{"id":214,"date":"2013-02-05T08:22:17","date_gmt":"2013-02-05T13:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/interlachenanimalhospital.com\/?p=214"},"modified":"2013-02-05T08:22:17","modified_gmt":"2013-02-05T13:22:17","slug":"kitten-put-through-the-wringer-survives-wash-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interlachenanimalhospital.com\/?p=214","title":{"rendered":"Kitten put through the wringer, survives wash cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"

6-month-old Natasha, a Siberian Forest cat, was the most pleasant-smelling pet the veterinarian had ever treated.<\/p>\n

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Daryl Humdy of Oakland, Calif., came home last month to a laundry catastrophe. His 6-month-old Siberian Forest cat, Natasha (pictured left), accidentally went through an entire wash cycle. The incident resulted in severe hypothermia and a trip to the emergency animal hospital, earning Natasha the title of \u201cMost Unusual Claim of the Month\u201d by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI).<\/p>\n

\u201cMy roommate was loading his laundry and left the lid to the washing machine open while he went to the next room to grab more clothes,\u201d Humdy told VPI. \u201cHe came back, threw his clothes in and shut the lid to the washing machine without realizing that Natasha had jumped into it while he had been away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natasha went through the full 35-minute wash cycle. Humdy arrived home just as his roommate was pulling out his clothes to find a soaked and visibly shaken kitten. Humdy immediately rushed Natasha to the emergency clinic.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatasha was shaking and crying. I knew she was frightened, and I was frightened for her,\u201d Humdy says.<\/p>\n

At the veterinary hospital, Natasha was treated for hypothermia and shock\u2014fortunately she didn\u2019t have any broken bones or other more serious injuries. The veterinarian said she was the most pleasant-smelling pet the team had ever treated. Natasha has since made a full recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatasha\u2019s ordeal shows the importance of pet-proofing your home for kittens and puppies,\u201d says Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. \u201cLike young children, young pets are naturally curious. In addition to familiarizing new pets with their surroundings, specific action should be taken by pet owners to prevent potentially harmful and even fatal events from occurring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natasha\u2019s incident was one of more than 80,000 claims VPI received in December and employees dubbed it the \u201cmost unusual.\u201d Honorable mentions include a blue heeler dog that sustained blunt trauma after being chased down and kicked by a mule, a poodle that was hit by a bicycle and a St. Bernard that ingested a holiday ornament. All pets considered for the award made full recoveries.<\/p>\n

As the most unusual claim submitted, Natasha will be in the running for the 2013 VPI Hambone Award. Other nominees include:<\/p>\n

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