"It's wild," said Deb Burcombe, who works with the Alpine Valley Care Center through the Utah Health Care Association. "I've known about this cat for years, and then when we saw this national coverage I thought, 'We've got a cat even cooler than that."'

Max, who has shiny black fur with tufts of white on his chest and feet, first came to the center eight years ago as a kitten with his sister. The two cats were donated to help keep the residents company, Allison said.

About five years ago, Max — a breed that workers call a 'Heinz 57' mix — was hit by a car and nearly killed. Allison said the center couldn't afford to pay for Max's necessary surgeries, but the residents' families and members of the community pitched in and helped raise the funds.

Now Max is almost as good as new, just a little slower than he used to be as he strolls between rooms, looking for someone to keep company.

"I'm not sure that he's a 'death' cat," said Faith Bradley, who works at the center. "He is a really special cat. He is very, very sweet. He just knows which residents need him."

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com