Six-month-old Mowgli was rescued from an operating washing machine on Saturday, nine minutes into the cycle, after he climbed in without anyone seeing.

Happily, he suffered no serious injury and was back home with his family on Sunday.

Mowgli’s owner Belinda Jolley said he must have climbed into the machine when she left the laundry to get another load of washing.

She said she and her family could hear him meowing and thought he was under the back deck, where he sometimes explored.

But when she went outside to investigate, her sons started yelling that he was in the washing machine.

Mowgli was swiftly pulled out and Mrs Jolley’s husband Lyndon began to dry him in front of a heater, before taking him to Bendigo Animal Hospital.

It was a very lucky escape for Mowgli: Mr Jolley said he did not think they would have been open the door had the machine filled with much more water.

Mowgli spent the night at the vet, as there was the danger he would develop fluid in his lungs had he inhaled any washing powder. 

The effect of the detergent on his skin and eyes, as well as poisoning, were also concerns.

Thankfully Mowgli did not suffer harm, but he might be a little more cautious around certain whitegoods from now on.

Bendigo Advertiser​