Near Horror at Camp Vermont - all is ok now!

[sasvermont]

Lucy is down to eight lives.

Tonight, while loading clothes in the washer, Ms. Lucy must have sneaked in the door (front loader). I never use harsh detergents, or conditioner or bleach so she was washed in earth friendly detergent. Yes, I could not find her and after a couple of minutes, I stopped the washing cycle only to have a wet kitten jump out. I grabbed her and hugged and rubbed and cried. I could not believe this had happened. She seems to be fine. I "blew her dry" and now she is just walking around - the other cats are very curious about her appearance.

Lucy has a vet appointment on Saturday, the day after tomorrow, and I will have the vet double check her.

I think I have learned my lesson.

My washer is a H3T and it uses only 15 gallons of water when it wets the clothes, and boy am I happy about that. It does not rotate, but slosshes the clothes around. It does spin at high speed at the end of the cycle, but thank goodness ..... I don't want to even think about it.

I am still shaking.

Lucy, you are going to give me gray hair!

Thanks for listening!
SAS:rolleyes: :o :eek:

[lizbud]

Oh my gosh, Lucy. I would be shaking too.:eek:

I have a front loading dryer & I have to check EVERY time for
my Joey before I close the door. He's the only one who does
this. Hope she wasn't to scared. Poor Lucy & poor you.:)

[sasvermont]

I just did another load of laundry and watched the first few minutes of the cycle. She is one lucky kitten. A few more minutes and, well, I don't want to think about it.

Lucy is so black and hardly shows when she sneaks around at night time. She is tiny too! What a lucky kitten. I feel like such a dumb bell, for sure.

Lucy smells like lavender now!

I never thought it would happen to me. Thank goodness I decided to look for her after only a couple of mintues. I had a feeling........................................... ..... and it paid off.

Gosh.

[catcrazylady]

Oh for Pete's sake! I would have had a heart attack for sure!
I am so glad that there was a good outcome. I would hate to even imagine how horrible that would have been! Just reading this made me gasp and scared me to death. SAS you must be a mess after that!
I'm so glad Lucy is ok and I hope she never gets in there again! It sounds like she is fine, thank goodness! Boy, what a very very scary experience for you and Lucy.

[catcrazylady]

Don't blame yourself SAS. Kittens are very sneaky and a black kitten inside a dark washing machine would be very very hard to see. Just be glad you followed your hunch and saved her life!

[GraciesMommy]

I am sooo happy you had an intuition to look! my goodness...I shudder when I think what could have happened...lotsa hugs for Little Lucy!

[Christiansmommy]

That is my worst fear with Guinness!! Must be something about black cats!! I have found him multiple times in my dryer...when i turn my back to put more clothes in, he is in there!! Luckily I have never turned it on...but i certainly have OCD when it comes to loading the dryer... checking and double checking and checking again, to make sure he isnt in there!!

Glad all is well, and that she ( and mom), are okay...go put your feet up and take a rest Sallyanne, your nerves must be shot!

(((HUGS))) Lucy!!

[QueenScoopalot]

:eek: :eek: Lucky little Lucy! I'm so glad your woman's intuition kicked into gear, and you found her in time. ;) Hope she doesn't try that one again. I'm always having to keep an eye out for nosy kitties when I'm doing laundry. The door stays shut until the wet clothes go in. It's one of my fears of either the washer, or fridge. :eek: :rolleyes:

[jenluckenbach]

YIKES! I almost had heart failure thinking about it.

I am so glad everything is OK>

Silly kitty :rolleyes:

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

:eek: :eek:
So glad you're such a good kitty meowmy and your intuition kicked in. Hopefully little Lucy learned her lesson and will stay away from now on.

Lavender, eh? What a sweet smelling little kitty! ;)

[catnapper]

Oh no! What a near catastrophe! I'm glad you checked the washer right away. Hubby and the kids think I'm nuts for always having to know where the cats are at all times, but things like this is the reason. Imagine if you hadn't bothered to find where she was! :eek:

{{{Hugs}}} to you. Its not your fault! Cats are quick animals. I went into my craft closet yesterday for a total of 5 seconds, and Allen slipped in without me noticing. You'd think I'd notice a 20 pound orange cat slipping past me... but nooooo. He must have been in there for half and hour before I heard his pathetic meow.

[Uniqueviking]

:eek: OMG, how scary. I'm glad the baby is ok. What a total shock!

[Vermontcat]

Lucy!:eek: You got some splainin' to do!;)
I'm glad she's ok. Do you think she would like to wear a collar with a bell so you know where she's at?
I know black kitties can disappear sometimes, she is a fast little one isn't she.
Give her a big hug from me.:)
Lavender is supposed to be soothing so I think you will both sleep well tonight.;)

[Laura's Babies]

I think I would be crying, shaking and holding that baby for DAYS!

[Craftlady]

I'm glad everything is ok.
My washer/dryer is down in the basement. Furry kids aren't allowed down there because it's an old house, icky basement.

[jazzcat]

OMG, what a horrible scare. I'm so glad she is okay. Please explain to Miss Lucy that there are safer ways to bathe.

[kimlovescats]

Oh my gosh!!!! Oh, I am so happy you had that intuition to go and check .... oh man, I can just feel chills run down my back and a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it!!! Oh, thank you GOD, for intervening for sweet Lucy!!!!

((((HUGS))))

[krazyaboutkatz]

How scary!:eek: I'm so glad that Lucy is okay now. I know how hard it is to see black cats especially at night.;)

[shais_mom]

OH HOW scary!!
Lucy be a good girl and stay outta the washer!

[Corinna]

I have a front loading Dryer . I always have to check mine as a kid my mom did send a cat to the rb bridge becouse he crawled in the dryer. I have bells on the 2 that would crawl in the old guy only goes to the basement if hubby is there and he wants out ,and the rest of us ignore him. he never has gone into the wash room area of the basement guess he figures thats my area. (male cat)

[Cinder & Smoke]

:eek:

Lucy went *SWIMMIN* inna Warsher!??? :(
Glad da KatGuard wuz On Duty!

Nunbuddie here eber went *swimmin* inna warshin mashine -
ourz izza "top loader"...
But we gotz Dryer Tails...

Both *events* happened affore we were around;
but we'z heard Dad Tell da Tails...

BOTH Furst Kat Fred AND da current DumKat, Boots,
have taken a *SPIN* :eek: inna Dryer!! :p

They wuz both lil tiny PuppieKatz when they dun it.
Same storrie fur Boff of em ~

Dad wuz pullin summa da stuff out;
few thingz needed more dryin tyme...
Dad's puttin da Dun Stuff inna baskit...
Enter da DummKat - attrackted by da *warm* inna Big White Box...

Dad re-startz da dryer an ~
*THUMPITY* *THUMP* *THUMP* Noizes start!!
:eek:
Quick *STOP* anna Verrie DIZZIE Kat krawlz out!

Dad sez Ole Fred nebber did "learn her lessin" -
she wuz No-Torry-Uss for hoppin inna dryer fur a *ride* whenebber
she had da opportunitee! :rolleyes:

DummKat Boots onlee went fur Wun Short Ride ~
da *THUMPITY* - *THUMP* Noize saved hiz tiny butt, too.
Boots "learned his lessin" - Dad only hasta open the Warsher/Dryer
hide-away doors to send Boots *FLYIN* outta da den to wunna his hidey-spotz!
But he DUZ like *nappin* inna clothes baskit AFTUR da dudz come
outta da dryer box all warm an toastee!

;)
.

[Barbara]

Oh no!!!!! My stomach starts rotating immediately.

How much luck you both had!

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Now I think F+T are too big to sneak in a washing machine unnoticed but when they were babies I also was neurotic about it. And of course your machine is very big and it is in a rather dark part of the kitchen.

Oh Lucy: 100 kissies to you, stupid child:)

[sasvermont]

We had a quiet night. Lucy is just fine. I cannot stop thinking about what I would have found if I had not stopped the washer when I did. She doesn't seem upset by the event. I have done more wash while she is in the kitchen. She has not shown any interest in the washing drying process but is instead concentrating on dumping trash bins and attacking decorations. I I spent last night giving the little monkey lots of warm hugs and she loved it! She was damp for some time but is dry now.

My heart took a real beating last night.

Thanks for all of your kind comments! I am glad I am not the only goof ball to wash or dry their kitten!

SAS

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

OMG, you must have been so scared, and your Lucy too :eek:
I am glad that everything seems to be okay with her!! Silly Lucy ;)

[catmandu]

We are so releived that,except for a bath,that she didnt want,that Lucy,is OK,and will she jave stories,to tell at Pet Mas Party 2004.

[Logan]

Oh dear Lord! I would have felt exactly the way you did, Sallyanne. I probably wouldn't have looked as quickly as you did, though. I'm glad that Lucy and you are ok!

Logan

[Jods]

Oh no poor YOU!!! Of course the cat seems no worse for wear and your as upset as ever. Isn't that how it always happens? I'm sure shes fine, but glad you had the intuition to check like everyone else said. Snuggle her good and explain to her the dangers of that scary machine fur me ;)

[ramanth]

:eek: :eek: :eek: I would of had a heart attack. Thank goodness for your intuition. :)

I've 'refridgerated' Zam.

I was putting away groceries and afterwards kicked back on the couch and realized Zam was no where to be found. Searched the apartment and heard a faint meow.

Opened up the fridge door and out jumps a perterbed and slightly cold calico cat. :eek: :rolleyes:

All my gray hairs are from my pets. :D

[Karen]

Yup - I think a collar with a bell might help this little mokey - at least you'd know if she was in the room when you commenced laundry duty ... Tell her it's her Christmas bell!

How typical of a kitten that she is just fine, while you are still recovering!

[Cataholic]

Good Gosh! Thank heavens you were quick to locate that lil' rascal. I must confess, I ALWAYS check twice with the washer and dryer. I remember when I was quite pregnant, and wasn't able to get up close to the washer to look down in it. I closed the lid, and located the seven rascally ones before proceeding.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Perhaps Lucy thought a few spins through the wash cycle and she would fade and look more like her sisters?

Silly girl....she is lovely in her own right! And very lucky to have been rescued!

[Randi]

Oh Sallyanne, what a frightening thing to have happen! :eek: I'm so glad your instinct told you look!! :)

Silly little Lucy, I hope you've had enough exitement in the washer for your entire life. I bet you smell good! ;)

[tatsxxx11]

Oh Sally! OMG! Thank goodness Lucy is ok!!! You must have been horrified! My Oliver gets into everything too, literally, often without me noticing...the dog food bin, the dishwasher, the bottom shelf of the frig and THE DRYER! A couple of years ago, he snuck into the dryer when the door was open. I threw in the clothes and turned it on!!!:eek: Thank God I didn't go upstairs or walk out of the room. Luckily, I was right there and heard an ususual thump, thump, thump coming from the laundry room! Poor guy was dazed but ok!!! I had a lot of towels in there so his ride wasn't too bumpy:( But like you, I can't bear to think of what would have happened had I wandered off. It still gives me shudders. Lots of hugs to you dear Lucy!!! No more wash cycles for you, sweetheart!:)

[NoahsMommy]

How scary!!!

I'm glad she's OK. :)

[lizzielou742]

OMG I would have freaked out!!! So glad she's OK. :D

[rg_girlca]

Oh I got the shivers reading this. How scary.:eek:

I'm glad to read that Lucy is doing fine. :)

[Vio&Juni]

Poor you! And yes, how typical of a kitten to be fine while you're still recovering.

Juni's mom, Naomi, was a very petite kitty, she was even smaller than Juni. Black, small, she could disappear in a second. We were cooking for a party once. We baked something in the oven, then while getting ready the next load, we left the oven door open. The oven light didn't work and when I started the oven and closed the door, I didn't notice anything unusual. Then, in two seconds, THUMP, THUMP (one would have thought it's a panther).
I opened the door and off flies a smoky kitty :) I am laughing now, but at that moment, I was really scared. She smelled for several days and her fur was like new in two weeks.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by sasvermont

Thanks for all of your kind comments! I am glad I am not the only goof ball to wash or dry their kitten!

SAS

I think had you confessed to taking your cat to the CLEANERS, we might be upset.....;)

Everything turned out OK, so do not worry...:)

--------------------------------------------

No starch on the cat, please....

:eek:

[Rachel]

Near horror is right, and then to read the other tales of close calls was almost more than my scare level could handle. I still remember Sandra's Oliver's little ride in the dryer what a heart stopper that was. Thanks for the *all is okay* note in the subject. That made reading the account a bit less torturous.

Maybe these tales will help prevent another near horror. I guess that curiousity thing with cats is for real.