Scan barcode
grimmloki's review against another edition
4.0
I love it! I started reading it today and I couldn't put it down. My grandma died from alzheimer's disease and this book really hit home for me. I have been thinking about my grandma a lot recently. But it didn't make me feel sad. I felt hopeful and at peace.
allisonb64133's review against another edition
2.0
Thought this would be a likeable listen for my work commute. Instead the story had a lot to overcome because I didn't like the reader. Too many dramatic pauses, emphasis in sentences that sounded wrong in my head when I'd repeat them. The story wasn't much about the cat and more about the doctor's experience and families interviews about losing patients/family to dementia and was ok. If only it hadn't taken me 3/4's of the book to stop "rereading" in my head everything the reader said.
kenderwolf's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, though I wish there had been more about Oscar. I feel the title is misleading. The book mostly is about what the author learns about death and dying. That, in itself, is good and interesting, I just think the book deserves another title that better describes it. Those in the medical field would benefit from reading it for the insight, but a book seemingly about a cat wouldn't lead most to it. Those looking for about book mostly about a cat will likely feel left wanting.
mollyziske's review against another edition
3.0
Lovely little book about Oscar the cat who accompanies folks in a nursing home as they transition (die).
marfbody's review against another edition
4.0
Note - this is really not a book about a cat :)
The author is a doc in the memory care facility and this is more about his work and interacting with families as they navigate end of life with their family members.
Oscar the cat lives in the home and is a favorite of the staff and families — and he holds vigils as residents are dying. As my mom has dementia, the stories are very familiar. The families are the main focus of this book - Some folks are accepting of the end of life situations and some are not. As cliche as it sounds, dying is part of life and sometimes humans want to hold on to their loved ones and take extreme measures past the time that bodies and spirits are ready to go. If you have sat with a dying loved one, you know that it’s hard to let them go, but it is a kindness. This book is not for everyone but I am glad I read it.
The author is a doc in the memory care facility and this is more about his work and interacting with families as they navigate end of life with their family members.
Oscar the cat lives in the home and is a favorite of the staff and families — and he holds vigils as residents are dying. As my mom has dementia, the stories are very familiar. The families are the main focus of this book - Some folks are accepting of the end of life situations and some are not. As cliche as it sounds, dying is part of life and sometimes humans want to hold on to their loved ones and take extreme measures past the time that bodies and spirits are ready to go. If you have sat with a dying loved one, you know that it’s hard to let them go, but it is a kindness. This book is not for everyone but I am glad I read it.
sherriemarkman's review against another edition
4.0
More about dealing with dementia than the cat who appears when someone is about to die. Non fiction and very interesting!
teri_reads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
4.5
This book was so incredibly sweet. I expected to just read a bunch of tales of a sweet cat that lives in a nursing home, but there ended up being so much meaningful conversation of memory care and end of life care, and all the different ways that it affects the patients and their families.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Dementia, and Death of parent
widenera's review against another edition
5.0
I had to read it slowly. It tugged on all my emotions with my love of cats and my parents getting older and my mother-in-law entering alzheimer's. So it felt heavier than it probably would have if i had read it at another point in my life. But it's a fascinating book. The stories are heartwarming and heartache at the same time.
afreimarck11's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5