In Harry Potter, the Grimm was said to often take the shape of a large black dog.
This is something you'd find in a Greeting-Card shop...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6917113.stm

It seems to me I remember an old superstition that cats could "suck out your soul." Perhaps that is the little service this cat performs. Sort of like a fuzzy "dementor."

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/k.westgate/history4.htm

I love my tindalosian poochies.

I recall that too Prof.
It was also used as a plot at the end of the (woeful!) 'Cat's Eye' movie (from the quite brilliant Stephen King short stories).

I was reading about that cat the other day. Apparently there have been other nursing homes (at least in Australia) that have actually banned cats for this reason. I was imagining all these old people running away from a cute little cat for fear that it will signal them out for the reaper!

A hypothesis: Allergy to cats is supposed to be due to the cat's saliva on its hair from licking itself. Perhaps this allergy is triggered in the elderly person when the cat snuggles up. The victim is in a weakened condition to begin with and cannot resist the allergic reaction that causes death. A stronger person would not be so affected.

On the other hand, cats are psychic.

Bill

Heh.. it's the "Oscar".. ("Oh no, I've seen The Oscar, Prof Trewlaney!") ..doesn't have the same ring as the "Grimm" though does it ?

By the way, if I ever change my nickname here to one I typically use on some other forums, it'll be "Grymmditch", a minor spelling variation of my mother's maiden name.
After peoples sees "da Grimm", deys gets buried in a grymm ditch ! Sure beats my real last name.

Ed Solomon has mant stories which revolve aroun hellish black hounds. Cats as witches familiars are fertile story telling material as well

Although a sceptic may suggest that people only 'notice' the cat when someone kicks the proverbial pail. The rest of the time when it sits with people it's ignored. I think Derren Brown uses the example of coincidence in one of his books. You think of someone then the phone rings and it's that person. Does this show you have a spooky psychic connection with that person? Some would use it as evidence of this while others would point out all the times you've thought of that person and the phone didn't ring.