'Take a look,' she said.Īs I approached, the head of a black-and-white tabby cat slowly rose up from beneath the sheets. Perhaps animals provide a connection to the person that they used to be - they are like a bridge back to the world.Īs we walked in the room, we found Mrs Davis lying on her back, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow. Their love of animals, like their love of babies and music, is one of the last things to go.

Yet they seem to like having pets around. They seldom remember the names of their children or the year they were married. Many of my residents have forgotten almost everything they have ever learned over their lifetimes. Here, he explains how Oscar challenged everything he learned at medical school.Ĭats may have nine lives, but we only have one, and we're all terrified to talk about the ending of it. Dr Dosa believes the tabby can predict the death of patients, seeking them out and remaining with them in their final hours.

One of the home's pets, a cat named Oscar, is special. But a series of spooky events convinced him the cat might really have special powers.ĭavid Dosa is a doctor at Steere House Nursing Home, where patients have Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, or are terminally ill. Heartfelt, inspiring, and full of humor and pathos, this book allows readers to take a walk into a world rarely seen from the outside, a world we often misunderstand.When a nursing home doctor heard that the resident tabby could sense when a patient was about to die, he was sceptical. Making Rounds with Oscar is the story of an unusual cat, the patients he serves, their caregivers, and of one doctor who learned how to listen. He teaches by example: embracing moments of life that so many of us shy away from. And his presence lets caregivers and loved ones know that it's time to say good-bye. Oscar provides comfort and companionship when people need him most. Then, as if this were his job, Oscar strides purposely into a patient's room, curls up on the bed, and begins his vigil. But he never spends much time with them - until they are in their last hours. Oscar is a welcome distraction for the residents of Steere House, many of whom are living with Alzheimer's. Apparently, this ordinary cat possesses an extraordinary gift: he knows instinctively when the end of life is near. It wasn't long before Oscar had created something of a stir. Occasionally he consented to a scratch behind the ears, but only when it suited him. He loved to stretch out in a puddle of sunlight and chase hi. When Oscar arrived at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rhode Island he was a cute little guy with attitude. Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary CatĪ remarkable cat.

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