Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am fascinated by that cat Oscar who could supposedly predict that elderly people were just hours away from death. Do you really believe that some pets are capable of predicting death?
Marge, Sonoma
Dear Marge: Yes, I do. Pets have remarkable abilities that go well beyond providing companionship to us. Their instincts and intuition and high sensate ability are most remarkable, and I often hear stories from clients about their cats and dogs showing strange behavior shortly before an earthquake or other unusual event.
Many years ago my (then) wife and I were driving across the country towing a U-haul. We stopped for gas and then, minutes later on the highway, noticed that our Siamese cat, Dame Edna, was meowing and pacing in the back seat. This out-of-the-ordinary behavior continued for 15 minutes until I finally stopped the car and realized that the doors to the U-haul were not properly latched. Once I corrected the problem, our crusty old Siamese cat simply went back to sleep as if nothing had ever been wrong in the first place. Amazing?
Perhaps this newly famous cat Oscar is sensitive to the subtle changes in respiration, body temperature, heart rate and rhythm, or blood pressure in the elderly patients who are dying in his presence. However he is managing his premonitions, do you think it is nice to have a kitty curled up with those elderly people who may have otherwise been all alone at their passing? Or did it give you the heebie-jeebies? People I’ve spoken with seem to be split 50/50, so I’d love to know your thoughts.
Thanks for your good question.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am writing because I am furious with the news coverage of the football player who was apparently involved in dog fighting. I am afraid he will probably just get a slap on the wrist like all these other celebrities who mess up and just seem to get more famous. I just wanted to say that if they prove he enabled dog fighting on his property, I hope they put him in the slammer and throw away the key!
Sign me,
Loving pit bull owner.
Dear pit bull owner: You are not alone. Some of the sweetest, dearest pets who grace the halls of my hospital, and my heart, are pit bulls. It sickens me to think that this “sport” of dog fighting still takes place, and that pit bulls are exploited and sacrificed for it. Hopefully, the recent media attention surrounding Michael Vick’s alleged association with dog fighting will create enough of an uproar that people just like you will stand up and help put an end to this blood-thirsty atrocity.
As veterinarians, we are required to report any evidence of dog-fight injuries that we see at our hospitals. Currently only seven states – Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and West Virginia – require veterinarians to report dog-fight injuries, with varying penalties for noncompliance. Shouldn’t every state take these issues more seriously? I think so.
Dr. F
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