It’s April 1, 2000.  James McGee, a volunteer with the Sacramento SPCA and self-proclaimed “dog person” is looking for a companion.  Enter Pyewacket, an 11 month old cat named after the familiar from the 1958 movie “Bell, Book and Candle.” Upon climbing into his lap, she began to purr, stealing James’ heart. Having never owned a cat before, James took Pyewacket home to begin the process of learning what it was like to care for her. He quickly discovered that sharing his home with Pyewacket was much different than a dog! James had to purchase a litter box, cat food, toys—he had none of the necessary items needed to make a cat feel at home. As they spent more time together, James came to realize that Pyewacket had her own way of doing things; she was particular about where her litter box should be kept (he found out the hard way when he moved it once!), she didn’t like it when he traveled and would express her displeasure in ways only cats can. But she loved James and James loved her. Over the years, James and Pyewacket settled into a routine, Pyewacket did what she wanted and James “allowed” her to do so. She would sleep on the pillow next to James, always careful to not wake him when she returned from a night of prowling the apartment. They had 16 wonderful years together. Pyewacket passed away in October 2016, taking a piece of James with her.

To honor her memory, James decided to “Adopt a Kennel” at the Sacramento SPCA. The “Adopt a Kennel” program was introduced in November 2016 to provide an opportunity for members of the Sacramento SPCA family to honor or memorialize a loved one while helping homeless pets in our community. Kennels can be adopted for one to five years, can be converted to a permanent adoption at the end of the initial period, and are payable by an outright gift or pledge (up to five years). Click here to learn more about the “Adopt a Kennel” program or other naming opportunities at the Sacramento SPCA.