A young Tauranga family have been left with nothing after fire destroyed their rural home and left their six-month-old kitten with scorched paws.

The moggy, Cloud, was feared dead in the blaze that broke out in one of two houses on the family's lifestyle block on Tim Road, north of Tauranga, on Friday.

The blaze destroyed the rural property on Tim Road on Friday. Photos: Kaynon Hart.

Owner Maria Hart said her daughter and husband could hear the cat meowing from the house after rushing down from their own place to find the building in flames.

"They could hear what they thought was the cat inside, but then they heard it go quiet," she said.

"We thought she went missing but after all of the chaos, once things calmed down, she turned up."

Hart said the kitten, belonging to her two grandchildren, smelled of smoke and was struggling to walk.

'Her paws are a bit singed, it's a bit difficult for her."

Hart's son, Kaynon, lived in the house on the family plot at Pahoia with his partner, Valerie Martin, and their two children, aged one and two.

They had all been out for the day when the fire broke out about 4.45pm.

"My husband and daughter noticed the smoke, they could see it all the way from the house, they went down there and found the place in flames."

When Hart arrived home fire crews were dousing the flames with water but the fire had taken hold.

"You could see the smoke, it was everywhere. I was thinking 'this doesn't look good'."

The 50sqm wood guest house with a mezzanine floor was "completely engulfed in flames", she said.

"It is just unbelievable. There is nothing left everything is gone, even his car parked next to it is melted."

Flames from the burning house leapt to the custom-built car parked in the driveway, leaving the Honda turbo a melted mess.

Valerie Martin was on her way home when she reached Esdaile Rd to find the road cordoned off.

"We walked down to find the fire. I just burst into tears, the house is completely gone - there was no fire left."

On Saturday she was still in disbelief at the loss at her family memories and childrens' clothes and toys.

"We have to start from scratch. It is just devastating - all the memories, all my babies stuff."

The only thing salvageable was the child-size wheelbarrow Martin's son was given as a Christmas gift.

"Even that is black so we are not sure if we will keep it."

The Hart family have owned the property in Pahoia for three years. Although they have house insurance, the couple have no contents cover for the home.

But with a close-knit family, and community, the offers of help and donations are pouring in.

"They are just overwhelmed and in disbelief. Even people we don't know are donating everything they have spare."

A Fire Safety investigator was looking into the cause of the blaze, but Hart said the family had no idea.

"We just don't know at this stage. They are undertaking an investigation to try and find out what it was."

Northern fire communications shift manager Colin Underwood said three fire crews, rural fire and three tankers were called to the blaze.

They spent more than two hours at the fire.

The family were thankful no one was hurt, and their beloved kitten had made it out of the fire alive.

"She just made my day, just seeing that face I couldn't believe it," Martin said.