Meet the Animals
GaGa's world is never short of visitors. It began with Spottie Lottie, a beloved little spaniel who inspired the very first book. Then one day Frankie the naughty black cat appeared — and the animal adventures continued. Every creature that finds its way to GaGa's door is welcomed, cared for and has a story worth telling.
Come and meet some of them now.
Frankie
Frankie arrived on GaGa's doorstep as a stray kitten and never really left. She moved from the draughty barn into the warm house with remarkable speed and hasn't looked back since.
Naughty, watchful and endlessly curious, Frankie has a habit of appearing at exactly the wrong moment for the other animals — though GaGa always makes sure everyone comes to no harm.
In real life, black cats are just as characterful and mischievous as Frankie suggests. They are also, sadly, the least likely cats to be rehomed from shelters — which makes GaGa's decision to take in this particular stray all the more meaningful.
Russelly & Leafy
GaGa had not seen a hedgehog in her garden for years — and feared they might never return. Then one spring evening, two appeared in the hedgerow, shuffling quietly about their business.
GaGa’s granddaughter Eliza named them Russelly and Leafy. They were left food to help them through the seasons. GaGa made a hole in the fence so they could roam freely, and built them a proper home to return to.
Hedgehogs are one of Britain's most beloved but most threatened garden visitors. Simple acts like leaving gaps in fences, providing fresh water and avoiding the use of pesticides can make a real difference to their survival.
Basil the Bat
One evening Basil flew into GaGa's house, made his way upstairs and settled nervously above the bed — with Frankie the naughty cat watching from below with considerable interest.
GaGa calmly scooped Basil up that night and carried him safely to the barn to rest. As she always says — GaGa knows what is best.
Bats are extraordinary creatures and vital to our ecosystem, eating thousands of insects every single night. All bat species in the UK are protected by law — so if you ever find one in your home, handle them gently if at all, and contact the Bat Conservation Trust for advice.
The Mouse
In the darkness of the night, Frankie the naughty cat gave a mouse a terrible fright. Next morning GaGa found Frankie staring intently at a chair — and discovered the poor mouse hiding beneath it.
With great care and calm, GaGa caught the mouse gently in a teatowel so as not to frighten it further, and placed it safely in a pile of logs outside — sheltered, quiet and far from any naughty cats.
Field mice are remarkable little creatures — nimble, resourceful and surprisingly brave. If you ever find one inside, GaGa's teatowel method is genuinely the kindest way to help them back to where they belong.
The Butterfly
Butterflies are soft, delicate and breathtakingly beautiful — and they have a habit of finding their way inside and becoming trapped against a window, drawn by the light but unable to find their way back out.
GaGa's solution is elegantly simple — a glass placed gently over the butterfly, a piece of card slid underneath, and a careful walk to the door. With a smile, GaGa whispers her familiar farewell — Goodbye butterfly, goodbye.
Britain is home to around 59 species of butterfly. Planting nectar rich flowers such as buddleia, lavender and cornflowers in your garden gives them a vital place to feed and rest — and might just result in a beautiful visitor or two.
Adam the Ant
Ants march in long orderly lines like tiny soldiers — and when the weather turns cold, they sometimes decide that GaGa's kitchen looks rather more inviting than the garden.
Frankie the naughty cat returned one day to find an entire ant army on the march — sending them scurrying under the fridge for cover. They didn't move an inch.
Ants are among the most industrious creatures on earth, capable of carrying many times their own body weight. A single ant colony can contain millions of individuals all working together in remarkable harmony.
Alexandra the Beetle
Alexandra arrived in GaGa's kitchen one day, scuttling purposefully towards the doormat looking for somewhere quiet to hide. Frankie the naughty cat was fortunately fast asleep and nowhere to be seen.
With characteristic gentleness, GaGa scooped Alexandra carefully into a mug and carried her out to the barn — warm, safe and nicely snug, well away from any curious cats.
Britain is home to over 4,000 species of beetle, making them one of the most diverse groups of creatures on these islands. They play a vital role in the garden — breaking down dead wood, aerating soil and providing food for birds and other wildlife.
Boris the Spider
At the end of summer, spiders begin appearing in houses across the country — and GaGa's home is no exception. Boris arrived one day, raced across the floor at considerable speed and took refuge under a chair.
Frankie the naughty cat settled down to wait with great patience and determination — until she eventually fell fast asleep. Boris, it is safe to say, was very relieved.
House spiders are completely harmless and are actually enormously helpful — quietly keeping the population of flies, mosquitoes and other insects under control. If you find one in your home, a glass and a piece of card is all you need to relocate them gently outside.
Cyril the Squirrel
Cyril is cheeky, bold and always on the lookout for food. One day, spotting an opportunity, he ran straight into GaGa's house and leapt up onto the cupboard — sending Frankie the naughty cat racing in to investigate the commotion.
One look at Frankie was all Cyril needed — he leapt back out of the house and disappeared into the trees at remarkable speed. Cyril was safe, and very pleased indeed.
Red squirrels were once common across Britain but are now rare and mostly found in Scotland and a few protected areas of England. The grey squirrel, introduced from North America, is now the species most commonly spotted in gardens — cheeky, resourceful and apparently completely fearless.
Ruby the Red Kite
GaGa heard a familiar whistle one day and looked out of the window to see a remarkable sight — Ruby the Red Kite perched in a tree, clutching GaGa's teatowel in her talons, she had flown into GaGa’s kitchen thinking she saw a mouse, and Frankie the naughty cat had wasted no time in chasing her straight back out again.
Red kites are one of Britain's great conservation success stories. Once hunted almost to extinction, a careful reintroduction programme has seen their numbers recover beautifully — and they are now a increasingly common and breathtaking sight soaring overhead across many parts of the country.
If you ever see a large bird with a distinctive forked tail wheeling gracefully overhead — that's Ruby's cousin saying hello.
Pink Eyes the Pheasant
Pink Eyes was GaGa's favourite garden visitor — timid, gentle and quietly friendly. Unlike some of her more adventurous fellow visitors, Pink Eyes never ventured inside the house, preferring instead to wander contentedly around the garden at her own unhurried pace.
GaGa fed her every day without fail, and Pink Eyes rewarded that kindness with her loyal and regular presence.
Pheasants are a familiar sight in the British countryside — their rich plumage and distinctive call making them one of our most recognisable garden and woodland birds.