US cat ‘predicts patient deaths’
A US cat with an apparent ability 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.
The two-year-old cat has been correct in 25 cases so far and staff now alert the families of residents when he sits down next to their ailing loved one.
The case is the subject of a study in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
First seen over at Mudhook’s … you can also read about a typical day in the life of Oscar the cat on her blog.
I don’t actually find this surprising as my dearly departed Lua , usually the most undemonstrative of cats (quite franky, a total bitch on four paws), always knew if I was sick and would follow me around the house, ‘taking care’ of me … mostly by never letting me out of her sight and purring all over me whenever I sat down or took a nap.
It makes sense that some animals can sense death much better than humans.
casa azahar 
Ooh, I do hope Rupert Sheldrake knows about this! (If you haven’t come across him before, look him up. He’s great!)
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Looks very interesting – thanks Dan.
Rupert Sheldrake
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I read the article in NEJM today. Interesting.
Cats have a very good sense of smell, maybe we smell different as we start to decay.
I’ve attended many sickbeds and deathbeds and there is a perticular smell when it’s an ongoing process, that you don’t are aware of in unexpected death.
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Well I’m sure Ed would like his seminal book “Dogs that know when their owners are coming home” anyway. 😉
Also, take a look at my entry above. I think it would tickle your interests.
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loldeathcat! Ha! 🙂
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Interestingly, many of the cats I hear about that are most sensitive and caring when one is ill are the least demonstratably sociable at any other time. Benjamin is like that, as is the above mentioned Oscar.
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Curious. My two cuddly boys certainly never notice when I’m sick. Yet cranky Lua would always pick up on it straight away. If I took to my bed she’d come and drape herself over my neck and start purring – awww…
Meanwhile, Woodpigeon just posted this over at Dan’s, from I Can Has Cheeseburger.
Sykik Cat
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This doesn’t surprise me. I’ve had very sensitive cats in my life that knew when I was having a bad day or just needed some affection. It was great.
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