Cat survives washing machine spin

The life cycle of a Dunedin cat, Louie, nearly ended after he went through a wash cycle.

After several months of recovery, the 2-year-old tabby is ready to detail his fight with a front-loading machine.

In March, Louie entered a Maori Hill house about 2km away from his Helensburgh home and stopped for a sleep in some dirty washing in the machine.

The home owner, Lisa Te Pana, said she unknowingly put more dirty washing on Louie before starting a wash cycle and leaving the house for the day.

She returned home about five hours later and was shocked to find the sodden cat in her washing.

"When I opened the door my washing moved ... I was so upset."

She immediately called SPCA Otago.

On-call duty officer Julie Richardson said she was at Mrs Te Pana's house in 10 minutes. "I could tell it was serious because she [Mrs Te Pana] was so upset when she phoned."

When she arrived, Louie was "absolutely drenched, stone cold and lifeless".

The short-haired tabby was hypothermic and had ulcers in his eyes, nose and throat from the caustic washing powder.

She rushed Louie to Pet Doctors in Northeast Valley in the "animal ambulance" with the heaters on full.

At the vets, Louie was put on heat pads and a drip. The cat was lucky to survive the afternoon spin, Ms Richardson said. "He's a lucky wee boy."

Louie's microchip provided SPCA Otago the contact details of his owner, Keri Ballantyne who said the call from Ms Richardson took her by surprise.

Mrs Ballantyne had no idea her moggy was missing from his Helensburgh home, let alone at death's door.

"It was quite a shock."

* SPCA Otago executive officer Sophie McSkimming said SPCA Otago would be collecting funds this week through its street appeal. The SPCA needs to raise $500,000 nationally, with a regional goal of $30,000.