She heard a bouncing noise and saw one kittens face in the window and immediately stopped the washer. However, these damn frontloaders take 2 minutes to let you emergency open them. I had gone somewhere and came in to find my wife screaming. I didn't know what had happened. I ran in and she thrust what looked like a lifeless kitten into my arms.

I took Julie immediately grabbed a towel. And started stimulating her and pushing on her chest lightly to pull her out of shock. She was a virtual goner. After about 5 minutes of working on her, she showed signs of slowly coming out of the shock.

I am pretty sure she didn't drown as the water would not have been over her head. However, I think she got a royal concussion from going round and was knocked unconscious and then nearly drowned. Little Natasha was wet, stunned, but suffered no major damage.

Looks like Julie will be ok. I called the Vet for advice and she said to just watch her. If she showed signs of getting worse, we would take her there right away. It looks like she will be fine. She is sleeping with her siblings now and was even playing a bit tonight.

[LeftyMom]

1. That must have been the longest two minutes ever.

Hope they're okay. Keep us updated- and post pictures when they're allright!

[JCMach1]

2. Will take a pic in a bit... found myself screaming at the kitten

"don't you die on me!!!" If I could have figured out how to do it, I would have given her mouth to mouth...

I am just very thankful she is ok...

[DS1]

8. basically you take the entire front part of their face in your mouth

stop at the eyes, and give very gentle and small breaths

for realz

[Midlodemocrat]

3. So glad they're okay. Your poor wife.

:hug:

[Bread and Circus]

4. When I was in high school

I was doing my homework at the kitchen table and I hear my mom screaming at the top of her lungs. When she reached her hand in the dryer to get the clothes out she felt the cat. The cat went through the entire drying cycle. When we called the vet the person who answered the phone said "oh dear static cling". Well the cat was fine, really sore for a few days and lost a patch of hair she never grew back. The Vets office did apologize for the tasteless remark. You are not alone in your mishap! Glad the kitten is seems well.

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. That happened to a cat of mine

many years ago, except it was the dryer.

The washer and dryer were in the garage, so no one heard the thump-thump-thump. But I guess it was too late by then, anyway.

Poor Doofus. :cry:

[havocmom]

10. My cat, Sheriff Shredder, did that when she was about 6 months old

Fortunately, small load of clothes and VERY solid kitten. I was folding some duds, heard the first THUMP and got the door open at the second thump. She was NOT amused, but not hurt either. She has stayed out of the dryer until just recently, when she decided to jump in there again. I grabbed her and ask if she REALLY wanted another crack at the cat-killer carnival ride.

She is only 3 and probably on her 4th or 5th life already - even though she spends her time indoors unless she is under escort in the back yard. Taking on the sheriff, TWICE probably cost her a span or two. He might have pulled a gun on her, but she had BOTH his hands firmly in paw. He just can't believe she would not let him pick her up and flip her over for a tummy rub.

She bit the sheriff... but she did not bite the deputy

She did make him laugh so hard he almost peed his pants.

She tries to help Havocdad mix cement for projects around the house and thinks power tools are WAY COOL.

She fancies herself a bronc riding rodeo champ and the retriever is a horse that needs to be ridden.

She hit chairs in the living room so hard she moves them. We are talking Lazy-boy and an iron rocker here.

She loves for the dog to pull her around when she sits on HIS blankie. She hops on the hall runner when Havocdad hums Magic Carpet Ride and waits for him to drag her around on that conveyance.

I lock her in a bedroom now when I do laundry. She is running outta chances in a hurry. I am looking for a little, tiny helmet for my furry daredevil.

[Critters2]

20. Happened to my folks' cat a few years ago.

My dad was home alone, and put a large blanket in the dryer. It was a blanket their cat liked to sleep on, and apparently, when my dad wasn't looking, he crawled in with it. My dad turned on the dryer and went upstairs. When he came down later, he found the cat. It wasn't dead, but badly beat up. He ran to the vet, and the poor thing nearly pulled through. He was in the hospital for 2 weeks, and threw a clot the day he was supposed to go home.

My dad went the day after the incident to get his hearing checked, and now wears a hearing aid. He was devastated, and I really think it's part of the reason he volunteers at a cat shelter now.

I always take a head count before I close the dryer!!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

6. Holy SHIT!

That was a close call! :scared: Having had lots of feral Momcats and their kittens around the house over the years, I am always paranoid about things like washer/dryers, ovens, fridges, and such.

I am so glad the kittens are okay -- I would have been freaking out if I have machine washed any of my guys! :(

[Deja Q]

7. OMG.

:hug:

Best wishes that she won't need to go to the vet. :hug:

[JCMach1]

9. Update: just checked on her again... really is doing good

even made her take a pic



Notice, no stains!

[Race4Peace]

18. "yea, bitch, i am tough...dont fuck with me"

:rofl: sorry, i couldn't resist the caption

[Catshrink]

11. My friend's cat had a litter of kittens in her washing machine...

That was interesting...

[LizW]

12. OMG, how awful!

I'm glad it turned out okay for your kitties.

Cats are so prone to hopping into any open appliance. I know from a friend who left the chest-type freezer open a few moments too long. That didn't end well, and my friend suffered horribly with guilt after the incident. :(

[JCMach1]

13. This morning... 100% ok

[idgiehkt]

woohoo!!!

so relieved to hear that! Thanks for the update!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[idgiehkt]

14. woohoo!!!

so relieved to hear that! Thanks for the update!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

edit: whoops dupe post, but worth posting twice.

[SoxFan]

16. Down to 8 lives, I guess!

Last year, my tabby took a swan dive of off the third story porch of the multi-family where we were living. I was putting someting in the car, heard a scuffling noise, then a bag-o-potatoes "WHUMP", followed by a pathetic (and loud) yowl. Pip Cat looked like a character in a Loony Toons cartoon, with the little stars and birds circling her head. She was pretty shaken up, and probably had one hell of a headache. She curled up on her favorite blanket and slept for about 16 hours. At 5 AM, she was racing around as though nothing had happened.

They're bulletproof, I think!

[Critters2]

21. Yay!! Congrats all around!!

:applause:

[stuntcat]

22. oh thank goodness!!

keep an eye out for neuro-wierdness or brain damage. I think kittens must be pretty resilient.
I was horrified when I saw this thread but it looks like everything's okay now.

[FloridaJudy]

15. My sister's cat had a litter of kittens in the dryer.

She was a feral cat that my sister had just persuaded to come inside a few days previously, and hadn't gotten around to having spayed yet.

Fortunately, my sister checked out the dryer when she heard an indignant "Meow!" while dumping in the wet laundry.

I can see how the kittens wound up in the washer. My laundry basket is the cat's favorite place to take a snooze. I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. And thankful your little ones seem to be okay now.

[grasswire]

17. one time a cat crawled into my clothes dryer

It's difficult to even talk about. The cat didn't live.

[Arugula Latte]

19. Oh gawd. Poor ktity. I'm glad they're okay!

I am always so scared about that when I do laundry. :scared: