Meet Ruje
The heart behind Stay & Play.
For Ruje, caring for animals has never felt like work — it's simply who she is.
A lifelong pet parent, Ruje grew up with animals by her side and has never looked back. Today, her home is a happy, lively one shared with four cats and two dogs, each with their own personality, quirks, and an equal claim to the sofa.
For as long as she can remember, friends and family have trusted Ruje with the animals they love most. What started as a natural extension of her own pet-loving life gradually became something she knew she was meant to do — and Stay & Play was born from exactly that passion.
Ruje believes that every pet deserves to feel safe, loved, and at ease — especially when their favorite person is away. That belief sits at the heart of everything Stay & Play does.
Your pets are in the very best hands.
Meet Edward
Co-founder & pet enthusiast
Edward has always been an animal person — it's just part of who he is.
He shares his home with four cats and two dogs, and between them, they've claimed just about every comfortable surface in the house. As co-founder of Stay & Play, Edward brings genuine care and a calm, steady presence to every pet he looks after.
He knows how much it means to leave your pet in someone else's care — and he doesn't take that lightly.
Your pets are in great hands.
Meet our fur family
Wasabi
Don't let her petite frame fool you — Wasabi’s attitude lives up to her namesake. Energetic and curious, she lives life at full intensity, whether stalking her feather toy with the focus of a fearsome predator, or performing daring feats of furniture parkour.
Growing up alongside both cats and dogs, Wasabi made a very important life decision early on: she is, without a doubt, a dog. She's got the bold, social personality to prove it, and she fits right in with any four-legged friend who comes her way.
Mochi
Mochi's arrived as a shy, slender little soul, a rescue originally from Mexico who had found her way to America with one family before landing, finally, in our home. Back then, she kept to herself, nervous around the other pets and unsure of her place in the world.
That was then.
These days, Mochi has blossomed into a confident, attention-loving diva who bravely claims her share of the spotlight. She vocally announces herself, and if that isn’t enough, weaves her way directly onto the waiting lap in question, occupied or not.
And then there is the food. Mochi approaches mealtime with a passion that can only be described as theatrical. Offer her chicken or fish, and she'll let you know exactly how she feels about it with an enthusiastic, full-throated growl that is equal parts adorable and slightly unhinged.
Sashimi
As the eldest pet in the household by a full seven years, Sashimi has seniority, and she wears it like a monarch. She is, by her own assessment, the boss — a title she has held for years and has absolutely no intention of relinquishing, regardless of what the younger residents may think.
Bearing the weight of this crown requires rest — preferably in a spot that is at least two sizes too small for her, which somehow makes it extra-cozy. This is balanced with play, in an approach entirely her own: she will stalk, pounce, and pursue with great enthusiasm, right up until the moment she catches the toy. At that point, the game is over. She has won, and lays on the toy until it accepts its defeat.
Sashimi also serves as the household's official timekeeper. Her internal clock is flawless, and if she determines that a meal is late — or even approaching — she will make sure everyone within earshot is fully informed. As thoroughly as needed.
But above all else, Sashimi is a lap cat in the truest sense. She lives for closeness, love, and attention from her family, basking in the affection while purring her heart out. And maybe drooling just a little.
Miso
Miso has seen the outside world. She has considered it. She is not interested.
Once an outdoor cat due to her previous family's allergies, Miso has since discovered something far superior: the indoors. Specifically, a cushion by the window, where she can observe nature at a comfortable distance, in climate-controlled tranquility, without any of the inconveniences that come with actually being in it. The birds, lizards, people, dogs, and other denizens of the street and garden pass by under her calm, watchful gaze.
Don't mistake her contentment for aloofness, though — Miso is a sweetheart through and through. She enjoys the occasional cuddle on her own terms, and in all her years has never once scratched or bitten a soul. She is, in the most genuine sense, a gentle cat — the kind that reminds you not all rescues come with baggage. Some of them just come with quiet grace and an appreciation for a good window seat.
Miso's story is a simple one: she just needed the right home. And once she found it, she never looked back — her place in our home is exactly where she belongs.
Rousseau
Rousseau is a gentle giant who believes he is probably only 5lbs, and remains unconvinced by any evidence to the contrary.
His passions are simple and pure: chasing the ball, and being held. The ball, he chases without limit. Pouring rain, blazing sun, other dogs, darkness, exhaustion: these are but small hurdles in this purest pursuit. No amount of fetch is ever enough! Here’s a ball, let’s play! (Wait, you need to throw this. Don’t worry, I’ll give it to you again. Here you go!)
And then there is his other great dream: the lap. Rousseau's deepest, most sincere ambition in life is to be held like a tiny lap dog — to be scooped up, carried around, and cradled like the precious little baby he knows himself to be in his heart. The fact that he is, by any objective measure, enormous, has never once discouraged him. And if the whole dog doesn’t fit? Well, he’ll find out just how much will.
What Rousseau lacks in self-awareness, he more than makes up for in sweetness. His temperament is as gentle as they come — a big, soft, ball-obsessed dreamer who wants nothing more than to play, to be close to the people he loves, and to be held, please, all the time.
He's still working on that last one.
Komachiyo
Komachiyo does not give her trust freely. She gives it deliberately, on her own timeline, and only once she has determined that you are worthy. But when she does, you become family.
She moves through the world with the quiet poise of a princess — unhurried, dignified, with prancing dainty footsteps and an aloof attitude. But beneath that regal exterior lives the soul of a warrior. She is watchful. She is protective. She takes her role as guardian of the household seriously, and strangers would do well to earn their place before expecting a warm reception. She is not unfriendly. She is simply discerning.
Those lucky enough to make it past her defenses will find a loyal companion of the highest order — steadfast, devoted, and deeply loving in her own independent way. She will not smother you with affection. Instead, she will demonstrate her love in the most Komachiyo way possible: she will bring you a toy.
This honor, this gesture of profound trust and affection, should not be misunderstood. The toy is not meant for you. She simply wanted to share her joy in having it with you, which she appreciates having acknowledged with pets on the head.
For those she’s really excited to see, when she can’t contain herself, she lets out a little howl of joy, before rushing in for an up-close greeting.