The New England Journal of Medicine has documented the habits of an extraordinary cat named Oscar. Oscar was adopted as a kitten and grew up on the third-floor dementia unit, of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence which treats patients with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. Dr. David Dosa, has detailed the story of Oscar a two-year-old cat who has become a telltale sign of death at the nursing home. So far Oscar has been correct in 25 cases.
As nursing home residents face their final hours, Oscar seems to sense they are dying and curls up beside them. Now whenever Oscar is seen to be lying purring beside a patient the nursing staff phone the next of kin so they can arrive in time to say their goodbyes. Some family members take comfort from the fact that Oscar provides a solace and comfort for their dying loved ones.
Other families ask that Oscar be taken outside while they say goodbye to a loved one, when this occurs Oscar is said to pace up and down outside meowing in protest. Although not generally known as a friendly cat, Oscar appears to understand the events that are occurring and wants to be involved at the patient's hour of death.
Is this cat psychic or is there a biochemical explanation as a doctor who treats patients at the home believes?
Glenni
4 comments:
If I were a patient and the fur ball came near my bed, I'd beat him to death with my cane.
Maybe he's not comforting patients, maybe the patients he lies down next to are allergic to cats and he kills 'em off.
Heh. My first thought was that maybe the cat sits on their face and finishes em off.
Glenni
That reminds me of the old wives' tale of cats smothering babies.
Whatever it is, it is freaky and just reminds me that I don't trust cats.
What a system though, huh? The nurse calls the family - "Yes, Mrs. Smith, I know the doctor just saw your grandmother yesterday and said she was doing fine but the specialist, Oscar the cat, was in this morning and he says it's terminal so you'd better rush over".
Oh, so you think it's only an old wive's tale that cats smother babies. Old Films about cat smothering behaviours is right up there with Vampyre stories. It must be true I saw it on television *grin*.
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