Dubai: Emmy the 'miracle' kitten survives after being in a 20-minute washing machine cycle

Soaking wet, unconscious and cold to the touch, a two-month-old kitten was rushed to a Dubai pet clinic after being stuck in a full washing machine cycle. The veterinarian called it a “miracle” that she survived.

Alyona Shyyko bought herself two Scottish Fold kittens, Emmy and Grey, in April who were two weeks old at the time. Soon after, she also got herself an adult cat, Tommy.

“I grew up with my grandfather in Ukraine in a house full of domestic animals. We had dogs and cats everywhere so it was my dream to have a cat in Dubai,” the 45-year-old homemaker said.

However, on May 13, Emmy had to be rushed to the emergency section of the local vet clinic, barely moving.

How did it happen?

Shyyko said that she has a room where the three cats stay.

“I told our domestic worker to take the cats downstairs as I asked her to clean the room the cats stay in and I was scared they would lick the chemicals of the cleaning products,” she said.

Once Emmy was taken downstairs, she climbed into the washing machine without Shyyko knowing, she said. "Tommy likes to climb into the washing machine, I think Emmy learnt it from her," she added.

Shyyko started the washing machine cycle.

“I heard faint sounds of the kittens meowing and crying but I thought that my children were playing with them,” the mother-of-three said.

The washing machine stopped and Shyyko continued to do her work till her six-year-old son came “running” with Emmy soaking wet covered in a sheet Shyyko had washed.

“I immediately understood what had happened but I could not even look at the kitten, I was shocked,” she said.

Shyyko said that her sister, who resides with the family, rushed the kitten to the vet.

Dr Amira Elsayed at Petzone Veterinary Clinic treated the kitten.

“When Emmy was brought into the clinic, she was in a very bad condition. She had trouble breathing, her eyes were inflamed and her temperature was low,” Elsayed said.

“Thankfully the water in the washing machine was not hot and that saved her,” she added.

At the facility, Emmy was kept two days and treated. “We gave her oxygen and Intravenous therapy (IV) therapy and constantly monitored her. For the two days she had to be fed with a syringe as she could not sit up,” the vet said.

On May 16, Emmy was sent home with Shyyko.

Surprised by how Emmy survived, she said: “In my career of 15 years, I have not seen a case like this. I asked Alyona to change her name to ‘survivor’.”

Currently, Emmy seems to be healthy and has recovered enough to be out of danger, Elsayed said.

“She is running around and eating on her own. It is a miracle,” Shyyko said.

“We all need a positive story in hard times as we deal with coronavirus, so I thought to share Emmy’s,” she added.