I wish my cat was this clever


US cat 'predicts patient deaths'

A US cat that is reportedly able to sense when a nursing home's residents are about to die is baffling doctors.

Oscar has a habit of curling up next to patients at the home in Providence, Rhode Island, in their final hours.

According to the author of a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the two-year-old cat has been observed to be correct in 25 cases so far.

Staff now alert the families of residents when he sits down next to their ailing loved one.

"He doesn't make many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," David Dosa, a professor at Brown University who carried out the research, told the Associated Press news agency.

'Premonitions'

Oscar was adopted as a kitten at Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre.


Cats often can sense when their owners are sick or when another animal is sick
Thomas Graves, feline expert

The cat is said to do his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses at the home, but is not generally friendly to patients.

Although most families are grateful for the warning Oscar seems to provide, some relatives ask that the pet be taken away while they say their last goodbyes to their loved ones.

When put outside the room, Oscar is said to pace up and down meowing in protest.

Thomas Graves, a feline expert from the University of Illinois, told the BBC: "Cats often can sense when their owners are sick or when another animal is sick.

"They can sense when the weather will change, they're famous for being sensitive to premonitions of earthquakes."

A doctor who treats patients at the home said she believed there was probably a biochemical explanation, rather than the cat being psychic.

i saw this too. wonder what's up with this cat? how does he know when people are about to die???

XxAxX said:

kittyclawians.

i guess he gives cat scans

cat kervorkian

It's the devil and he's there to collect their souls

animals are often able to sense things people can not.

i read this story this morning on the subway paper. cute story, but it struck me as odd they had placed it on the front page.

I've heard of several stories like this.

i wonder if all animals have this ability and only humans don't?

Whoops!! My bad!

Whenever I was upset my cat knew. She'd jump up on my bed and sit on my head.

CarrieLee said:

Surely that only makes things worse?

sj1600 said:

Nah, not until she would dig her claws in me. Aww baby I miss you!!! She's buried in our rose garden. I want to dig up her skull.

XxAxX said:

I doubt that. Certain Animals are intuitive. I think Humans are too, but they simply don't tap into that part of them that often.

superspaceboy said:

My mom knew my brother was dead the minute she woke up. Took her all day to get off the couch to go to his apt. to check up on him. She just knew...

CarrieLee said:

CarrieLee said:

i had a cat that was super empathetic that way, and would try to comfort me like that.

some do, some don't

CarrieLee said:

wow

When my grandmother went to the hospital(where she later died)...my aunt's dog did not want her 2 leave my house.Hes very stuck up and standoff-ish but this time he wouldnt get off her feet.Hed lay there,and wouldnt move.My aunt had to pick him up.Later when she died,my aunt cried,and both my dog and her dog howled,not barked or made that whining crying noise...they howled,like wolves.My dog has never did that and hasnt done it since.It was like they knew what happened.This may seem crazy 2 you guys but my aunt's dog,the standoff-ish one kept staring at me and licking me...almost kind of like he was trying to comfort me.He usually never even wants me 2 pet him.

PleasurePrinciple said:

some do, it happens.

CarrieLee said:

if i'm really upset one of my cats will howl until i let her in to sit on me. the other one doesn't care, though.

evenstar3 said:

A few years ago I was flipping out large and my cat walked over to me and bit me then ran away.

JustErin said:

she wanted you to stfu!! hahahaaa!!! My Baby used to meow whenever my mom and brother were fighting. MEOW, SHUT UP! MEOW I freakin' love it!

JustErin said:

how evil!

ArielB said:

or at least sucking the life from them

NDRU said:

Cats don't do that, trolls do.

Maybe the patients were just highly allergic to cats?

Just to be on the safe side, I'll add it to my list of "Things To Avoid To Reduce Risk Of Death"...

Here's number one on the list:



If you see this woman in your immediate vicinity, run as fast as you fucking can! She is an Angel Of Death!!! If she calls at your home unannounced for a weekend stay, claiming to be your grandmother's cousin's sister-in-law (or some other such ruse) you may as well say your fucking prayers.

To add insult to injury, she will probably write about your grisly demise in gory detail, profiting from your premature death.

Justin1972UK said:

that show still cracks me up... small town with a couple thousand, and a murder victim at least once a week... you do the math