Doctor Writes Book about Cat who can Predict Death

Oscar, the death-predicting cat.

If there's one little creature who you don't want to see when you're sick, it's Oscar the cat. The kitty became famous a couple years ago when doctors discovered he had an uncanny ability to predict when someone was going to die. And now, from the doctor who broke the story, there's a new book out that attempts to clear Oscar's name.

Back in 2007, Dr. David Dosa, an assistant professor of medicine at Brown University, wrote a paper that detailed Oscar's amazing death-sniffing abilities. but according to the doc, that wasn't the whole story.

"After the article you got the feeling that if Oscar is in your bed then you are dead, but you did not really see what is going on for these family members," he said.

Called "Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat," Dr. Dosa's new book is an attempt to get past the sensational idea, and to the heart of why he is so helpful to people.

"I wanted to write a book that would go beyond Oscar's peculiarities, to tell why he is important to family members and caregivers who have been with him at the end of a life."

Oscar made it famous after doctors and staff at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island noticed that Oscar would curl up next to a patient just before they were about to die. The ones he refused to sit next to would live, and the ones he cuddled up to would pass on.

In all, he is said to have predicted about 50 deaths.

Scientists aren't sure what gives Oscar such a high accuracy at guessing when we're going to croak, but some think it may have to do with a pheromone or smell that he can detect but we can't.

Still, Dr. Dosa doesn't think it's a super-kitty set of powers.

"I don't think Oscar is that unique, but he is in a unique environment. Animals are remarkable in their ability to see things we don't, be it the dog that sniffs out cancer or the fish that predicts earthquakes. Animals know when they are needed."