http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959718/

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.

I was reading this last night at the Beeb website. It was late, and I couldn't believe the number of weird cat stories in the news. Then I started paying attention to the dates. Only this and one of the other stories was current. I damn near started a topic on "What is it with the British and cat stories?"

Glad I didn't. That would have been embarrassing.

But, yeah ... the story made NPR, as well. Coming up (in Seattle) in an hour or so.

http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=69707

Scientific Explanation:
Cats will always find somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep. Body temperature rises as death approaches. Probably as good a place for a cat nap as any.

Non-scientific explanation:
Psychic Cat

Actually, the Beeb article ... aw, hell, let me pull it up ....

Thomas Graves, a feline expert from the University of Illinois, told the BBC: "Cats often can sense when their owners are sick or when another animal is sick.

"They can sense when the weather will change, they're famous for being sensitive to premonitions of earthquakes."

A doctor who treats patients at the home said she believed there was probably a biochemical explanation, rather than the cat being psychic. (BBC News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6917113.stm))

As a long-time companion to felines, I'd say that sounds about right.

A doctor who treats patients at the home said she believed there was probably a biochemical explanation, rather than the cat being psychic.

So the Cat's not a psychic, it's a biochemist. I just knew there had to be a rational explanation.
The cat's name is Oscar btw.
I bet the poor old biddies are scared stiff when they see him coming.

http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=69707

Ops

Ops

Are you sure this is the same deathcat as the deathcat in the other thread?
That was a Grim Reaper, and this is a Harbinger.
They may be springing up all over the place.