When death comes calling, so does Oscar...

[betsy]

"PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- 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.

Oscar the cat doesn't like to be put out in the hall when a patient is dying.

His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live.

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."

More.....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/25/death.cat.ap/

A lot of questions come to mind, how could he detect or "smell" death? The possibility of something spiritual or supernatural? Who are these people that died?

Could other cats have this uncanny ability that go unnoticed?

Should Oscar be cloned?

[guyser]

Dogs can detect their owners going into an epileptic attack so I have no reason to think this cat cant do what they say it is doing.

But I can also imagine a few grumpy patients swatting that cat out of the room.

Edited July 27, 2007 by guyser

[Electric Monk]

I think the police should look into this...highly suspicious behaviour.

[ScottSA]

A lot of questions come to mind, how could he detect or "smell" death? The possibility of something spiritual or supernatural? Who are these people that died?

Could other cats have this uncanny ability that go unnoticed?

Should Oscar be cloned?

I think a lot of animals can detect incoming death, and especially if it's expected. I'm sure the atheists among us will look for some scientific explanation, but since animals also detect spirits well after death with no possible scientific explanation, I suspect the cat is just joining the congragating welcoming committee.

[M.Dancer]

............ but since animals also detect spirits well after death with no possible scientific explanation,

Yes I hear they can detect UFOs, Yetis and downward trends in the stock market too with no possible scientific explanation.

My uncle has a dog that could detect spirits....well, rum anyway....

[M.Dancer]

I think a lot of animals can detect incoming death, and especially if it's expected. I'm sure the atheists among us will look for some scientific explanation,.........

What? Like acute hearing in a predator that could possibly detect laboured breathing or even a faltering heart? No it must be supernatural.....

[guyser]

I'm sure the atheists among us will look for some scientific explanation,

Sure they would , what other possible place would one look. Especially since some dogs can detect the change in smell of epileptics just prior to seizure and can give warning.

I suppose then that the non atheists would think the cat is getting a divine tap on the shoulder?

Edited July 27, 2007 by guyser

[M.Dancer]

Yeah you know, since spirits are impossible to detect, and dogs can't articulate that there are detecting spirits, how do we know that the dog is detecting spirits?

...and I say this even though I am not an atheist.

[M.Dancer]

On a side note, blowflies can detect death from 20 k away......atheists will look for some scientific explanation......

[Bonam]

Animals being able to detect earthquakes in advance must be an act of divine inspiration as well.

[cybercoma]

I'd like to know how many times the cat gets into bed with someone and they don't die.

[ScottSA]

Ridicule is the last refuge of the hopelessly idiotic. (That's a quote, so don't ban me! I don't know whose, but it's so brilliant someone must have thunk it up.)

I suspected I'd get this king of response, although I fail to see how earthquakes or labored breathing or rotting flesh have anything to do with impending death, but hey...to each his own.

[ScottSA]

I'd like to know how many times the cat gets into bed with someone and they don't die.

According to the article, never.

[Bonam]

Scott, the examples provided are meant to illustrate that there are physical, detectable signs to events like death that can be detected by some animals, which often have superior senses to humans in some areas. Some of these signs we know about, and can detect with medical equipment, to be able to generate our own predictions about impending death and other events. Perhaps there are other signs we do not yet know about, which an animal with superior senses may get attuned to by being brought up in that environment, which can allow the animal to make even better predictions, as is asserted in this article.

Personally, I find the article quite plausible. However, your conclusion that there is some kind of divine inspiration being provided to the cat is unfounded.

Edited July 27, 2007 by Bonam

[ScottSA]

Some of these signs we know about, and can detect with medical equipment, to be able to generate our own predictions about impending death and other events.

Obviously medical equipment can detect arythmia and other indicators of impending death, but a cat is not not an ECG nor even a doctor; nor could a cat...a supposedly non-sentient being...take whatever information they glean from an individual and process it to certify impending death.

I'm quite willing to believe that there are scientific reasons to explain it. Are you willing to concede that there may be reason other than scientific to explain it?

[kimmy]

although I fail to see how earthquakes or labored breathing or rotting flesh have anything to do with impending death,

Laboured breathing? Rotting flesh?

Dogs have been trained to detect cancer using normal scent-hound training techniques.

Yes, the kitty providing sympathy and warmth for patients in their final moments is an interesting, unusual, and sort of touching story. But we know of many instances where the exceptionally acute senses of our furry little friends can detect things that are undetectable to human sense. I see a scientific explanation as being a lot more likely than something the supernatural. Animals using their senses to detect human medical conditions has been documented; I'm not aware of any documented cases of animals interacting with the supernatural.

Oscar might be a Very Special Kitty, but I'm not prepared to believe he's a Magic Kitty just yet.

-k

[Riverwind]

Dogs have been trained to detect cancer using normal scent-hound training techniques.

Dogs can also detect the onset of seizures in epileptics.

[betsy]

I too think that there might be some scientific explanations....the same possibility that it might be supernatural or spiritual.

The spiritual/supernatural expalanation may provide proof of life after death. Who knows, perhaps scientific research may end up supporting the theory of life after death.

The thing is, not all dogs can detect impending death nor did I ever hear of any particular dog showing the same skill/prowess several times.

And this cat is the only one so far with this uncanny ability and incredible track record. So there is no way we can say this was just a coincidence.

We're talking about death coming within 4 hours. Do the dying emit some sort of a scent?

If it is the scent that attracts the cat...then it would only be reasonable to assume that the cat would be sniffing...and that gesture would've been noticed by the staff, especially when this cat's ability is well-known and quite intriguing.

Why does this cat - who is normally aloof - would wish to cuddle with someone who's dying?

Something attracts the cat to the dying. Something that makes the cat wants to cuddle.

Therefore, whatever it is, is something that feels pleasant for the cat.

Edited July 28, 2007 by betsy

[capricorn]

In the Ottawa valley, we occasionally get mild earthquakes. I recall one about 20 years ago. Around 20 minutes before the tremors started, my usually tranquil cat inexplicably started meowing continually and pacing the house, going from room to room and acting in a very strange way. The closer we got to the time of the tremor, the more agitated the cat became and I can honestly say she was in full panic when it passed under us.

Er, where can I get me a cat like Oscar?

[Bonam]

nor could a cat...a supposedly non-sentient being

Non-sentient? Cats are very much sentient beings, according to any definition of a sentient being I've ever seen. Unless you mean star trek type sentient. Anyway, a cat may not need specific equipment to perceive something that we do not, much like a human would need a set of top of the line binoculars to be able to see like a hawk or an eagle. Being able to perceive certain things gives some animals information that we as humans do not perceive, which is where my example about earthquakes is applicable.

I'm quite willing to believe that there are scientific reasons to explain it. Are you willing to concede that there may be reason other than scientific to explain it?

I'm not sure what you mean by "reason other than scientific". If you mean divine guidance or divine inspiration or something along those lines, then no, I see no reason to concede that. Perhaps if it was completely inexplicable through science, and had baffled a determined analysis by our most brilliant scientists for century after century, and God was popping up in the clouds telling us it was him doing it, then I'd concede it.

[betsy]

although I fail to see how earthquakes or labored breathing or rotting flesh have anything to do with impending death,

Laboured breathing? Rotting flesh?

Dogs have been trained to detect cancer using normal scent-hound training techniques.

Yes, the kitty providing sympathy and warmth for patients in their final moments is an interesting, unusual, and sort of touching story. But we know of many instances where the exceptionally acute senses of our furry little friends can detect things that are undetectable to human sense. I see a scientific explanation as being a lot more likely than something the supernatural. Animals using their senses to detect human medical conditions has been documented; I'm not aware of any documented cases of animals interacting with the supernatural.

Oscar might be a Very Special Kitty, but I'm not prepared to believe he's a Magic Kitty just yet.

-k

Yes, I've heard of dogs being trained to detect illnes...however, we're talking of training.

As to how these training are done I have no idea. How many percentage of accuracy I have no idea.

But Oscar is a natural. 25 cases - that's a track record hard to beat.

[Bonam]

He was raised in that place since being a kitten correct? 2 years of exposure to that environment, observing people on the verge of death, the signs that are associated with it, the reactions of other people, etc. I think that qualifies as some pretty serious training.

[betsy]

In the Ottawa valley, we occasionally get mild earthquakes. I recall one about 20 years ago. Around 20 minutes before the tremors started, my usually tranquil cat inexplicably started meowing continually and pacing the house, going from room to room and acting in a very strange way. The closer we got to the time of the tremor, the more agitated the cat became and I can honestly say she was in full panic when it passed under us.

Er, where can I get me a cat like Oscar?

I don't think we can compare predicting tremors to death.

It is quite easy to understand that animals can sense vibrations that we could not detect...same us they hear sounds we could not.

I have no doubt that some animals had shown baffling talents like your cat, or the ones we sometimes read in the news that saved its master from certain death. The question is, how many times did these animals did their intriguing talent? If it's only once....we could easily say it must be a fluke or a coincidence.

One thing though, Oscar's patients are suffering from dementia or alszheimer so we could assume that they're unaware of what Oscar's sudden friendliness would mean.

[betsy]

He was raised in that place since being a kitten correct? 2 years of exposure to that environment, observing people on the verge of death, the signs that are associated with it, the reactions of other people, etc. I think that qualifies as some pretty serious training.

But how do we explain the "training" of cuddling with the dying patient - within 4 hours of death- and this cat is normally aloof.

Unless he's been introduced to cuddling, whether accidental or not, and that taught him.

The article does not say.

[capricorn]

In the Ottawa valley, we occasionally get mild earthquakes. I recall one about 20 years ago. Around 20 minutes before the tremors started, my usually tranquil cat inexplicably started meowing continually and pacing the house, going from room to room and acting in a very strange way. The closer we got to the time of the tremor, the more agitated the cat became and I can honestly say she was in full panic when it passed under us.

Er, where can I get me a cat like Oscar?

I don't think we can compare predicting tremors to death.

It is quite easy to understand that animals can sense vibrations that we could not detect...same us they hear sounds we could not.

I have no doubt that some animals had shown baffling talents like your cat, or the ones we sometimes read in the news that saved its master from certain death. The question is, how many times did these animals did their intriguing talent? If it's only once....we could easily say it must be a fluke or a coincidence.

One thing though, Oscar's patients are suffering from dementia or alszheimer so we could assume that they're unaware of what Oscar's sudden friendliness would mean.

Why can't we compare Betsy? In both examples, the impending events where initially undetectable by the humans involved until the actual event occurred. The cat's unusual behaviour is of no consequence if the humans witnessing that behaviour cannot decipher what the animal is trying to convey before the event strikes.

In the case of a cat alerting its owner that the house is on fire or that an intruder is present well that is different. The cat wakes the master, the master smells the smoke or investigates the premises and acts accordingly.

How can we assume that dementia or alzheimer patients don't sense the presence of the comforting cat? There is no way of positively asserting this fact. I for one would like to believe that the patients are somehow comforted by the cat's presence. I suppose I may be overly optimistic.