Oscar may look like just an ordinary cat who lives in a nursing home, but beneath those cute, cuddly eyes, is a remarkable gift. According to doctors at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rhode Island, which Oscar has lived at for 7 years, this cat has the uncanny ability to sense when a resident is about to die.
Since Oscar was adopted by nursing home as a kitten, he has accurately predicted the deaths of more than 50 residents.
share
When Oscar senses that a patient is near death he goes into their room, and curls up with them on the bed until they pass on.
share
Oscar’s remarkable ability has baffled the facility’s doctors and nurses. But this cat has not been wrong yet.
share
Staff have tried to test Oscar’s ability to predict death, and he has always come out on top. Sometimes he even proves them wrong, by cuddling up with a resident that they wouldn’t have thought was close to death, but passed away soon after.
share
Some might see Oscar as a harbinger of bad luck. However, the residents, and staff see him as more of a comfort. The residents and their families can be assured that they won’t be alone in case they move on suddenly from this life. Oscar will be there.
share
There are a number of theories about how Oscar is able to sense death coming. Some believe that Oscar may actually be able to “smell” death coming in the form of ketones, which are biochemicals given off by dying cells.
share
Here is a short video of Dr. David Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor at Brown University, talking about Oscar.
In 2010, Dr.Dosa wrote even wrote a book about his experiences with Oscar called Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat.
H/T: Oddity Central
Whatever the explanation for Oscar’s ability to predict death, you have to admit that this is something truly extraordinary. If I were a resident, I can imagine myself being a bit afraid of Oscar, but ultimately see him as a comforting companion for the end of life.
