A curious cat took one misstep inside of a plastic bag and became one of the most unfortunate stars on YouTube this week ― as well as a teaching moment for pet owners.
Buddy the cat was exploring a plastic bag on a table as his owner, Alasdair Martin, gently coaxed in a dramatized whisper: “Get in the bag, that’s right, get all the way in.”
It starts out as a silly joke, but soon leads to the cat crawling all the way inside before losing his footing on the table’s edge. That’s when all hell appears to break loose.
“Oh my god!” Martin exclaims as Buddy turns into a white blur that bolts around his home as his owner gives chase.
Those concerned over Buddy’s plight should fear not. The video concludes with his owner carefully removing the bag from the now calmed cat, securing his freedom. A second video uploaded a day later showed Buddy snoozing on the couch with a feline companion giving him a snuggle (which he no doubt needed).
“He was totally fine after. It probably took him 2-3 minutes before he was chasing his play mouse again and taking a snooze,” Martin told HuffPost on Monday.
The video became one of the top trending videos on YouTube. But plastic bags shouldn’t be anyone’s go-to plaything.
Plastic bags like the one seen in the video can pose choking, suffocation and strangulation risks. They’re often attractive to cats for reasons that include its crinkly sound and associated smells.
Animal advocacy group Prevent Pet Suffocation advises people to cut up discarded food bags ― especially the more durable ones that are designed to contain snacks, cereal, and pet food ― to prevent animals from sticking their heads inside and getting stuck.
“Once the dog puts his head into the bag, the bag creates a vacuum-like seal around his neck. As he tries to breathe, the bag tightens around his neck, cutting off the oxygen,” their website warns. “Dogs can and do die within minutes!”
Now realizing the danger plastic bags can bring, Martin shared photos of Buddy reflecting on the hairy situation ― including one that appeared to show Buddy discussing the risks on a candy cane phone.
“He did make a call to the local cat association warning them that plastic bags aren’t to be toyed with,” Martin said.