(AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. Dogs can sometimes predict an epileptic owner’s seizure or sniff at an owner’s mole, signaling a possible cancer. Now, it appears a cat can predict the deaths of patients in a nursing home.
When Oscar curls up on a patient’s bed and stays there, the staff knows it’s time to call the family. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live.
The feline’s accuracy has been observed in 25 cases at Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
“He doesn’t make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die,” Dr. David Dosa said in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
| The report in the New England Journal of Medicine is entertaining and very well written. From now on, when one of my cats curls up next to me, I’ll think of Oscar. |
in other news, Cat kills old people.
A very special cat. the kind of pet that only comes along once in a lifetime. Thank you for this story. Lifts the spirit in these troubled times.
Lets see, death, decay, hormones, scent? – – -I totally believe it.
I knew a nurse once that could smell diabetes. totally accurate. Pissed off her doctor, in a good way.
I’m still looking for a cat that will identify winning lotto numbers.
Cats one of lifes little speed bumps.
It’s an unstoppable killing machine!
Haven’t you people ever heard of a CAT SCAN??
Maybe the cat’s related to Anna Nicole Smith.
Since when did the NEJoM start writing sappy human interest stories on par with the dribble that appears in most local newspapers from time to time? Yuck…
Show me some facts, observations, scientific analysis and hypotheses, and I’ll be happy…
And, #6 Angel: ZING!!!!!!
My cats always seem to know when a dog is sick. Recently one of my dogs had a tumor removed and that night my cat literally laid her body across the scar.
But we all know the reason is these greedy little kitties are just waiting to steal their souls. They use up their nine lives pretty quickly.
…OR, when the patient sees the cat and knows the story about it, and / or observes their entire family file into the room with sombre faces, the patient is stressed to the max — and THAT is what kills them prematurely.
Geesh. People and their fricken superstitions. No wonder the world is saturated in religion.
#1, they sit on your chest and steal your breath while you sleep.
OK, you’re in hospital and this cat swings by your room and starts to hang there. I don’t know about the rest of you all, but I’d crap my pants. Then I’d look around and hope I have a roomie and start encouraging that spawn of Satan to stare at them for a while all the while, muttering to the roomie, “You’re goanna die…..”
Freakin’ creepy!!
P.S. – How many patients have, knowing that the cat is the harbinger of death, died simply because of the scenario above? I mean, they know they’re supposed to die, right?
From what I’ve read, these were all terminal Alzheimer paitients, all within the last 4 hours prior to death and were all unconcious, in a coma , and completely unaware of the cat or anyone else being present.
Doggie’s view:
Sniff, sniff??? wha? I look. scary. outside is safer. Must get pack leader to let me outside. “Bark, bark, bark”. He not come. I go get him. (patter, patter) “bark, bark, bark” Let me out! Let me out!
Owners view:
You should have seen her. Daisy came into my bedroom and warned me about the fire. She barked and pulled at my covers until I woke up and then led me down through the smoke to the front door!. She KNEW. She’s a hero! What a good doggie…yes you are…yes you are, what a smart doggie, woogie, poogie, poogie…
Creepy!
I’m with #1; it’s a Kitty Kevorkian.
#8
That’s because those are the stories people want to read.
I might add that’s the deadliest pussy since Mata Hari.
The day that my father died (last Friday morning) our dog stayed underneath him while he was in the hospital bed at home. She stayed there until after Dad went to the funeral home. She stayed over 12 hours never eating, drinking, or peeing.
I’m sorry for your loss Les.
Animals are tuned in a lot more than humans.
#12: If I were in that nursing home and that cat so much as looked into my room, I’d flip my cane end for end and start practicing my golf swing!
Think about it. How the h€ll can anyone who lives in that home not be absolutely terrified by wondering when that cat will pay a visit to their room like the Grim Reaper??
#21: You are obviously not an old person.
As for me, what with all the pains and uncertainties of life and death- I’m pretty much at the point where I’d welcome a visit from Oscar the Cat!
14.
Oh yeah, because that totally happened 25 times in a row, with the same dog.
It’s hard to call it a fluke after 25 times, with the same pattern. The cat obviously picks up a certain scent from the near-dead person and is drawn to it. Nothing mystical or magical about it.
Doesn’t stop it from being a neat story.
21 – You don’t think the personnel in the nursing home tell the patients about this do you?