SPCA Tampa Bay Alumni – Sam and Bo
“Brian and Kevin (Backstreet Kittens, now known as Sam and Bo) are all grown up, they are going to be one-year-old [today]! Sweetest boys God ever made. We are so lucky that they are ours.” – Kari Barrett, Adopter
Sam (right) and Bo (left), 1 year old.
In October of 2022, a gentleman working on a construction site came in to the SPCA Tampa Bay Veterinary Center with a litter of kittens that were found inside of a large piece of construction equipment in Sarasota. The construction team heard their tiny meows and were shocked that these babies had traveled such a far distance before being discovered.
The kittens were immediately evaluated by the veterinary team and, once they received a clean bill of health, they were sent to SPCA Tampa Bay’s For-All shelter in Largo to be placed into a foster family. After a month in foster care, they returned to our shelter and were ready to be adopted by loving families, like the Barrett family.
Backstreet Kittens at SPCA Tampa Bay.
What drew you to adopting Sam and Bo How did you find out about them?
“So we lost our senior kitties one end of 2021 and the other summer of 2022,” Kari Barrett told SPCA Tampa Bay.
“[I] was so ready to adopt two new babies and we have six year old twins and they were ready as well. So when I saw the Backstreet kitties on your Instagram page, I just knew. I could not make it the day they went up for adoption because my twins [had] their Christmas party at school. So I called early morning the next day on the 22nd and they told me Brian and Kevin were still there and I could not believe it.
So I was the first one in line at the gate, rushed in and visited them quickly. As soon as I went in there, they came down and sat in my lap. I just knew. So I adopted them on the spot and surprise[d] the kids when they got home from school that day. They came home and adjusted so well, and so quick I was shocked. They use[d] the litter box, ate, loved on everybody, they weren’t on a cat bed anytime of the day!”
Sam and Bo during Backstreet Kitten photoshoot at SPCA Tampa Bay.
What things do you love to do together?
“We love playing with all the kitty toys we’ve gotten them, you should see the things around the house that the neighbor has bought them. They are spoiled and loved and funny as they can be. We even have a little trampoline in our play room, and they climb really quickly up to the top, and then jump down on the trampoline, that is, if mommy doesn’t get to them fast enough to bring them down myself.
What things are you looking forward to in your future with Sam and Bo?
“We are looking forward to as many possible years as we can have with these two. Because they are doll babies.
Young Sam and Bo cuddle up in their new home.
Sam, the silver one, he thinks he is a lion, king of the jungle. He even walk[s] the halls like he owns the place. Bo is a little more subdued and sweet, he just looks like a little baby when he looks at you. They are both perfection, and I hate to even be away for four hours at a time haha.
They are beyond amazing, sweetest cats, lap cats, you never know when one’s gonna jump up and curl up in your lap. And they are heavy. Sam, the silver one is 12.5 and Bo is about 11 pounds now. The whole family is totally in love especially my six year old daughter.”
Happy Birthday, Backstreet Kittens! Wishing Sam, Bo and the rest of the gang many happy years with their families.
The SPCA Tampa Bay Alumni series features the heartwarming life stories of our shelter animals and their families following their “happily-ever-afters”. If you or someone you know has adopted an animal from SPCA Tampa Bay and would like to share your story, contact our team today!
About the Author: Camille Harkenrider, SPCA Tampa Bay’s Shelter Content Creator, works to bring the stories of our shelter to life with captivating messaging and images. She currently lives in the Tampa Bay area with her husband, four cats, two rabbits, and many fish.
