SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 03:40 PM
Original message |
I too have a theory about "Oscar Kevorkian" the cat in the nursing home... |
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Edited on Sat Jul-28-07 03:43 PM by Southpawkicker
I just think that animals can sense death approaching in other animals. We probably can too if we were to pay attention to our senses.
This cat for whatever reason feels a need to lie down with people who are about to die. I don't know what that reason is, or why it is.
My theory is that the cat senses the death and then perhaps even senses the people's fear and goes to them. :shrug: I'm guessing it is a pet therapy cat since it lives in a nursing home and it is probably used to comforting people, or knows that people who are fearful or uncomfortable are wanting to be comforted and that they will in turn pet or cuddle with him.
So i don't ascribe any spiritual significance to this instead, just stimulus: scared uncomfortable person- with response: person is comforted by the cat and pets or cuddles with the cat in response the cat likes this and it is rewarded.
Maybe I'm cynical and jaded, but that is my theory. :hi:
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LaraMN
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Sat Jul-28-07 03:44 PM
Response to Original message |
1. I don't know, but I'm NEVER getting a cat, |
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therefore I will live FOREVER!
}( Bwahahaha!
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SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:14 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
rug
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Sat Jul-28-07 03:44 PM
Response to Original message |
2. I have an urge to crawl up in Cheney's lap. |
SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:14 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
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very scared :scared:
:rofl:
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pokerfan
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Sat Jul-28-07 03:49 PM
Response to Original message |
3. Cats prefer to sleep with sick/dying people |
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because they don't move around as much. Helathy people are always changing sides, fluffing the pillow, getting up to use the bathroom, etc. It's really quite annoying for the cat.
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SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:14 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
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hmmm
:yoiks:
run from the cats
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Skittles
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:50 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
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my cat picks the moment I am about to fall into blissful sleep to hop on my bed, assume the "violin stick" position and lick his ass like it's a tender vittle: now THAT is annoying :o
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smalll
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Sat Jul-28-07 03:49 PM
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4. Maybe the cat "feels a need to lied down with people who are about to die" |
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because he plans to eat them at the point of death? Cats will hunt smaller animals, obviously they are smart enough not to try to "hunt" human beings, but sitting around for a big 'ol human to become "freshly" dead might seem like a wise move to a cat. Of course, I'm sure they remove the bodies pretty fast (or shoo the cat out of the room at least) upon death. Oscar's persistent though. He keeps waiting for what usually happens in nature: something dies, undertakers don't come round to whisk away the corpse.
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CTyankee
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Sat Jul-28-07 04:02 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
6. You know, it makes sense. But I can see them theorizing on that one |
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on Good Morning America! All those viewers spitting up their morning coffee!
Evidently, he performs a service to the relatives of the dying person. The nursing home calls them when they see Oscar lying down with the patient. They can get there faster to say goodbye. That means a lot. I know, I was warned not by a cat but my mother's family doc. It gave me enough time to get down to Dallas from CT and arrange for my husband, son and daughter to be there. It was so peaceful and gentle...
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SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:16 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
13. that's an interesting footnote |
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i wonder if he ever gets it wrong?
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SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:15 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
12. but he leaves them and they die 4 hours later roughly |
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if he was going to eat them wouldn't he stay?
:shrug:
I don't know
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Gormy Cuss
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Sat Jul-28-07 04:00 PM
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5. I think the cat does pick up on some change that's too subtle for us. |
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Edited on Sat Jul-28-07 04:15 PM by Gormy Cuss
Most likely it's a scent, like a subtle change in the mix when the person exhales or something. There are some anecdotes of dogs who seem to sense cancer in people and the theory there is based on scent.
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grasswire
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Sat Jul-28-07 04:10 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
7. doesn't a dying person's chemistry change? |
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Isn't there a sort of fruity smell?
Plus, I have seen more than one of my cats sniff very carefully around one who was ill and old. Sure, they know what's going on.
Oh, and some people think a surviving pet should be shown the body of its companion animal. I did that when my elder cats died. I had the body in a shoebox and let each cat sniff it.
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Gormy Cuss
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Sat Jul-28-07 04:18 PM
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8. I don't know, but it would make sense. |
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Cats and dogs do seem to make better use of their noses than humans do. Perhaps people have the ability but it's been clouded by all of the distracting sensory inputs of the modern world.
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smalll
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Sun Jul-29-07 12:32 AM
Response to Reply #7 |
18. I think the fruity smell is only for dying saints and buddhas and what have you/ nt |
SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:16 PM
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14. I'm sure that is true |
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the dying smell different, we could probably smell it if we knew what we were smelling for :shrug:
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TOhioLiberal
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:26 PM
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15. I think it's a scent change as well... |
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...when Lesley was dying, her cat Athena would not leave her side. To the point of jumping right back up on the bed after being shooed off of it.
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SPKrazy
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Sat Jul-28-07 05:30 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
16. hmmm, that would be a piece of evidence in the smell direction |
KitchenWitch
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Sun Jul-29-07 12:34 AM
Response to Original message |
19. I believe you are right on in your theory! |
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My cat knew when I went into labor both times - followed me into the car - and she hated car trips - so you know she had to know something was up.
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