It is believed that just before his death, he tried several times to kill a black cat which often sneaked into the plant shop's yard but always missed and, realizing his own weakness, he said as follows.
死の際には、植木屋の庭に現れる黒猫を斬ろうとして幾度となく失敗し、己の衰えを痛感した沖田は以下のようにと嘆いていたという。