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A mysterious tweet from President Donald Trump spawned a thousand words, points, counterpoints, speculation and memes — and now, some hope, will become the key to helping a friendly Utah cat find a home.

"Covfefe," an 11-year-old male brown tabby cat, was available Thursday for adoption from the Humane Society of Utah — his name originating from a tweet Trump sent just after midnight on May 31 that read: "Despite the constant negative press covfefe."

After going viral, the message was deleted, and a few hours later Trump tweeted: "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!"

Deann Shepherd, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society of Utah, said cat Covfefe has been up for adoption for nearly a year and came to the shelter after his owner died. Most dogs spend an average of a week there before adoption, while kittens often get snapped up within a day.

"It's just very sad that we've had this great cat for a year and we're just kind of confused why he hasn't been adopted," Shepherd said. "He's great with dogs, cats and kids."

So, after seeing covfefe memes on Facebook, she hatched a plan to create a "secret identity" and change the cat's moniker from "Sprite" to the nonsensical word to drum up attention.

Covfefe the word is still without definition, but Covfefe the cat is described as a "faithful feline" and "Velcro cat" that will "be your shadow and your very best friend."

Potential adopters should head to the shelter in Murray — 4242 S. 300 West — and spend some time with the cat, she said. At the close of business Thursday, a shelter employee said, the cat was still available.

Covfefe is between 60 and 64 in cat years, more than old enough to run for president himself, but the only campaigning on his behalf is to find a home.

"We hate to see a cat be here for that long, especially when he's a senior," Shepherd said. "He deserves a nice home to be enjoying retirement in."

And Covfefe doesn't have to be his permanent name for the person or family that gives him a permanent home.

"They can change his name to whatever they want," Shepherd said.

bsmith@sltrib.com Twitter: @BrennanJSmith

Editor Nick Parker contributed to this story.