In a rather adorable case of kitty kidnapping, a wild monkey grabbed a small tabby kitten, holding the bewildered feline closely as they ran across a narrow ledge, before settling down for a gentle grooming session.

Monkey grooms kitten

This touching act of interspecies affection was captured on video in a residential neighborhood of Kuala Kangsar in Malaysia recently.

The “catnapping” monkey is a long-tailed macaque, common throughout Southeast Asia. These primates naturally live in large, social family groups, and mutual grooming is a sign of bonding and affection between individuals.

Wild monkey grooms kitten

In this case, the macaque was extremely gentle with the new cat friend, embracing the kitten often and delicately picking through the fur in search of insects to snack on.

Initially, the kitten looked a little disconcerted by the interaction, but once the grooming began, happily sat there to receive some pampering.

Wild monkey grooming kitten

After several minutes, the interaction came to a natural conclusion, with the kitten jumping down to join a bemused feline companion who had looked on from below.

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monkey and kitten