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Cat Predicts More Than 50 Deaths
Monday, January 25, 2010 19:25 GMT
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Wireless Flash - FlashNews) – A special cat in Providence, Rhode Island, knows exactly when someone is going to die.Oscar the tabby lives among patients with dementia at the Steere House Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Whenever a resident is a few hours from passing away, Oscar climbs onto their bed and lays with them until they die, refusing to leave.
Dr. David Dosa, who works with Oscar, says the cat has predicted more than 50 deaths this way because he’s so “attuned” to patients.
The kitty’s tender bedside manner helps patients drift off in peace and allows enough warning for family members to say their goodbyes.
Although Oscar’s lingering means the end is near, Dosa says patients and their families welcome him, often thanking the cat in eulogies.
After a death Oscar can be found napping, as he’s particularly exhausted.
The whole story is in Dosa’s book, Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift Of An Ordinary Cat (Hyperion), out February 2.