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Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat Hardcover – February 2, 2010

by David Dosa (Author)

4.7 1,274 ratings

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A remarkable cat. A special gift. A life-changing journey.

They thought he was just a cat.

When Oscar arrived at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rhode Island he was a cute little guy with attitude. He loved to stretch out in a puddle of sunlight and chase his tail until he was dizzy. Occasionally he consented to a scratch behind the ears, but only when it suited him. In other words, he was a typical cat. Or so it seemed. It wasn't long before Oscar had created something of a stir.

Apparently, this ordinary cat possesses an extraordinary gift: he knows instinctively when the end of life is near.

Oscar is a welcome distraction for the residents of Steere House, many of whom are living with Alzheimer's. But he never spends much time with them--until they are in their last hours. Then, as if this were his job, Oscar strides purposely into a patient's room, curls up on the bed, and begins his vigil. Oscar provides comfort and companionship when people need him most. And his presence lets caregivers and loved ones know that it's time to say good-bye.

Oscar's gift is a tender mercy. He teaches by example: embracing moments of life that so many of us shy away from.

Making Rounds with Oscar is the story of an unusual cat, the patients he serves, their caregivers, and of one doctor who learned how to listen. Heartfelt, inspiring, and full of humor and pathos, this book allows readers to take a walk into a world rarely seen from the outside, a world we often misunderstand.

Praise for Making Rounds With Oscar

"I love this book -- Oscar has much to teach us about empathy and courage. I couldn't put it down."
-Sarah Gruen, author of Water for Elephants

"At its heart, Dosa's search is more about how people cope with death than Oscar's purported ability to predict it."
-The Associated Press

"Beautifully written, heartwarming [...] Told with profound insight and great respect for all involved, this is more than just a cat story (although it will appeal to fans of Vicki Myron's Dewey)."
-Library Journal

"You'll be moved."
-People

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.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Dr. David Dosa is a geriatrician at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at the Warrern Alpert Medical School of Brown University, both in Providence.

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hyperion
Publication date

February 2, 2010
Reading age

18 years and up
Dimensions

5.75 x 0.88 x 8.63 inches
ISBN-10

1401323235
ISBN-13

978-1401323233
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hyperion; 1st edition (February 2, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1401323235
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1401323233
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.88 x 8.63 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #596,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #165 in Pet Loss Grief
- #344 in Animal & Pet Care Essays
- #533 in Aging Parents (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 1,274 ratings

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David Dosa

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David Dosa MD, MPH is a practicing geriatrician and health services researcher at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. In July 2007, David garnered international attention for an essay on Oscar that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

After the story made headlines on morning television programs and newspapers around the world, David decided to write his first book "Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" about his experiences with Oscar.

David lives with his wife and two children outside of Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently trying to convince his wife to buy a cat or a dog-- with significant assistance from his two kids. Unfortunately, like many of the characters in his book, David and his wife are also now part of the 'Sandwich Generation' a generation caught between raising children and caring for a parent with dementia.

For more information about David, please see his website at:

http://www.daviddosa.com

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4.7 out of 5

1,274 global ratings

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Shanon L. Marks

Great read

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2024

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I bought this for my Mom and she loved the story. It was sweet and bittersweet and based on a true story

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BookWorm

Making Rounds with Oscar

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024

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I loved this true story - Oscar is a cat and when he knows someone is dying he plops on the bed and he sits and waits til the person passes on. It is a true story and it is fascinating. These are all Alzheimer's patients.

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Sahal

great book - quick, easy read

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024

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A very touching and insightful look into the basic empathy and understanding for loved ones with dementia and how animals undoubtedly help them and their families in the final stagea of life.

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Amazon Customer

small but complex read

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2010

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I had read about Oscar when Dr. Dosa's story about him broke a couple of years ago, and as a cat lover found it very intriguing. As any animal lover will attest, animals do have the ability to sense and communicate on a level that can be incomprehensible to us mere mortals. When I heard the book was coming out, I immediately pre-ordered. I found the story incredibly fascinating.

Many reviews mentioned the readers' disappointment with the fact that the book really wasn't about Oscar, and that is true to an extent--Oscar remains a mystery throughout the book, and Dr. Dosa readily admits that he doesn't really know or understand Oscar. But while that is the point--any cat lover will tell you that cats are an enigma--it is also completely beside the point. The book is really about what Dr. Dosa learns about the disease of dementia while trying to learn more about Oscar. And his exploration of the many levels of experiencing dementia, whether it be as patient or caregiver, makes for compelling reading. As someone who recently lost a parent to Alzheimers, I think this is a very important book. It's not a clinical handbook or what to expect, and that's not needed--there are plenty of those out already, and doctors excel at presenting only the clinical information. Instead this book illustrates how different people handled their loved ones' illness, and how we can learn from them to make it through our own journey down a similar path. It was the phenomenon of Oscar that led Dr. Dosa to this exploration, so clearly he deserves mention in the title--you can't fault the author for that.

This was an "easy" read--the book isn't that long, so I finished it in a matter of hours. I would urge anyone facing the dementia-related illness of a loved one to take that little bit of time to read this book, as it will give you a unique perspective that will only help you with what you're facing. Alzheimers and related diseases are so greatly misunderstood that it's difficult to know whether you're ever doing the "right" thing to care for your loved one. And because there is no "right" and "wrong" there is often a lot of guilt involved no matter what you do. If you're an animal lover, the read will be that much easier. And if you're not, it doesn't matter because the book isn't so much about Oscar as it is about what Dr. Dosa learned because of Oscar.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Excellent read

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024

Verified Purchase

Book in great used condition.. will purchase used books again. Thank you

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G. Passantino

Lessons for All Caregivers of Parents and Other Loved Ones

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2010

Verified Purchase

I won't repeat the summaries or insights given by previous good reviewers. I just want to add what this book did for me. This book helped me to better understand, appreciate, and have patience with those aspects of my elderly mother's character and behavior that have been most persistently frustrating to me.

About 3 years ago, my husband and I brought my 87 year old frail mother into our family to live with us for the rest of her life, and she fell and broke her neck, necessitating major surgery, shortly after she came to us. The recovery and life together since has been more rewarding but also more frustrating and taxing than we ever could have imagined. Although she does not have any form of senility, and in fact remains one of the smartest people I've ever known, she is often very frustratingly reckless and uncooperative in her health and wellness care, and that takes a huge toll on those who love her, especially me and my siblings. At times I have found myself more consumed with worry and frustration than love and enjoyment. At times I've felt like the mother who lives with me is not the mother who raised me -- especially when she says or does things that she always taught us not to do.

Making Rounds with Oscar has taught me to enjoy the mother I have today without forsaking the mother I thought I had yesterday. It has taught me to respect her for who she is, even when she endangers or neglects herself despite my husband's and my "due diligence." It has taught me to experience "the moment" for what it is without regret for the past or fear for the future.

In fact, I think any adult child who has any worthwhile relationship with his/her parent should memorize the list of considerations at the end of the book. I'm thankful Dr. Dosa reminded me that part of "honoring" my mother is to honor her today as well as yesterday.

One of the most practical insights this book gave me was the reassurance that care giving for the elderly takes an enormous toll on the care giver, and that is not selfish but even beneficial for me to seek relief help even as my mother insists she does not need it and cannot afford it. I need it and therefore she needs it. Thankfully, her depression-era estimation of being unable to afford it and the realities of the support my father left her are not the same.

Whether your elderly loved one has dementia or not, whether you care about pets or not, whether you believe Oscar can sense impending death and acts in compassion or not, anyone who loves someone nearing the end of his/her life can benefit from this book.

18 people found this helpful

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Jen G

Perfect condition

Reviewed in Canada on May 4, 2021

Verified Purchase

The book arrived in good, sturdy packaging, so it came out of the box brand new! Got to me sooner than expected, too. Will order again from this seller.

pat goulden

Great sory

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

Great service

ゆきさん

ネコがかわいいです

Reviewed in Japan on April 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

すぐにスラスラ読めます。英語の学習に最適です。

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Fölet

Warm, ehrlich, interessant und ein bisschen traurig.

Reviewed in Germany on September 24, 2014

Verified Purchase

Das Buch "Making rounds with Oscar" ist kein Katzenbuch. Es geht schon auch um eine ganz spezielle Katze und seiner fähigkeiten aber noch mehr um das Leben als Dement. Es ist lehrreich, über der Krankheit an sich und wie damit umzugehen ist vor allerdings für die Nähestehende. Es ist warm und verstädlich geschrieben. Kein "Arztbuch", sondern in Romanform. Oft muss man auch lächeln auch wenn der Thema traurig ist. Sehr zu empfehlen (auch für Katzenfans).

One person found this helpful

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Janice Simmons

This was a special book

Reviewed in Canada on September 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

My mother recently died of Alzheimers and I ony wished that I had read this book long before she got to the end stage. It let me see things that I was missing with my mum and the disease. I have let all of my family read this and they all felt the same. I have also purchased a second copy for a friend that is struggling with her father who is in the earlier states of Alzheimers. When I hear her complaining about him, I remind her to read "Oscar". It is the disease not her dad.

4 people found this helpful

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