Saved from dryer, Maytag is on the mend

They say curiosity almost killed the cat, but a good Samaritan brought it back and to the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Ozaukee Campus after it got stuck in a dryer vent.

The staff at the Humane Society has appropriately named the 1-year-old female cat who was brought to the campus on Feb. 13, Maytag.

The cat was discovered in a Grafton home and rescued by a Port Washington woman who was trying to help her friend figure out the strange noise emanating from the dryer.

“They weren’t sure what to do because there was this critter in the dryer vent. They thought it could have been a possum or a raccoon,” said Angela Speed, vice president of communications for the Wisconsin Humane Society.

 She said Maytag was seriously injured after being caught in the dryer, and the feline was also underweight.

 “She was in really bad shape. She had significant injuries to one of her front legs, where the skin and hair were completely missing down to the tendons and muscles,” Speed said, adding the cat also had a deep gash in her head and was missing part of an ear. 

 According to Speed, Maytag is undergoing treatment with antibiotics and pain medication, but is expected to be available for adoption in a week or two.

 The cost of Maytag’s medical care is estimated at more than $1,500. Anyone interested in making a donation can visit wihumane.org/donate or call (414) 431-6119.

 No one has come forward to claim Maytag. Adoptions are on a first-come, first-served basis.