(AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.

"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.

After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.

Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.

Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill

She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.

Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.

Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.

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.

Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.

Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."





I want to meet this cat!

maybe they see the angels gathering...

I always knew they had a 6th sense. The cats at my parents house saved my life a thousand times or more.

cats always act like they are seeing things that we dont...they are cool

i always thought that was because they are psychotic davinci lol

I have been thinking tho...when I pass on, I'd like to have a cat at my side, it would be comforting

elephants do this as well but they can't fit in the elevator

Do I have to be afraid now every time my cat is laying down beside me?????????

Murderous Cat Stalks Nursing Center

"Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack...He doesn't make too many mistakes. His accuracy...has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen [his target]. It usually means they have less than four hours to live. Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said. He'd sniff and observe [his targets] then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours. [H]is behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures."


Troubled childhood?

"[He] grew up in a third-floor dementia unit. "

I saw that artical too but I didn't post it cause it said "Murderous Cat" and I didn't think that was fair to the animal

And no Invis, your cat is safe...even tho its an Irish kitty and I hear they love to bite

DamnIt,

The paragraph in my previous post above is taken directly (piece by piece) FROM the article you posted - it isn't a different article, its the same words just edited differently. (Except I inserted "targets").

I just think its hilarious sometimes how something can be spun different ways taking things out of context.

I don't think the cat would mind.

I doubt the cat would either, but I'd hate to help spread that "spin" on it and some crazy person try to kill the cat because he thinks its stealing breath lol.

And if you ever see the pictures, its super cute!

maybe the cats just twisted and enjoys watching people die. lol

I am betting that flea infested fur ball "oscar" is a serial cat killer and CSI Miami will be doing a full 2 episode spin off on the motive being Oscar wraps his tail around the patients noses and steals their breath and smothers them and...and...and.....

running home now to my DOG!!!!

Yeah yeah, run home to your drooling dog

But I seriously think this cat is helping those who die move on, because really, we all want to be comforted in our final moments, so why not have a cat sleeping beside you? When I lived with my parents I loved sleeping under a kitty pile of 5 cats. I didn't even need a blanket cause they kept me so warm, and their purring is very soothing

I think so too cloudy.......most cats/dogs have more psychic abilities than we do. I cant sleep unless my cats are on my bed......right now they are beside me as I type.

the cat could be helping. kinda like in the old movie where they thought the cat was stealing the kids breath at night and the whole time the cat was protecting the kids from an evil little troll who was stealing their breath..... or maybe i just watch too much t.v.

kingbreeze you mean drew barrymore in that little section of the twilight zone movie?! the one where the troll would walk up to her sleeping and pinch her nose? nope! it was just on the tv channel chiller. Actually damitscloudy EVERY furball cat that has EVER been in my bed...shuddering....has draped its tail over my face...nose....FUR...INHALE...YACK!!!

that would be the one Barbie.

i think they should interrogate the nursing home cat, he may have something to say.