Thursday, July 26, 2007

Cats & Dogs



What a week for cats and dogs folks. The dog tales haven't been so good to listen to, but the cat tales; now that's a different story.


I say that because of this particular cat tale that caught my interest. It seems there is a little feline in Rhode Island named Oscar, who, how should I say this; has a knack for smelling out the Grim Reaper.


I must confess that when I first heard this story I was a bit sceptical. But as the day went on, I found out that it was a serious news story and the shit was all true.


Seems Oscar, who lives in a nursing home, curls up with the home's patients during their final hours. And get this, old Oscar is so accurate with his predictions, that the staff at the hospital will call the victims...ah the patients... ah curleees...well the chosen ones family to inform them that their loved one has only a few hours to live. All because Oscar came calling, or should I say curling. Don't laugh, Oscar has been accurate in 25 cases already. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people" says some hot shot Doctor who is studying Oscar's behavior and has written about it in the very respectable New England Journal of Medicine. The staff noticed Oscar making his own rounds. "He would sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours" Can you imagine? "Ohh look at the cute little kiddie cat. No Grandma DON'T!"


But seriously, before you go thinking that these poor old people have to live in some form of tortured dread just watching Oscar every night, they don't. Apparently, the patients Oscar curls up to are usually so sick that they don't even notice that he is there. Still, it has got to be a little spooky to be working and living in The Steer House Nursing and Rehab Center with old Oscar around. "Good morning everybody. Oh shit here comes Oscar, I gotta go!"


Can you imagine if we let old Oscar loose on the streets of Philly? The poor feline would go crazy just trying to figure out where to go next for crying out loud. But hey, maybe we can put him in the White House? I kid I kid.

20 comments:

plez... said...

imagine that... the Grim Reaper reincarnated as Oscar the Cat! go figure.

Anonymous said...

"Can you imagine if we let old Oscar loose on the streets of Philly? The poor feline would go crazy just trying to figure out where to go next for crying
out loud. But hey, maybe we can put him in the White House? I kid I kid."
Field, that's hilarious.

Angie

Anonymous said...

*dying* (oscar?) at streets of Philly!!! Does Dick Cheney have any pets?

I saw this last night. Pets can get very protective of "owners" and are sensitive to real illness. Being that he lives in a hospice, he probably perceives the many humans as his owners. Face it, kitty can smell death.

The Christian Progressive Liberal said...

Field, if you let Oscar out on the streets of Philly, he'd probably come back minus seven of his nine lives.

The Christian Progressive Liberal said...

And as for Darth Cheney, his heart definately knows something about him.

That ticker's been trying to cut out for the last 10 years, and everytime it thinks it's out of the game, it gets drawn back in to keep Cheney among the living.

But if you're ready to see what a "Santorum Moment" looks like, may I direct you here:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/27/19754/

Cluizel said...

Hilarious. lol.

Ferdzy said...

Well, anyone who reads Terry Pratchett *knows* that Death and cats get along just fine.

Caged Lion said...

Good one, Field. I can see that cat darting from door to door in Phili

-Caged Lion

Francis Holland said...

I've been thinking of getting a cat. My wife doesn't want one, but she says I can have one if the cat sleeps under our bed instead of the dog. She says that the dog goes out and eats roadkill and then comes back stinking like a dumpster full of rotten milk. This is true, unfortunately. So, at least having a cat would keep the smelly dog out of our bedroom.

Animals help me get to sleep. Their company works better than a sleeping pill, and that's why hospitals and nursing homes are seeing the medical benefit of having animals around.

Foofa said...

That is creepy and awesome all at the same time. Has he ever been wrong? It would suck if the hospital called someone's family to come down and then they ended up living. well maybe suck isn't the right word but you know what I mean.

field negro said...

"Field, if you let Oscar out on the streets of Philly, he'd probably come back minus seven of his nine lives."

LOL!!

natalie, it IS kind of creepy, I thought it was just me, but I guess the people in the nursing home are cool with it. It looks like Oscar only hooks up with those who are so terminally ill that they don't even know he is there.

I wonder if there is some deeper scientific stuff going on here? Maybe one of you smart people who comment here can help me with this, cause I am really curious.

cluizel, is that a cat or a dog in your pic? :)

rikyrah said...

When I heard this story on the news, I was like, 'Damn'. But, your commentary was hilarious FN. About Oscar coming to Philly - sad, true, biting.

cnulan said...

It's common knowledge that cats suck breath, this must just be an exceptional individual animal....,

Christopher Chambers said...

Cruel practical joke would've be to slip some tuna in someone's bed and watch their face when Oscar comes round meowing. PSYKE! Oh man, now that's evil-funny...

field negro said...

chris you are one sick dude!

Anonymous said...

thanks for this post, got me laughing early on a saturday morning when i was otherwise a little cranky about going to work.

Anonymous said...

I've worked in countless nursing homes/hospice etc. Every one of them had a cat or dog and they all did the same thing. I never thought it was creepy since animals usually have that sixth sense anyway.

Tired of being broke said...

When I heard the Oscar story I thought wow. Having worked in a nursing home.

LMAO at moving Oscar to the white house. Funny.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the laughs, and the mental pictures. I'll bet the orderlies and the nurses haul ass if Oscar trys to rub their legs.

Lola Gets said...

Animals can sense things humans cant. Ofttimes, animals can sense earthquakes before they happen, why not death?

All I know is, my kitties bet not try that shyt with me!
lol
L