Psychic Pets

Emma Heathcote-James gathers accounts from many countries of animals that appear to perceive things beyond ordinary senses. Among them are dogs said to detect cancer through scent, a horse that carried its wounded rider out of harm's way, and cats and dolphins reported to have anticipated pregnancies.

The book asks whether animals might have a built-in psychic faculty, one that lets them sense events or even glimpse what lies ahead. Rather than settling the matter, it explores the question through these stories.

The author ultimately uses these cases to suggest that people could be overlooking something valuable by not extending animals the esteem they merit.