Melbourne house fire kills five cats

Five cats are dead and a sixth had to be resuscitated by firefighters after a blaze broke out in a West Melbourne home.

Fire crews found the cats in the burning King Street house before midday on Tuesday.

The MFB initially reported all six cats survived however the brigade later confirmed five of the felines had succumbed to the smoke.

The top floor of the two-storey house was well alight when crews arrived and they had trouble getting into the property because of a large amount of bric-a-brac inside.

Firefighters searched the house twice for the woman who lives there.

"(But) fortunately it appears she was not at home at the time of the fire," the MFB said in a statement, adding the damage bill was estimated to be $100,000.

A MFB spokesman said to revive the cat that was saved, firefighters held an oxygen mask over its face and gently massaged it to encourage the feline to respond.