Copycat Death Cat Named Buckwheat

SEATTLE, WA -- You may have heard about an uncanny cat that apparently has the ability to predict deaths at a Rhode Island retirement home. Now another nursing home is claiming it has its own feline barometer of the great beyond, and he's living out his nine lives in West Seattle.

Ten-year-old tabby Buckwheat makes the rounds at the Providence Mount St. Vincent nursing home - blissfully unaware of the reputation that precedes him.

Nurses at the facility swear that Buckwheat knows when a resident is about to die, and does his best to give comfort.

"Climb in bed with the person, curl up next to them, nuzzle them, nap with the person and he'll stay with them through that dying process," said Brenda Jennings.

Buckwheat was donated to the retirement home three years ago by a woman who was herself dying and could no longer care for the cat.

Since then, workers said Buckwheat has been with about three dozen patients when they've passed without a single diagnosis.

"Buckwheat often will stay until the mortician comes," said Jennings. "Buckwheat's better than morphine."

Skeptics might say Buckwheat is simply snuggling up to a warm body, but hospice workers believe there is much more to it than that.

John Caster says he's seen the same thing with other cats.

"Typically it could be people where they didn't go in that room ever before and suddenly they're going in there for a couple days and the person dies," he said.

With such deadly accuracy, you might think people of an advanced age might avoid any run-ins with Buckwheat at any cost, but that's not the case.

Tilly Pfeffer says Buckwheat is no grim reaper, but a furry little angel.

"When he comes I'm happy that he comes," she said.

"I think it's wonderful how an animal can be such a true friend."

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