'It's a miracle': Cat survives 30-minute washing machine cycle after being given mouth to mouth by owner - with VIDEO
A lucky cat miraculously survived a 30-minute cycle in a washing machine – after being given the kiss of life by his owner.
Nine-month-old Tiggy was motionless and not breathing when he was pulled from the machine drum by his devastated owner Rae Sutton.
But after mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her living room sofa, the cat began breathing again and was rushed to the nearby veterinary practice. On being given an oxygen mask, the cat awoke from his coma and amazingly returned back home just three hours after the drama.
“He’s grounded from now on, I’m not letting him out of my sight again,” said Mrs Sutton, aged 72, of Baldwin Street, Bilston.
"I thought I’d lost him, he was dead when I pulled him out, I was hysterical, I ran outside screaming before sitting down on the sofa with him in my arms.
“Then I saw his mouth drop open and I began to give him mouth-to-mouth, gently, while massaging his stomach. It went on for around 20 minutes. Then, all of a sudden, his stomach started going up an down. I went mad and called up John my husband and we went to the vets.
“They put an oxygen mask over him and we were told to come back in two hours - we did and they said we could take him home, it is unbelievable.”
The black cat, a domestic short-haired breed, is now recovering at home from head injuries, swelling and bruising.
Mrs Sutton lives with husband John, 64, and their seven cats – Tiggy, Socks, Ozzy, Bella, Mitzie, Lucy and Jessy.
All the cats are from rescue homes, except Tiggy, who the couple got from their next door neighbour six months ago.
Mrs Sutton, who was a first aider at Arthur Shaw & Company in Willenhall, said: “I think there should be some kind of warning of washing machines to stop this happening. Maybe a sticker reminding people to take care when animals are about.”
Steve Mullender, owner of Bilston Veterinary Clinic, said: “It is a miracle. It is a lesson for people that cats like going into small places to hide. To be in the washing machine cycle, with the heat, toxins and movement, it is very dangerous.”
