Our grandkitties love to catch a cat nap in a warm sunbeam or on top of anything soft and comfy—the warmer and snugly the better! The clothes dryer is the perfect (or purrfect!) place for your kitty to find warmth and comfy bedding.
A clothes dryer has a metal drum that continuously rotates and changes direction every 30 seconds. The heating element creates hot dry air from 125 degrees to 135 degrees. As the drum rotates, paddles lift and tumble the wet clothes until they reach the top of the drum and then gravity makes them fall to the bottom of the drum.
Can you imagine a cat seeking out a quiet and warm place to nap, being endangered like this?
To protect your cat, follow these preventative measures:
- Do not place your cat’s litter box in the laundry room
- Keep the doors closed to your washer and dryer
- Always check inside the washer and dryer before pressing the “start” button
What can happen if your furbaby goes for a spin?
- Burns and singed fur
- Wounds/abrasions
- Broken bones
- Dehydration
- Temperature of 104 degrees or higher
- Bright red, blue, or pale gums
- Elevated pulse and rapid breathing
- Shock
- Cardiac arrest
- Disorientation, unequally dilated pupils due to head injury
If you see or hear, your furbaby in the dryer follow these steps:
- Turn off the dryer and carefully lift your pet out. Do not manipulate limbs, neck, or spine.
- Check for breathing and a pulse. If none, begin pet CPR at once and transport your cat to the vet or emergency facility.
- Check for injuries and treat them. Cover burns with coated gauze. Splint limbs with popsicle sticks, or just carefully place your cat in its carrier to be taken to the vet.
Even if your cat appears unharmed, rotating in a hot dryer is a mental and physical trauma and your kitty should be seen by your vet as soon as possible.
Always keep a well-supplied pet first aid kit and know pet CPR/First Aid.
