‘Purrito’ kitten, then and now

Not much in life is cuter than three kittens wrapped up like teeny tiny burritos; that was the idea behind Best Friends’ “purrito” campaign back in 2015. Swaddling kittens is more than just adorable. It can help keep them calm and focused for bottle-feeding. The photo raised awareness about kitten season, which starts in the spring, the time of year when animal shelters are inundated with orphaned kittens who can’t fend for themselves and need foster and adoptive homes.

The middle kitten in the campaign photo, Meeko, is now 8 years old, and in his opinion, he’s still a celebrity. Meeko’s adopters, Manny Santiago and Páll Ívarsson, didn’t choose him because of his fame. They just fell in love with the sweet kitten after moving to Los Angeles and then learned that the image of the kitten they’d picked out happened to be on billboards and in countless other public places. Manny says it has been fun to have a pet whose baby picture pops up around town. “We have seen the ‘purrito’ images on billboards and buses around Los Angeles,” Manny explains, “and always get excited to tell Meeko about it when we get home.”

The cheeky tabby, who shares his home with a 17-year-old feline brother, has a big personality and loves the limelight. “He is very vocal and demands cuddles and attention all day. He will crawl onto my shoulder and cuddle anytime I’m in a Zoom meeting for work,” says Manny.

Meeko is also first at the door to greet guests who come over. And he’s still a poster kitty for adoption. Manny says, “If anyone is considering fostering or adoption, I would tell them that it is the greatest thing you can do. When you give an animal a loving home, they will show you so much love and affection in return. I couldn’t imagine our lives without our two adopted kitties. They bring us so much joy.”

This article was originally published in the March/April 2024 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill by 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.