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Oscar, the death-predicting cat
Status: Unexplained phenomenon
The latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 357, Number 4) contains a short article about Oscar, a cat that seems to possess the ability to predict when people are about to die. Oscar's home is the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, so he has many chances to be around dying people. When patients are about to die, he curls up next to them and happily sleeps there, until they're dead. Then he quietly exits the room. Most of the time the dying patients are so sick they don't even know he's there. The article in the NEJM states: Since he was adopted by staff members as a kitten, Oscar the Cat has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. Thus far, he has presided over the deaths of more than 25 residents on the third floor of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. His mere presence at the bedside is viewed by physicians and nursing home staff as an almost absolute indicator of impending death, allowing staff members to adequately notify families. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone. For his work, he is highly regarded by the physicians and staff at Steere House and by the families of the residents whom he serves.
Oscar is a cute cat, but my first thought was whether Oscar could somehow be causing or hastening the deaths of the patients, though I can't imagine how this could be. An Associated Press article raises some other possibilities: No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Normally I'm happy if a cat curls up with me, but in Oscar's case, I would be a little concerned. (Thanks, Big Gary)
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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"Megan as you are well aware Dogs and other animals have long been established as "good" etc. for healing and calming purposes to both the sick and elderly...in a dementia/alzheimers unit don't you think that is a good thing for people that can sometimes be horribly scared and "out-of-touch" and "trapped" in their own minds? ie: a calming loving cat...? The answer Megan is yes."
But cats & dogs are still ANIMALS. People can easily clean themselves & take precautions to not shed too much of their skin & hair cells all over the place. Dogs & cats can't do that. In fact, they probably do all they can to shed as much as possible by scratching/licking/cleaning themselves.
To hell with "theraputic" uses for cats & dogs. They're still nasty dirty things & don't belong in a hospital - even if it is just a nursing home for old peopl.
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 10:40 AM
But cats & dogs are still ANIMALS. People can easily clean themselves & take precautions to not shed too much of their skin & hair cells all over the place. Dogs & cats can't do that. In fact, they probably do all they can to shed as much as possible by scratching/licking/cleaning themselves.
To hell with "theraputic" uses for cats & dogs. They're still nasty dirty things & don't belong in a hospital - even if it is just a nursing home for old peopl.
It could be a different cat,
I thought the previous one's name was oscar too
but it was the medical facility that I remembered most.
They have a lot of cats there and not all the patients are happy about it.
(I'm pretty sure the name was Oscar though, maybe this one is the son or something)
Posted by Sharruma in capable of finishing a coherent on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 11:11 AM
I thought the previous one's name was oscar too
but it was the medical facility that I remembered most.
They have a lot of cats there and not all the patients are happy about it.
(I'm pretty sure the name was Oscar though, maybe this one is the son or something)
what does GWB have in common with a creepy deathcat that steals the breath of the gravely ill, you ask? They both lick balls; the cat- his own... GWB- Cheney's and possibly Condy's, too... as for differences, well, I assume the cat is housebroken
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 01:22 PM
Oscar is obviously the Angel of Death....
Posted by Josh in Texas on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 04:48 PM
Maegan, if it's like many nursing homes I've been to, then much of it is probably more like a dormatory than a hospital. It's (hopefully) not as though the cat is wandering into operating rooms.
Posted by Accipiter in the Northern Hemisphere, unless They have lied. on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 06:47 PM
"Didn't anybody think that maybe these people were allergic to cats?" - Jay Leno
Posted by Captain Al in Alberta, Canada on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 08:47 PM
Nothing strange and nothing paranormal. As we approach death our bodies close down. Internal organs no longer filter waste products out of our blood and into urine or faeces. These waste products end up excreted by the lungs or skin. The smell is probably discernible to Oscar, but not to most humans. Quite why it attracts him I don't know, but cats react to scents.
Possibly the body's thermoregulation also fails and the change in skin temperature attracts Oscar to curl up.
I can visually notice signs of the shutting down process in my cats, up to 24 hours before it happens (or I use the signs as guidance for euthanasia) so it's not surprising that a cat can detect signs of death in other species.
The explanation is very mundane in spite of the media proclaiming it to be psychic. The question isn't that Oscar is able to detect this, but why he is attracted to it.
The ability to discern somethign as freshly dead is probably necessary in a predator like the cat. Mice do not take kindly to being eaten while still alive. This would be even more important in big cats whose prey has horns/tusks and hooves.
Posted by Sarah (Messybeast) on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 04:15 AM
Possibly the body's thermoregulation also fails and the change in skin temperature attracts Oscar to curl up.
I can visually notice signs of the shutting down process in my cats, up to 24 hours before it happens (or I use the signs as guidance for euthanasia) so it's not surprising that a cat can detect signs of death in other species.
The explanation is very mundane in spite of the media proclaiming it to be psychic. The question isn't that Oscar is able to detect this, but why he is attracted to it.
The ability to discern somethign as freshly dead is probably necessary in a predator like the cat. Mice do not take kindly to being eaten while still alive. This would be even more important in big cats whose prey has horns/tusks and hooves.
Well, either the cat is a psychic vampire, or it's the physical representation on this plane of an awful soul-sucking demon. Or it's just one of those things cats do to freak humans out. They're very good at that.
Posted by Nona in London on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 04:17 AM
Is this what our health care system has come down to when this is the only 'cat scan' the hospice can afford?
Posted by TJ in New Mexico on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 07:58 AM
"To hell with "theraputic" uses for cats & dogs. They're still nasty dirty things & don't belong in a hospital - even if it is just a nursing home for old peopl."
It's obvious you're not an animal fan. I'm sure if you asked the majority of people in the nursing home, most of them don't mind shed fur or skin cells. (Which can easily be cleaned up anyway, unless there's no janitor or housekeepr around.)
If I were in a nursing home, I'd be much happier with a pet to keep me company.
Posted by Sakano in Ohio on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 12:37 PM
It's obvious you're not an animal fan. I'm sure if you asked the majority of people in the nursing home, most of them don't mind shed fur or skin cells. (Which can easily be cleaned up anyway, unless there's no janitor or housekeepr around.)
If I were in a nursing home, I'd be much happier with a pet to keep me company.
My father died three years ago from lung cancer. Two months before he was diagnosed my cat suddenly would not go near him. Before this they were best buddies. I believe my cat knew my dad was very ill. You can't tell me animals don't pick up on this stuff. I think Oscar is terrific.
Posted by Karen Patterson in Orchard Park, NY on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:21 PM
AS A CAT OWNER FOR YEARS, I TRULY BELIEVE A CAT CAN HAVE SENSES OVER HUMANS. NOT ALL CATS! I HAVE FOUR CATS. I THINK MALE CATS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO HUMANS.
THIS CAT OF MINE "KNOWS" WHEN YOU ARE VERY SICK OR IF YOU ARE DOWN IN THE DUMPS. THAT'S THE ONLY TIME HE WILL CURL-UP TO YOU, VERY CLOSELY. OTHERWISE HE JUST GOES ABOUT HIS BUSINESS OF TAKING NAPS.
AS SOMEONE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE EGYPTIANS BELIEVED CATS TO LEAD THE DEAD TO A SPIRITUAL PLACE OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
THEY SAY CATS HAVE A SENSE OF SPIRITUAL PRESENCES...SUCH AS GHOSTS OR SPIRITS. HOW A CAT WILL JUST BE SITTING THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR AS YOU WATCH TV...AND SUDDENLY ACT AS THOUGH THEY SEE SOMETHING OR ARE STARTLED BY SOMETHING...AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE! CREEPY!!!
Posted by Mike in Illinois on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:23 PM
THIS CAT OF MINE "KNOWS" WHEN YOU ARE VERY SICK OR IF YOU ARE DOWN IN THE DUMPS. THAT'S THE ONLY TIME HE WILL CURL-UP TO YOU, VERY CLOSELY. OTHERWISE HE JUST GOES ABOUT HIS BUSINESS OF TAKING NAPS.
AS SOMEONE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE EGYPTIANS BELIEVED CATS TO LEAD THE DEAD TO A SPIRITUAL PLACE OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
THEY SAY CATS HAVE A SENSE OF SPIRITUAL PRESENCES...SUCH AS GHOSTS OR SPIRITS. HOW A CAT WILL JUST BE SITTING THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR AS YOU WATCH TV...AND SUDDENLY ACT AS THOUGH THEY SEE SOMETHING OR ARE STARTLED BY SOMETHING...AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE! CREEPY!!!
AND ANOTHER THING...THAT CATS IS PROBABLY ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF LIVES!
IF HE STARTED WALKING TOWARD ME...HE'D GET ONE SWIFT KICK!
IMAGINE ALL THOSE NERVOUS SENIORS AS THE CAT HEADS TOWARD THEM JUST TO BE PET! CHANGE HIS NAME TO "DEATH" OR "THE GRIM REAPER"!
Posted by Mike in Illinois on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:26 PM
IF HE STARTED WALKING TOWARD ME...HE'D GET ONE SWIFT KICK!
IMAGINE ALL THOSE NERVOUS SENIORS AS THE CAT HEADS TOWARD THEM JUST TO BE PET! CHANGE HIS NAME TO "DEATH" OR "THE GRIM REAPER"!
I bet that cat supports Ron Paul for president in 2008
Posted by Julius on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:49 PM
This fur ball is unlucky for sure. Cat descides to sleep in a bed and the occupant dies....creepy
Posted by EDDIE on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:50 PM
the truth is, Oscar is posessed by a spirit or it's a spirit re-encarnated in a cat's body...
Posted by TO in San Diego,CA on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 03:59 PM
Well, some dogs can sense when a person is going to have an epileptic seizure, so I'm guessing Oscar can sense a change in brain activity signaling eminent death. I think he curls up with the dying person to provide comfort in their last hours.
Posted by Rebecca in San Francisco, CA on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 04:00 PM
the cat is evil. just look at it.
Posted by richard in philippines on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 04:17 PM
INTRESTING STORY, VERY INTRESTING COMMENTS.I THINK I AGREE WITH WHAT THEY ARE CLAIMING OSCAR TO BE DOING. MY SISTER'S CAT ALWAYS HATED MY MOTHER, BUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY, HE WAS WITH HER ALL THE TIME. TOO BAD WE DIDNT GET THIS STORY IN MARCH!!!
ROCK ON OSCAR!!!
Now, the way I see it, there are two possibilities:
The first is the more exciting one; Oscar is actually able to perceive something about those that are near death, and responds to it. While I personally find this somewhat unlikely, we can't totally rule it out; having never been cats ourselves, we aren't privy to exactly what cats can and can't perceive.
The second is the option I find more likely; Oscar merely likes to curl up with people for the warmth and company. Some-times though, they die, and when they start to cool, he loses interest and leaves. People notice it when he leaves the newly departed, because they're there and paying attention to what's going on. However, when he curls up with a living person in no danger of dying, he eventually gets bored or hungry and wanders off; since the person is still alive, no one takes notice of the cat; he's just dong what cats do.
Ascribing dome mystical significance to these events is foolish in the extreme. Unless of course he actually is some sort of aura-hungy feline grim reaper, but I honestly think that that is just stupid.
Posted by Semicolon? in Oregon on Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 04:57 PM
The first is the more exciting one; Oscar is actually able to perceive something about those that are near death, and responds to it. While I personally find this somewhat unlikely, we can't totally rule it out; having never been cats ourselves, we aren't privy to exactly what cats can and can't perceive.
The second is the option I find more likely; Oscar merely likes to curl up with people for the warmth and company. Some-times though, they die, and when they start to cool, he loses interest and leaves. People notice it when he leaves the newly departed, because they're there and paying attention to what's going on. However, when he curls up with a living person in no danger of dying, he eventually gets bored or hungry and wanders off; since the person is still alive, no one takes notice of the cat; he's just dong what cats do.
Ascribing dome mystical significance to these events is foolish in the extreme. Unless of course he actually is some sort of aura-hungy feline grim reaper, but I honestly think that that is just stupid.
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