Oscar the two-year-old Burmese cat was probably only looking for a quiet place to have nap, but he ended up in the 12-minute hot cycle of his owners' front loader washing machine — with detergent.
Oscar's owner Amanda Meredith, from Mudjimba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, heard a strange meowing sound after her husband, Angelo, put the bed sheets in the washing machine.
She thought the sound was coming from the cupboard and went to hang out another load of washing.
When Ms Meredith came back inside the meowing continued and then she realised — the cat was in the washing machine.
"The poor little cat had his hands on the glass as he was doing the rotations and he was looking at me," she said.
"It was tragic."
'The perfect place for felines', vet warns
It took a full agonising two minutes for the machine to drain and turn off before the washing machine door could be opened and Oscar could be released.
Ms Meredith phoned her vet, Dan Capps, from Beachside Veterinary Surgery in Coolum Beach, who warned the first six hours would be "touch and go".
Oscar had emerged from the hot water cycle and was battered and bruised from the hard fins inside the washing machine, but thankfully, he was alive and was even "very soft".
He was given medication including anti-inflammatories and stayed at the veterinary practice for 24 hours before he was allowed to go home where Ms Meredith said he slept solidly for the next seven days.
Dr Capps said ordeals like Oscar's were not that unusual and urged people to check their washing machines before turning them on.
"He's a very lucky but strong little fellow," Dr Capps said.
"This is not the first time this has happened.
"During the cooler weather it is the perfect place for feline friends to try and hide for a warm nap."
Escaped by a whisker
After a weeks' recovery, amazingly, Oscar was fine.
"There was no damage," Ms Meredith said.
She estimated though that Oscar had used up "three of his nine lives".
While Ms Meredith can laugh about the incident three weeks later, she said the incident was horrific.
"Waiting the two minutes [for the washing machine's door to release] was traumatic to say the least," she said.
As for Oscar, the ordeal has not appeared to have turned him off exploring around the washing machine.
"He sits there and watches it tumble-turn all the time," Ms Meredith said.
"Maybe he has PTSD or something — he has to sit at the door watching the wash cycle."
