This article talks about Oscar the cat who has sensed imminent death in 25 patients at a care center. The cat usually ignores people, but will curl up next to and seek out patients that are close to death.
The article also compares how dogs can detect and act as early warning system to patients who are about to have epileptic seizures.
I recall somewhere that the Egyptians were supposed to have revered the cat in part, because it existed in the world of the dead and the living, and was therefore divine. or something along those lines.
Scientists, according to the article, believe that it has to do with an animals’ relatively incredible sense of smell.