Pets And Plants At Home

01/09/2026

Hello September! 🌸 Spring has arrived and with it comes longer days, warmer weather and another month of pawsome pet-sitting adventures!

Cool dude 'Rocket Man' Elton (check out that epic winter coat 😎) sadly went home after his stay from end of July to the start of August... until next time sweet boy!

We have a new member of the Pets and Plants family! Peaches 🍑 is THE cutest little big kitten who was a pleasure to come in and look after... he loved his tummy rubs, and he was SO proud to show me around his garden!

Then along came Daisy. Another new recruit to the pack! If there is ever a more photogenic girl... 🎀 I think she could easily be on the cover of Dogue. A real sweetheart who loved to cuddle and had the best first time board with us here! Can't wait to have you back Daisy-Doo!

Roxy returned!! 🤎 She's one of our long-term regular pups and knows the house inside out. She races in and is always so happy to be back! I love getting my Roxy fix in when she stays. Already counting down until next time!

Another frequent fluffypup to finish our month off!
🐻 Paddington (Paddy) is also a returnee, but this was his first time sleeping over! He's usually a daycare doggy so his week with us was SO MUCH FUN!!!! He's the funniest little Spoodle who has his crazy moments but is also Auntie's clingy boy... he doesn't let me out of his sight and has to snooze with at least one body part on me at all times. 🥰 I love it.

It's been a whirlwind of an August but I wouldn't have it any other way! New clients are so welcome and I love seeing these faces each time. One day I'll win the Lotto, buy a mansion on 100 acres and ALL of my (your) pups can come whenever they like!! 🤗
Thank you for your patience while my bookings are solid, if you need any remaining 2026 or 2027 dates have a look at my recent Available Dates posts and just shout over!

01/09/2026

🐾 DID YOU KNOW? 🐾

🍊 Most ginger cats are male. About 80% of orange/ginger cats are boys. The gene responsible for their orange colouring is carried on the X chromosome. Females need two copies of the relevant gene, while males only need one.
🧬 Every ginger cat is a tabby. Even if you have a ginger cat who looks solid orange, genetically they carry the tabby pattern. The stripes can simply be very subtle.
👃 Their freckles are real! Ginger cats commonly develop little dark freckles on their noses, lips and gums as they get older. These are called lentigo and are generally harmless.
😺 They aren't a specific breed. "Ginger" describes their colouring, not their breed. You can find ginger Domestic Shorthairs, Maine C***s, Persians, British Shorthairs and many other breeds.
🧡 They often have gorgeous amber or copper eyes. Although ginger cats can have many eye colours, golden, amber and copper shades are particularly common.
🐈 Ginger cats can have different tabby patterns. You'll see:
classic/swirl tabby
mackerel/striped tabby
spotted tabby
ticked tabby
☀️ Their colour can change with age and sunlight. Some orange cats become lighter or darker over time, and prolonged sunlight can make their coat look more faded.
🥰 The "ginger cat personality" is partly myth. Ginger cats have a reputation for being affectionate, cheeky, food-obsessed and slightly ridiculous 😂. There is some research suggesting coat colour may correlate with certain behavioural tendencies, but colour doesn't determine personality.
🍗 They have a reputation for being food motivated. This is more anecdotal than scientific, but ginger cats have absolutely earned a reputation for being enthusiastic eaters!
👩 Female ginger cats are comparatively unusual. A female ginger cat isn't rare enough to be extraordinary, but she's definitely less common than a male ginger cat. If you meet a female ginger, you've got a slightly special one! 🧡

And one of my favourite facts...
They have absolutely no shame.
Most cats will retreat gracefully after doing something naughty. A ginger cat will knock your plant over, stare directly into your eyes and then sit in the soil like "Yes. And?" 😆

29/08/2026

Send your doggy pics in to Special Agents 003 and you might win some goodies on Monday!
🐶🐕🐕‍🦺🐩🐺🦮

003 REMINDER - Monday 31st August is the 003 International Dog Day Giveaway Draw so enter your pooch now

🐾 003’s International Dog Day Giveaway! 🐾
Special Agents 003 and Agent Walter are giving away doggy treat prize packs! 🐶
Entering is easy — simply comment below with a photo of your furry family member and you’ll go in the draw!
Winner must be able to collect prizes from our Barfoot & Thompson office in Beachlands - if not collected within a week of prize draw then another doggie winner will be drawn.
📅 Winners drawn Monday 31st August
Ready... let’s see those pooches! 🐾💛

28/08/2026

There's only 4 months left of this year (!?) so it's time to do my dates for next year! They're filling fast.... ⏳️
A few slots for 2028 are already booked too!!

Some may change, so I do have a Next-In-Line list. If you want to book in, have a look at your diaries and your calendars and gimme a shout! 📣

Cats are usually fine for visits that you need in my free dates - I can confirm when you message me.

As always, thank you all so much for choosing me to take care of your fluffs. I will never take it for granted!💟🐾

28/08/2026

☆ MALMO IS THE BIG 5 TODAY!! ☆

You're paw-sitively the best birthday boy ever, and I hope you enjoyed your special day today!

I know I enjoyed seeing you and giving you a cuddle at your door earlier... 💌 🦴 🥰

See you soon my little wolf cub. Love you lots! XxXx

26/08/2026

🐾 🦴 🐾 🦴

22/08/2026

My heart broke over the last couple of weeks - I had to say goodbye to two very special girls… Coco and Gypsy. 💔🌈 I have tears again as I write this.

As a petsitter, you know you will love the animals you care for, but sometimes they become so much more than that. They become part of your family, part of your everyday life, and leave the biggest little pawprints on your heart.

I absolutely adored these two girls. They were the loveliest, sweetest souls and I feel incredibly lucky that I got to know them, look after them and love them so very much.

Coco sometimes had a gruff exterior who didn't always trust easily, but once she let you in to her circle you were one of her favourites. 🤎 We had so much silly fun together and some great conversations!
She was extremely special to me because she was the one who helped my heart heal after I lost my own dog, Poppy. I was devastated and couldn't breathe most days after she left us... but when I was with Coco she made sure I felt her love, she would let me cry into her fur and her eyes really understood what I was feeling. Without her, those grieving months would have been so much more difficult for me. I'll be forever grateful.

Gypsy was an angel in a Retriever's body. She was so beautiful in every way, a gentle, loving girl who would flop onto her back whenever she saw me ready for her tummy scratches and face kisses! 🤍
We had some wonderful walks side-by-side, greeting any other dog like an old friend then happily munching on her treat cosied up back at home. It was always so hard to leave these darlings until I next saw them.

A dear friend also lost her beautiful boy recently too.
Doogan was so loved, he was a soul dog to her and was the most resilient little Pug soldier who despite all of his challenges remained the sweetest, most loyal companion anyone could wish for. He wasn't a pup from my Pets And Plants crew, but it wouldn't feel right not to acknowledge his awesome little life too. 🖤

They will all be so very missed. 💔🐾
We'll see you again one day.

18/08/2026

☆☆ WALTER IS 4!! ☆☆
Today is your special day and you're the birthday boy! 🎈🎈🎈🎈

I think you actually get more handsome as you grow up into a beefy big dog.... 💛

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our special pup! Your second family here love you sooo much and we hope you're enjoying all your celebrations!

See you soon WaltyWoo. XxX 🍗

07/08/2026

A very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a very special lady! 🎈 ✨️ 🎀

Gypsy, you're eleven!!!!
We love you lots here at Pets And Plants HQ.... we hope you're having the most pawsome day!

X🐾X🐾

05/08/2026

❄️ Midwinter may be chilly, but the cosy cuddles are in full swing! Here's a little update on all my gorgeous boarding dogs and cat visits. 🐾

Nellie finished off her month long stay, it was hard to adjust without seeing her sweet face around the house and her splosh-drinking out of her water bowl once she had returned home! 💦 I felt honoured to have this regal senior lady Lab with us for so long.

I was lucky to see my regular duo pussycats - Dougie and Maisie for a few days again. One of them usually greets me on their front path, so they get scooped up for an Auntie head kiss and brought inside for their breakfast or dinner. The impatience of dishing up their feast always makes me laugh!

New kittens have joined the clan! Welcome Nacho and Mango! 🧡🧡 I already look after their big sisters Lala and Sprinkles, so a couple of extra cheeky faces doesn't make too much difference. Playtime made it hard to leave at the end of their visits.....

Solly the sausage Dachsy had a couple of visits and every time I see him, he makes my day! The excited screeches and face-licks are off the scale! We do both enjoy our catch-ups. 🥰 Is there anything better than the smell of warm 6 month old ears? I doubt it.

The month finished with Elton, the loveable Doodle who I'm pretty sure is part teddybear. His week brought us into August and started it off with waddling walks, zoomies around the house usually with 2 of his toys crammed into his mouth and contented mumbles curled up next to me on the sofa.
I hadn't seen him for a couple of years, but it was like no time had passed since he was a little puppy staying here with us... we can't wait for his next stint, as we're all totally in love with him! 🖤🤍🖤

Thank you for trusting me with your precious pets, See you for the next installment in September for the start of spring! 🌱