Oscar the Cat
Steere House's Oscar the Cat
You may have heard of Steere House's famous cat, Oscar when he made headlines in 2007. Oscar was featured in an article by Dr. David Dosa which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the article, Dr. Dosa described how Oscar has demonstrated an ability to detect a patient's impending death and how in doing so, he is able to provide a touch of comfort to the dying, elderly residents of Steere House's Safe Haven Advanced Care unit and their families who are dealing with the latter stages of Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of end-stage dementia.
At Steere House, we believe in the therapeutic benefits of animal companionship. Throughout the years, Steere House has been home to a variety of animals, including a number of cats, parakeets, a floppy-eared bunny and several regular canine visitors, who all help to make the presence of animals and their comfort benefits a way of life at Steere House.
Oscar's story is unique. Eleven years old now, Oscar still lives on the third floor unit where he continues to play an invaluable role in patients' end of life care. Oscar is featured in a new book released this past February 2010, Making Rounds with Oscar - The Extraordinary Gift from an Ordinary Cat.
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