Cat lucky to be alive after owner accidentally locks it in washing machine

A cat managed to escape unscathed after his owner accidentally locked him in a washing machine.

Janae Blackman, 22, had no idea long-haired cat Optimus Jack had snuck into the washing machine when she loaded it and set it for a 30-minute spin.

Luckily Blackman, from New York, United States, heard a loud noise in the washer and quickly stopped the cycle and rescued her pet.

She said: "I'd had a busy day at work and was catching up on some laundry.

"I loaded the washer in the bathroom, then went to the kitchen but I heard a thud in the washer so I looked inside and he was in there scrambling around.”

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Blackman, who is a disability mentor and studying business management, added: "I panicked and just thought 'oh my God, is this really happening?’

"I'm just thankful we can stop the washing machine because not everyone's washing machine does that but when I stop mine the water drains out.

"He'd only been in there for about a minute but it could have been a lot worse.

"I got him out, examined him and dried him off. I just couldn't believe it had really happened."

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Blackman said her pet learned his lesson and hasn't napped in the washing machine since.

She said: "He stares at it when a load is in and it looks like he's thinking how evil it is."

The student shared the ordeal on Facebook to warn other cat owners and her pet is now so famous he has his own Instagram page at optimusjackthecat.

She added: "We named him after Optimus Prime because he's a leader and Jack Sparrow because he's so curious.

"He has a great personality."

Blackman said: "I find comfort in laughing when things like this happen and he looked quite funny."

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