Is your tip is for all pets? Specify type of pet.
Yes, but mainly for cats
Did your tip work the first time you tried it?
I had to learn the hard way, but everything turned out OK. Whew.
Any special cautions or warnings?
This happens more often than people are aware.
My tip for keeping pets safe
Always check the clothes dryer and washer before turning them on. Cats love the warmth of a dryer. Warm or not some just love to explore adark cubby hole.
How/why I learned this tip
Even though I new about this hazard, I was distracted and busy and turned the dryer on. My black cat had somehow slipped by me, and I was standing in front of the washer and dryer the entire time!
I always checked a warm dryer, before loading the next load, but in this case the dryer was cold, filled with wet clothes. And... I was standing right there.
We were lucky, I realized the error quickly, and my cat Barnie was completely fine. Had I been distracted by a phone call or any of the many other interruptions of daily life, the story would have been grim. Cats die in dryers every year.
Please be safe and check the dryer and washer every time you use them. To learn more, read Barnie's full story.
Tips and Tricks
- Just because the dryer isn't warm doesn't mean your cat won't go in it.
- Cats have also been trapped in washing machines.
- Never underestimate how quickly your cat (or small dog) can hop in and be hidden.
- Machines are loud. Don't count on hearing your cat's meow. Act quickly.
- Some people advocate aversive training for the dryer - shaking a can of coins or similar to incite fear in your cat if they go near the dryer. It may work for some repeat offender cats. Never physically punish your cat as part of this training.
