Three-year-old Norwich cat survives tumble dryer spin cycle
Monica emerged hot, bloodied and panting as the door opened
A cat survived ten minutes in a tumble dryer after accidentally getting trapped during a late-night laundry cycle.
Three-year-old Monica was spinning on a heat cycle before her owner, Marie-Anne Ward, heard a banging sound and rushed to investigate.
Monica emerged hot, bloodied and panting as the door opened.
Marie-Anne and her husband Matt rushed Monica to Taverham Vets in Norwich, where she was given emergency treatment.
Monica, a pure breed shorthair, suffered several injuries, including a cut lip, tail trauma and concerns over her liver.
She made a full recovery and is now back to her usual self.
Marie-Anne said: “We have a routine where my husband Matt puts the laundry into the dryer last thing at night and I take it out in the morning. Monica has never shown any interest in the dryer or gone near it, so he put it on, came up to bed and thought no more about it.
“After about 10 minutes, I could hear a thudding noise as if a shoe had maybe got in with the washing. When I went to check and opened the door, Monica jumped out and just lay on the floor panting.
"I could see blood around the dryer door, and I was frozen with shock and shouted Matt. It was absolutely horrible, so scary and just such a nightmare.”
Laura Moreno Gomez, one of the vets who treated Monica, said: “Monica was surprisingly alert at first and with a normal body temperature, although she had a cut on her lip and a tail injury.
“But we were concerned about possible fluid in her lungs or bruising of the lung tissue due to the high heat exposure.
“We started her on intravenous fluid therapy and oxygen therapy to reduce any damage, while monitoring her for signs of shock or respiratory failure. Blood tests showed raised liver values, but they thankfully normalised again.”
Monica spent two days in hospital under close observation before being allowed home to recover. Now, she’s back to her old self.
Marie-Anne added: “She doesn’t seem to have been scarred by her ordeal and to look at her you’d never know anything had happened. The vets said she was so lucky, and I dread to think what I’d have found if I hadn’t checked and she’d been in the dryer for the full cycle.”
Other pet owners are being urged to check appliances before use.
Laura said: “Accidents like this can so easily happen. This is a helpful reminder to take care around household appliances, checking inside before turning on and making sure they are closed when not in use.”