Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat

A tender, comforting book- Oscar is not "ordinary" but amazingly sensitive in detecting the stages of dying and in giving comfort. A very good book. And, I was vastly relieved that Oscar did not die at the end!

This book is about so much more than the extraordinary powers of Oscar the cat. It is about the compassionate Dr. Dosa and his caring staff at Steere House. It also gives a strong voice to Dementia and the damage and confusion it causes the elderly and their loved ones. I liked Dr. Dosa's approach in interviewing family members of deceased patients in an attempt to get a better understanding of Oscar's work. Dr. Dosa has to be one of the most down to earth and selfless doctors in this country. Although he can find no medical explanation for Oscar's abilities, he still recognizes that this beautiful creature provides a very necessary service to the Steere House patients and their families. To die alone has to be one of the harshest realities. To watch a loved one die is absolute agony. I just hope Oscar's fame encourages more geriatric medical facilities to add animals to their wards in some capacity. I can only hope that an animal as sensitive and caring as Oscar is around when it is my time to go. Oscar is truly an amazing cat. This wonderful creature makes sure no one dies alone or grieves alone on his watch. In return, he earns the eternal gratitude of the families...not to mention some well earned affection. Some of the patients' family members were alone when their loved ones were dying and having Oscar there gave them great comfort. Some patients had no family left and would have died alone if not for Oscar's presence. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry. If you have ever lost a loved one to Alzheimers or Dementia, this book will give you insight on their suffering. If you have ever felt the unconditional love of a pet, you will come to love Oscar. If you feel that all doctors lack compassion, Dr. Dosa will prove you wrong. Please read this book, it may restore your faith in miracles.

On July 27, 2007 Oscar the amazing cat who seemed to be able to predict the imminent death of patients at Steere House Nursing and Rehab Center in Providence, Rhode Island made the AP news . Oscar was a stray cat that began to wander the construction site of the current facility, and one day, shortly after the dedication ceremony, he decided to take a tour of the completed facility....."At first the staff tried to shoo the animal away, to no avail, each day the cat returned undaunted, through the lobby's sliding glass doors. His attitude was one of entitlement." He was finally allowed to stay and named Oscar after the building's benefactor. Oscar was not the only animal that resided at the nursing home. Steere House was unlike other nursing homes in the area. At Steere House, several cats, rabbits and birds resided there, and the residents seemed to enjoy having them there as well. Oscar had not been a very sociable cat during his first year at the nursing and rehab center. He was not one to cuddle up to staff residents or family members. However, one day they found him laying on the bed, purring next to Mrs. Davis, a dementia patient. Dr.Dosa, who was not fond of cats, went to pet Oscar and he hit his hand with his paw refusing to budge from the bed. The doctor examined Mrs Davis, and then left the facility, and about one hour latter the nurse called Dr. Dosa to let him know that Mrs. Davis had passed away. The doctor could not believe what he was hearing; he just left his patent. Mary, the charge nurse, told Dr. Dosa that this behavior and pattern of Oscars, was not new. In fact it had happened 5-6 times before. The patients were examined, no staff members sensed anything was wrong, and then Oscar would enter the room and sit vigil on the bed of the resident. After a few hours all of these patients peacefully passed away. Suddenly doctors and staff took notice, as to who Oscar choose to visit, and it wasn't long before Oscar had created quite a stir. This ordinary cat instinctively seemed to know when the end of life was near. MY THOUGHTS - I LOVED this book, and not just because I love cats -- it's full of beautiful quotes about cats, and the story just made me feel good all over. Dr. Dosa has written a book that compassionately addresses end of life issues. The stories he shares about residents and their families who must deal with such painful issues such as Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia, and terminal illness, are tender and heartfelt. The book cites amazing examples of unexpected deaths, as well as miracles in other residents who had been expected to die. There is valuable information about hospice, and the book even touches on that expression "the sweet smell of death", and how perhaps Oscar, may have been able to smell elevated level of chemical compounds which are believed to be released as cells die off." If you like to read tender stories about amazing animals, or need a touching, compassionate read about life,

OK so here is this book with this cool cat on the cover, and you think there is something neat about the whole concept. Maybe you have already heard there is this cat that knows when people are going to die. Well, it's way more than that. This book, written by a doctor who is not actually a cat person, is more of a tribute to those creatures, human as well as feline, who allow advanced dementia patients to die with dignity. I imagine that Steere House will not be lacking for residents after this moving depiction. Needless to say, it is heart-wrenching for any family member to place his/her loved one in a nursing home, probably more so when the loved one has dementia. What a gift to know that Steere House exists, where the staff is compassionate, even loving, and treats their residents like family. Where a cat moved in while the building was still under construction, and the management took it as a sign that animals were meant to live there along with the patients. Personally, I find dementia to be a pretty scary topic and generally try not to think about it. The author is a geriatrician who makes it real, even if still mysterious. He interviews family members who speak courageously and honestly about losing their loved ones, and how it helped to have Oscar there at the end. I learned that hospice is not just for the very end of life, and it is about much more than medical care. I learned that people who refuse to eat at the natural end of their lives are not starving themselves. I learned that there is a lot we don't know about dementia, but we are learning more all the time. Dr. Sosa writes in a very easy, straightforward style. His patients and their families are very lucky people. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It made me laugh and, yes, cry, but mostly it just made me feel better in general. Losing a loved one to dementia is about the most horrible experience one can contemplate, but afer reading this book I feel like I could cope. And Oscar is a pretty amazing cat too.

The cover of this book has a beautiful photo of Oscar, who is a resident kitty at Steere House nursing home. Oscar has the same gifts as most animals: an understanding of two different dimensions and life unfolding in each one of them. There is no death. But he serves to guide the spirit to the other side with dignity and compassion. Now, if you think this book is really about Oscar and his abilities, you'd be wrong. It's really a way for the author to make us aware of the chronic diseases called Alzheimer's, Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Even more so, it's an understanding that people do not recover from these diseases and should be able to pass into spirit with grace. The behavior of the caretakers; children, spouses, siblings, etc., has been brought under a microscope throughout the book. We see their helplessness, fear and unacceptance to let go. They're wrong to argue for more tests and treatments. They're lost in a sea of chaotic emotion. I'm a big believer in end-of-life choices and releasing souls with honor. Anyone who is in or will soon be in a position of caretaker, will absorb great wisdom from this author's words and advice. I praise him for bringing this crucial issue to the forefront and for running this motif throughout the book. If it weren't for Oscar, this book would not have been written. We owe our gratitude to the enlightened one.