Review of "Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" by David Dosa. M.D.

From Publishers Weekly

Dosa, a geriatrician with a strong aversion to cats, tells the endearing story of Oscar the cat, the aloof resident at a nursing home who only spends time with people who are about to die. Despite hearing numerous stories about Oscar's uncanny ability to predict when a patient's time is nearing, Dosa, ever the scientist, remains skeptical. Slowly, he starts to concede that there may be something special about Oscar. Dosa starts to pay more attention to the cat's decidedly odd behavior, noticing that Oscar seeks out the dying, snuggles with the patient and family members until the patient passes; with others, he smells the patient's feet, sits outside a closed door until admitted, or refuses to leave a dying patient's bed. Dosa discovers how powerfully Oscar's mere presence reassures frightened or grieving family. Ultimately, the good doctor realizes that it doesn't matter where Oscar's gift comes from; it's the comfort he brings that's important. This touching and engaging book is a must-read for more than just cat lovers; anyone who enjoys a well-written and compelling story will find much to admire in its unlikely hero. (Feb.)
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Making Rounds With Oscar by Dr. David Dosa has become one of my favorite books. You might wonder, why a book about a cat that senses when someone is

dying would be a favorite book? I can answer this question by saying that Oscar is no ordinary cat, he is on a mission. Pets have always been known to bring love and comfort to people. Oscar is no different, except he comforts those patients about ready to pass. Here is what Dr. Dosa had to say about Oscar...

“When I first met him, Oscar didn’t want anything to do with anybody,” says Dosa. “He spent most of his time hiding or finding a quiet place to sit in the sun.”

But when a patient neared death, the physician relates, Oscar would quietly enter the room and remain until the patient passed away. Dosa described the cat’s unusual habit in a 2007 article in the New England Journal of Medicine:

Mrs. K. is resting peacefully in her bed, her breathing steady but shallow. … Oscar jumps onto her bed and sniffs the air. He … turns around twice before curling up beside Mrs. K.

A nurse walks into the room to check on her patient. She pauses to note Oscar’s presence. Concerned, she … grabs Mrs. K.'s chart off the medical-records rack and begins to make phone calls.

Within a half hour the family starts to arrive. … Oscar has not budged, instead purring and gently nuzzling Mrs. K. A young grandson asks his mother, “What is the cat doing here?” The mother, fighting back tears, tells him, “He is here to help Grandma get to heaven.” Thirty minutes later, Mrs. K. takes her last earthly breath. With this, Oscar sits up, looks around, then departs the room so quietly that the grieving family barely notices. "

Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat, written by Dosa, an assistant professor of medicine and community health at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, was published by Hyperion in early February 2010. The book recounts the stories of families who got to know Oscar and his unique ability. Dosa hopes that in reading Oscar’s story, readers also will learn more about terminal dementia and end-of-life care.

“End of life care is an important topic now as the health-care reform debate goes on,” Dosa says. “This book gives an inside look at how one works with families at the end of life – what they experience and what their thought processes are. And,” he adds, “it is much more readable and approachable because there is a cat involved.”

Even though there is death in the story, this book leaves you with a sense of peace. I read this book after my own Dad had passed away. I wasn't sad as I read this book, but I felt enlightened and blessed. I almost wished that Oscar had been there for my dad. This book also has given me great empathy for the families of loved ones who are living with Alzheimer's.

This is what I said on goodreads.com after I finished reading the book:

"

I really loved this book! I want my own copy so I can read it again. There are many sad stories that truly will touch your heart. You will look differently at Alzheimer's patients and also cats. It just makes me love my cat more."

So many people ask me for book recommendations for their book clubs and

individual

reading.

Making rounds with Oscar is a book that I

HIGHLY recommend to everyone.

I gave this book 5 stars on goodreads,

so

that also should say a lot how I felt about this book.

Making Rounds With Oscar can be purchased at Amazon.com

I would like to know what you think about Oscar and the research that Dr. Dosa has done.