When I was a kid we had a kitten that did that, only Mom didn't know until after she had thrown a new load in & started the dryer. Thump, thump, meoooooooow, thump, thump, meooooooooow!
This is the same kitten that got up under my Mom's hooded salon style hair dryer when she stepped away for something. That one we caught in a cute photo!
Our family has had more laughs telling stories about that poor cat.