Cat's "Sixth Sense" Predicting Death?

Nursing Home Cat Named Oscar Seems to Know When Death Is Near

(WebMD)  Predicting the death of a patient, even an elderly, demented one, is an inexact science, even for a doctor with decades of medical experience.

But a cat in a Providence, R.I., nursing home, an animal shelter refugee named Oscar, seems to have a sixth sense about when residents in the home's advanced dementia unit are about to pass away. And his actions can sometimes
help alert the staff to notify family members in time for them to get to the nursing home to tell their loved ones goodbye.

When he senses their time is near, Oscar goes to the room, jumps onto the bed, curls up next to the patient, and purrs. The 2-year-old cat provides
welcome company for grieving family members and staff keeping their bedside
vigil; sometimes he fills in for family members who haven't yet arrived at the bedside.

So far, Oscar has "presided over" the deaths of more than 25 residents in the advanced dementia unit of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Although the story sounds far-fetched, David M. Dosa, MD, MPH, a geriatrician who cares for patients at the nursing home, thought it was time the story of Oscar was heard.

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Only On The Web: More with Oscar the cat

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On a whim, he wrote an essay about Oscar and submitted it to TheNew England Journal of Medicine, known more for its scientific reports on chemotherapy regimens, drug reactions, infections, and heart defects than reports on feline behavior.

"I was quite surprised they agreed to publish it," he tells WebMD. "It is not usually the type of article they will publish." The saga of Oscar, complete with his photo, is in the July 26 issue of the journal.

From Shelter Resident to Star

Oscar's been living at Steere House since he was a young kitten and staff members bailed him out of a nearby animal shelter. "I first heard about him
from the nurses on the unit," says Dosa, also a geriatrician at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert
Medical School of Brown University, Providence, R.I. "It came to light that
he was spending time with patients as they were becoming terminal."

The cat, Dosa says, seems to snap to attention when he senses a patient is about to die. In the essay, for instance, Dosa tells of Oscar arriving at the room of a woman and curling up beside her for more than an hour, purring and paying attention to the patient as the family arrives and the priest gives last rites, then quietly taking his leave minutes after the woman passes away.

"As people would pass, the question [among staff] was always, 'Was Oscar at the bedside?'" Dosa tells WebMD. "And the answer was invariably 'yes.' This is an end-stage dementia unit. Deaths are common."

Oscar typically arrives at a dying patient's bedside a few hours before death, Dosa says, but sometimes a half day before. His presence has been
a comfort to many family members, Dosa says. And his presence, coupled with a resident's worsening state of health, can help alert the nursing home staff to let family members know the patient may be nearing death. As Oscar's reputation grew, so did appreciation for his mission. "The largest
hospice organization in the state presented him with a certificate b&
acknowledging his work," Dosa says.

How Does He Know?

Explaining Oscar's track record and seeming ability to "read" a resident's end-of-life stages and predict death is a mystery, Dosa and others at the nursing home acknowledge. "Your guess is as good as mine," Dosa says when asked how Oscar picks up the sense of impending death.

"We know from some objective findings when death is imminent," Dosa says. For instance, if respirations grow difficult in a very sick patient, he says, doctors may tell loved ones death will probably occur soon.

The cat, however, might be picking up on specific odors surrounding death,
Dosa and other says.

"I think there are certain chemicals released when somene is dying, and he is smelling and sensing those," says Joan Teno, MD, professor of community health and medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, R.I., who also cares for Steere House residents.

Another possibility: "I think he is following the patterning behavior of the staff," Teno tells WebMD. "This is an excellent nursing home. If a dying person is alone, the staff will actually go in so the patient is not
alone. They will hold a vigil."

Oscar has seen that pattern repeated many times, she says, and may be
mimicking it.

"Animals are intuitive," she says. "We don't give them enough credit."

One of the first cases, Teno says, involved a resident who had a blood clot
in her leg. "Her leg was ice cold," Teno says. "Oscar wrapped his body around her leg," she says, and stayed until the woman died.

Animal Experts Weigh In

Three animal behavior experts say the explanation about Oscar sensing a smell associated with dying is a plausible one.

"I suspect he is smelling some chemical released just before dying," says Margie Scherk, DVM, president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, an organization devoted to improving the health and well-being of cats, and a veterinarian in Vancouver, British Columbia. "Cats can smell a lot of things we can't," she says. "And cats can certainly detect
illness."

"Cats have a superb sense of smell," adds Jill Goldman, PhD, a certified applied animal behaviorist in Laguna Beach, Calif. In Oscar's case, she says, keeping a dying resident company may also be learned behavior. "There has been ample opportunity for him to make an association between 'that' smell [and death]," she says.

While the sense of smell may be one explanation, there could be another,
says Daniel Estep, PhD, a certified applied animal behaviorist in Littleton,
Colo. "One of the things that happen with people who are dying is that they
are not moving around much. Maybe the cat is picking up on the fact that the
person on the bed is very quiet. It may not be smell or sounds, but just the
lack of movement."

[peg4blues]

My father is dying as of this moment, Molly the house cat is coming to see him everyevening. He has laid on his bed but usually just checks in on him and/or lies by the door. My dad has been there for 1 month and this has only happened since he is shutting down. I find it comforting to have Molly. In Egypt cats were worshipped as guardians to the gates of heaven, now I know why. Thanks

[michellem99-2009]

T am a legally blind,have C/P and due C.P have seizures. I was born too early. That 54. I say dogs rule. We were slaying in motel and the owner had a dog that never entered a person's room. I use a white cane. To the dismay of her Master,his dog went in the room as she sat there . She knew and wanted me safe. She knew of my blindness. That surprised her Master.
I had a cat when I was young and I was the only she sat in my lap. One day Muffin did not come to me and one of the Smart twins ran over her. That broke my little heart as I trully loved her.
I love dogs. I miss Zoey a friend's dog we dogsat. Loved her. So we had food for her when she stayed. She died. Such a good dog. And she was.

[erasmus6]

zehaas

That is very unlikely. Usually they say you can't get a disease from a cat. I heard once of something but it would be extremely rare and doubtful you would die. You could get worms or ring worm or something but you are not going to die from it.

[zehaas]

Has anyone considered the possibility the cat is carrying a disease and is CAUSING the patient's death instead of PREDICTING it?

Just a thought.
Zehaas

[samthetvcat]

"I think cats have waaay more talent than dogs. Sure dogs can do tricks and so can cats but cats have waaaay better ESP!:)"
Posted by erasmus6 at 12:28 AM : Jul 28, 2007

Sammy sensed that you were going to say that! lol ;)

^..^ Cats rule! (Dogs are cool too :) )

[erasmus6]

Hermit22

And so actually, how did you know they were a child abuser?

[erasmus6]

SamTheTVCat

"I could see how cats have talents too."

I think cats have waaay more talent than dogs. Sure dogs can do tricks and so can cats but cats have waaaay better ESP!:)

[samthetvcat]

"Of course that would be if it was a reputable place and we know that some not so reputable places exist, don't we?"
Posted by erasmus6 at 07:09 PM : Jul 27, 2007

he he - The doctor who wrote the paper was on Glenn Beck last night (don't watch the show, just caught sight of Oscar while channel surfing) and Glenn asked him whether it was possible somebody was making it so the cat was having those outcomes and the doctor totally looked 110% sincere and said that the high caliber of care is what makes Oscar's story so remarkable because he's certain it's truly all Oscar.

Also, he said he's gotten letters from all over the world (even places like India and stuff) from people who have noticed the exact same phenomena . . . I guess it's possible the doctor could be getting snowed, but hearing about all the amazing stuff animals can do like sniff out drugs and predict tsunamis, I could see how cats have talents too :)

Who knows for sure though . . .

[erasmus6]

ferseriously

A person who is allergic to cats usually gets all stuffed up and sneezes a lot so they would probably know and keep the cat out of the room or get rid of it.

Of course that would be if it was a reputable place and we know that some not so reputable places exist, don't we?

[ferseriously]

Have they ever came across a case where the patient was like, allergic to cats? Because that would be a miserable last two hours of life.

[ferseriously]

Have you ever came across someone allergic to cats?..

[erasmus6]

sy2502

"...they won't go near rotting stuff."

They will be eating you long before you rot.

[edurose1]

I have a granddaughter who was born as a mirco preemie. Against all odds, she survived but not without problems such as cerebral palsy, redardation, and seizures. There are 4 cats in the house as she enjoys playing and feeding them. One night she was having a seizure during the night and all 4 cats were at my daughters' bedroom door scratching and mewing. My daughter got up to chase them away and decided to look in on my granddaughter and she found her in the midst of having a seizure. The cats sensed something and they knew where to go to get help! I think cats have a sense about them that allows them to sense impending health occurances. My own cat senses when either my husband or I are not feeling well and curls up with either of us. She senses our health problems and needs to comfort us. Cats are amazing and people need to pay more attention and give cats credit for having this unusual sense that makes them want to comfort you in your time of need.
Elizabeth DuRose

[sy2502]

sy2502
When my daughter was in college, a professor in one of her classes told them about it. Now of course I suppose he could have been LYING.
Posted by erasmus6 at 01:27 PM : Jul 27, 2007

I am not saying he would be lying, I am saying it doesn't make sense. Cats are very picky in their choice of food, they won't go near rotting stuff. Also, when I have a cut in my hand, if my cat's nose gets anywhere near it he will recoil from it, as if the smell of my blood was offensive to him. Will a cat that is starving to death eat anything remotely edible? Of course! Will a cat eat us just because we are dead and at hand? I doubt it.

PS: I have heard stuff from my college teachers that was pure BS so I take everything with a grain of salt.

[wiccantexan]

If you were a cat owner, WiccanTexan, you would know just the purring of a cat is very comforting along with the warmth of their bodies next to yours. Sometimes just feeling love is comforting to us all, sick or not.
Posted by AngeltoAngel at 09:57 AM : Jul 27, 2007

Of course it is. But my point again is, that conscious comfort of the patient may not be the cat's intent. And BTW, I've had cats (and dogs) since I was in second grade. My cat sleeps with me every night.

[erasmus6]

sy2502

When my daughter was in college, a professor in one of her classes told them about it. Now of course I suppose he could have been LYING.

[sy2502]

But when I said that if you die and are left alone with your cat, it will eat you, THAT IS A FACT.
Posted by erasmus6 at 03:30 AM : Jul 27, 2007

How would you know that for a fact?

[iceman_1960]

We owned a cat once, that had an uncanny ability to predict the deaths of various birds and small animals that lived in the neighborhood.

[yoopermom]

With all the other stories about murderers, plain crashes, missing children, etc. It is refreshing to read a %u201Cfeel good%u201D story.

I have frequent kidney infections. When I get one, my cat will curl up against my back and purr. She is much better than a heating pad and the purring is soothing when the kidney is aching.

Thank you to all that shared their stories.

[angeltoangel]

I am a cat owner as well who has experienced similar behavior with our cat. She will spend the entire day in the bed with me or my husband when we are not well which is unusual for her because on normal days she is in the window napping or watching for birds. When I can home from surgery last year she spent three days in bed with me until I was able to move around. My husband was absolutly amazed at her behavior. I have recently begun to have extremely bad headachs and the last time I did she woke me up sniffing and licking my forehead which she had never done before. She sences things we cannot explain, but I understand dogs do similar things as well. If you were a cat owner, WiccanTexan, you would know just the purring of a cat is very comforting along with the warmth of their bodies next to yours. Sometimes just feeling love is comforting to us all, sick or not.