A cat and a mouse in China appear to have struck up an unlikely friendship after the rodent was filmed cosying up to the moggie after being chased around.
Trending footage shows the rodent running and hiding under the feline's belly on a street, seemingly asking for cuddles, reported Chinese media.
Amused web users compared the animals' relationship to the one between Tom and Jerry, the beloved cartoon characters which cannot live without each other no matter how much they fight.
The funny scene was captured by an onlooker on Sunday in central Chinese city Xiangyang, according to Xuanwo Video, which is affiliated to regional newspaper Xi'an Business and published the clip two days ago.
At the start of the footage, the black cat is seen chasing behind the mouse which was scurrying around the street.
But the feline appeared to have no intention to harm its rodent friend as it soon stopped chasing and lay down.
The mouse, which was watching in the distance, suddenly made an unusual move.
It started running up to the cat and hid underneath its furry friend's belly, seemingly hoping to be cuddled after the long chase.
The feline appeared to have happily accepted the request while curling up its body and snuggled up to the mouse as the pair enjoyed a moment of friendship, according to the state media.
The animals' actions entertained hundreds of thousands of social media users who compared the pair to Tom and Jerry.
One viewer wrote: 'They seem to be getting along even better than Tom and Jerry!'
Another commenter joked: 'This is another example of true love. Love can cross any hurdles of skin colours, race, gender, and now even species!'
While the scene may have amused netizens, animal experts explain that the mouse's behaviour was a reaction to fear under attack while trying to take cover.
Caroline Clark, an ABTC Registered Clinical Animal Behaviour Counsellor, told MailOnline: 'From the beginning of the video we soon see the mouse freezing (keeping still). This is a reaction to fear but is also a strategy used by many animals to try and stop the chase in the hope that the aggressor will leave them alone.
'It makes no sense to put itself in danger and in my opinion, the fact that it inadvertently runs under the cat's belly is more about it being shocked, disorientated and therefore not thinking rationally.'
While this black cat decided to be friends with its prey, another feline in China was determined to get its food through any means.
Recent footage circulated online captured the moment a cat sneaked behind an angler, apparently trying to steal fish from the man's bucket, before the cheeky furry burglar was caught red-handed.
The seemingly hungry ginger cat is seen tiptoeing around the bucket while trying to reach for something inside with its paw in a determined fashion.
With eyes fixed on the prize, the feline was caught off guard after it suddenly saw the Chinese man watching the animal's every move with amusement.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
