Cat in China survives after trapped in running washing machine, suffers just red nose

A pet cat in China which became trapped in the drum of a running washing machine for several minutes has survived with minor injuries.\nA video posted on December 5, by his owner, who goes by the online handle @jiemodaxiaojie, went viral, amassing 217,000 likes and 20,000 comments.\nThe owner from eastern China’s Jiangsu province said she was shocked to discover her pet cat inside the washing machine while taking clothes out of it.\nThe cat, nicknamed Jintiao, was in the drum throughout the running programme that lasted for more than 10 minutes.\n\nIn the video, the soaking wet and shivering feline stumbles towards his owner. His nose was red.\nThe woman said she dared not touch him, not knowing if he was injured.\nTwo days later, she began posting videos again.\nIn the videos, Jintiao appears to be healthy and lively. The cat only suffered minor injuries to its paws and recovered after she wiped and blew him dry.\nThe animal’s owner promised she would pay attention when using the washing machine in the future.\nHowever, she faced online criticism for her negligence. Some even accused her of abusing her cat.\n\n“When seeing her cat trapped in the washing machine for minutes, she did not check on him immediately or send him to hospital, but recorded a film of the cat, saying she was too scared to touch him. She should never be allowed to have a cat,” said one online observer.\nAnother said: “Maybe it was unwise to touch the cat not knowing if he suffered from internal injuries.”\nMany urged the woman to send Jintiao to hospital immediately to check for invisible injuries.\nShe did not reply to those messages or reveal if she had a vet check, Jintiao.\nA third online observer warned: “Families with pets need to always check if they are hiding in the drum before using the washing machine.”\nIt is not the first time such an accident has happened to a pet cat in China.\n\nIn August, a woman in Jiangsu posted that her pet kitten was accidentally trapped in her washing machine for 15 minutes. She watched the cat’s condition for a whole day to make sure it had recovered.\nAnother in eastern Shandong province said her cat was admitted to hospital after being trapped in the washing machine. It suffered liver and heart impairment.\nSome people also shared tips on how to prevent their curious cats from suffering the same fate.\n“Always close the door after washing your clothes,” one person said.\n“I call my cat’s name every time I am about to wash clothes, and start the machine only when I can see that he is outside the machine,” said another.\n