Cat plays furry grim reaper at nursing home

[Bookworm]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - 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.

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

“He doesn’t make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die,” said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959718/?GT1=10150

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[manadren]

It's an interesting case. People, in a sense have a 'sixth sense'. Our minds read a number of subtle cues and process them unconsciously to give us what what some might consider intuition or a gut feeling. It's not entirely inconceivable that a cat can do something similar, perhaps including sounds, scents, or vibrations that we normally would not perceive. But at the same time it's just as likely it's coincidence and people are connecting the dots in their own minds, creating a phenomenon where there is none.

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[Red Squirrel]

Hmm thats rather interesting.

Animals do have very good senses though. Like cats can sense people who hate cats. My grandma hates cats so when she comes to our house my cat tries to attack her. Its funny.

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[robonightmare]

LOL the opposite thing happens to my grandma.

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[flowergirlajg]

If I was in that hospital and that cat came on my bed and curled up next to me, I'd go INSANE in my last few hours. lol.

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