Have you heard how dogs can sense death?

[ECB]

I've heard this.  Where/what circumstances- don't remember.  But I have heard of stories where dogs would act weird before someone died.

Found out from FIL that their one dog was like this before MIL died.  The couple days before - the dog would go up to her, smell her, then run away.  ANd often, would actually go outside and dig a hole and go across the street to the neighbors house!

Kind of makes me shiver.

[bunnymendelbaum]

My mom worked in a nursing home for 35 years and said this was true about cats. (They had several cats living in the home.) which seems like it wouldn't be allowed but it is and it's really nice.)
I swear I saw a study about the scientific basis for this. Let me see if I can find it.

[WOT?*]

I read a story years ago about a cat that lived in a nursing home, and would unfailingly go to the beds of those that were the most ill to visit with them until they passed.

(I just Googled and there are lots of articles, including a Wiki entry, about him. Oscar the therapy cat.)  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_(therapy_cat)

(for the shorter, human interest version complete with an adorable picture: nypost.com/2010/01/31/nursing-home-cat-can-predict-impending-death/

[Eagles]

When my aunt died (at home), my cousin's H had taken the family dog outside for a walk and the dog stopped, planted his butt on the sidewalk, and howled. He somehow sensed it even though they were a block away.

[ECB]

Jan 25, 2015 9:55:45 GMT -5 Eagles said:

When my aunt died (at home), my cousin's H had taken the family dog outside for a walk and the dog stopped, planted his butt on the sidewalk, and howled. He somehow sensed it even though they were a block away.

Wow.  That's weird! 

[nightandday]

I've heard that some breeds can sense cancer too. My parent's dog would lick my dad's pillow constantly when he woke up every morning. She did this for weeks. Always my dad's, never my mom's. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and from the day he was diagnosed, the dog never licked his pillow again. It was freaky.

[Eagles]

Jan 25, 2015 9:56:59 GMT -5 ECB said:

Jan 25, 2015 9:55:45 GMT -5 Eagles said:

When my aunt died (at home), my cousin's H had taken the family dog outside for a walk and the dog stopped, planted his butt on the sidewalk, and howled. He somehow sensed it even though they were a block away.

Wow.  That's weird! 

I know. It still gives me chills and that was over a decade ago.

[underwaterrhymes]

I have heard this and believe it.

My cat also definitely knows when I'm pregnant. I read somewhere about someone's cat who made a nest in her closet the day before she went into labor and I kept hoping my cat would do that last time as a sign I should gear up for delivery, but sadly she was not quite that in-tune.

[doglove]

Wait what? Your MIL died?

[ECB]

Jan 25, 2015 10:00:28 GMT -5 doglove said:

Wait what? Your MIL died?

Yes.  Thursday morning (and my b-day).  I forgot to update TiP.  While not totally unexpected, it still happened sooner than we expected. And one of those "probably for the best" situations.  DH told me that his dad seemed almost relieved.  

Her funeral is today.  

[underwaterrhymes]

I'm sorry, ECB.

[doglove]

I am sorry ECB. I know that's been a long journey for her and you all.

[ECB]

Jan 25, 2015 10:03:41 GMT -5 doglove said:

I am sorry ECB. I know that's been a long journey for her and you all.

Thank you.  everyone is doing o.k., though.  Where she was... she wasn't really recovering and just really seemed to not WANT to recover.  Which is why, again, no one is surprised and we feel that this is probably for the best.  While I don't think she was in any kind of pain - there was just NO life there.  It was sad.

Oh, and on another note, FIL wrote out his eulogy and asked everyone to read it over.  Luckily he was very open to feedback- he's been SO sucked into her world for the past 15 years that he wrote the eulogy basically detailing the timeline of her PKD (polycycstic kidney disease) and made it almost entirely about that.  

DH was like "while the PKD was a big part of her life, to OTHER people, that's not what they think about or will remember." and that got his dad to refocus a little.  I'll see in a couple hours how much he updated/changed it.  

[motzie]

So sorry ECB

[Eagles]

I'm sorry ECB, but glad that her suffering (physical, emotional, and mental) is over.

[miniroller]

Thinking about you ECB. Very sorry for your loss, & will send positive thoughts for a smooth service this afternoon.
(& on your Bday Blah- just very sorry!)

[bonquiqui]

I'm sorry ECB

[bonquiqui]

My 2 cats, lili and belle, that live with my ex, knew i was sick before i was diagnosed. Lili would stay by my side 24/7, and when she had to use the bathroom or eat, belle would come stay with me. I joked that it was shift change. This happened for the longest time until after i was diagnosed and my flare passed.

[redwino]

I'm sorry for your loss ECB.

[bonnie]

I'm sorry for your family's loss ECB.

[mrsukyankee]

I'm sorry for your loss ECB.

The one time I was pregnant (and miscarried) Barney knew. He was all over me, being super cuddly and licking me like never before. As soon as I miscarried, he just wanted to lay his head on my lap the entire day.

[Deleted]

So sorry for your family's loss, ECB.

When I was in school, I did a clinical at an AIDS hospice house. There was one cat that would sit with the residents that were dying and would only leave their side to use the bathroom and then the other cat would sit at the door. It was eerie. When the "death cat" left the room and walked around the house, you'd know that the resident had passed.

[Deleted]

I'm so sorry for your loss ECB. I've heard this too about pets sensing death but I have never seen it. When my step dad passed two years ago everyone was very relieved. He had such a struggle at the end and my mom was his full time caregiver for the last two years of his life. She had his friends and kids start the service by getting up and talking about all their memories of him and it was really very healing for her. It was a wonderful reminder of the man he was before he became ill. I hope you FIL can come back to those
Memories and can celebrate her life apart from the disease..((hugs))

[angelaa73]

I think they sense pain too. 15 yrs ago when I needed a root canal and was in bed basically trying not to cry from pain, my cats both planted themselves on my chest (not my legs like the usual) and put their paws on my cheek!

Freaky!

[toepick]

I am sorry for your family's loss ECB.

My parents had a dog that knew when my mom was going into labor. The first time - with me - my parents chalked it out to coincidence that he suddenly became super clingy and protective of my mom the day before she went into labor.

However, when the dog started doing it a month early with my brother, my parents got nervous, and sure he enough, she went into labor a month before his due date. Turns out her due date was wrong and he was full term.

[partyinmytummy]

I'm not much of a participant around here, but I have a story along these lines (though it wasn't an animal.) My husband's grandfather lived in a VA facility in the last few years of his life. He had severe Alzheimer's. He could barely form a coherent sentence and didn't recognize anyone in the family. Anyway, the nurses at the care facility would occasionally find him in other patients' rooms praying for them (he was a retired pastor), and almost every time they would pass away shortly after.

[idoinjuly]

I'm sorry for you loss, ECB.

[orangeblossom]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[rachers]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I definitely believe dogs can sense certain things. Moose has acted strangely around pregnant ladies and always seems way more attentive when we are sad or anxious.

[flex]

Jan 25, 2015 11:20:27 GMT -5 incogneato said:

I'm sorry for your loss.

I do think animals can sense things, but not in a mystical way. I think can smell metabolic changes and hormone shifts. Same with natural disasters- they feel smaller tremors, shifts in air pressure that we aren't aware of.

This exactly.  they have such keen senses, especially the sense of smell.

ECB I'm so sorry for your family's loss.