This bizarre incident is proof that cats may really have nine lives after all.
Felix the one-year-old cat climbed into his owner’s washing machine at exactly the wrong time. His owner, Stefani Carroll-Kirchoff, pressed “Start” on the machine afterward, not realizing that he was inside.
Felix stayed in there for the entire 35-minute washing cycle!
Stefani usually checks to make sure that none of her cats are in the washer or dryer before she does laundry. Last week, though, she forgot.
When the washing machine was done, she noticed that her clothes were still dripping wet. She was about to close the door and start the load again, but then she saw it: a single white paw sticking out from the pile of wet clothes.
Stefani took Felix to the emergency veterinarian. He had quite a bit of water in his lungs, and he had developed pneumonia and temporarily lost his vision.
Luckily, Felix is now on the road to make a full recovery. The family even started a GoFundMe to offset his medical costs.
Stefani is relieved that Felix will be okay, but still horrified that this happened in the first place.
“I’ve been in shock the last few days,” she told 14 News. “I mean, this is going to haunt me for the rest of my life.”
As for Felix? He probably won’t go near that washing machine ever again!