Adorable footage of a tiny kitten tentatively saddling up to a dozing golden retriever before going in for a cuddle has surfaced on social media.
But while the young cat's uninhibited affection is part of the reason for the clip's viral fame, it's the dog's heartwarming reaction to his newfound furry friend that makes it such a special video.
There's something undeniably magical about seeing a kitten experiencing the world around them for the first time.
It's proven a rich source for viral videos, with clips featuring a kitten's first encounter with their owner's baby and another with a pet rabbit proving popular online.
However, there's something extra special about an encounter between a kitten and an older, wiser, canine with a tough exterior but a big heart.
That particular relationship was explored in a video posted to TikTok by brownhikingtrails.
In the clip, a kitten by the name of Monkey can be seen approaching a brown golden retriever called Kai on their owner's couch.
While initially careful not to disrupt Kai's dozing, Monkey soon throws caution to the wind and climbs straight into their new doggie friend's lap for a snuggle.
Kai, to his credit, fully embraces Monkey, letting the tiny kitten cozy up in amongst his paws.
The magical moment comes when Kai begins nuzzling up against the young cat in an adorable and completely natural moment of pure affection.
The video can be watched in full here.
At the time of writing, footage of the heartwarming interaction had been viewed more than 7 million times on TikTok, with fans flocking to praise the wholesome nature of it all.
Hayley Markowski declared: "This is literally the cutest thing I have ever seen in my entire life," with John Barr agreeing that the encounter represented something "really precious."
"I hope they never get separated, and have a forever home together," he added.
Keith Ryan413 wrote: "My heart literally just melted," while Chanien said that the video was "the best thing I will see today."
Irena Lujo agreed: "Soooo cute!!! Snoogly poogly."
First posted back in October, the clip has continued to garner views in the months since, while Kai and Monkey's relationship has gone from strength to strength with their owner posting more videos of the pair snuggling and even play fighting together.
One such example can be viewed here.
Newsweek has reached out to brownhikingtrails for comment.
While a dog rubbing its face against you can be a sign of affection, Dawn Kovell, director of behavior and training for the Marin Humane Society, believes context is key.
Writing in the San Francisco Chronicle she explained dogs will often sniff a new person or animal before deciding to initiate a friendship.
"If you pass the sniff test, the dog might initiate contact by nuzzling or rubbing his head up against you to invite reciprocal affection," she explains.
In this context, the bond being formed between Monkey and Kai is definitely a real one— but there are situations where it might be more confusing.
As Kovell states: "Dogs have scent glands in their facial area, and marking their guardian by rubbing their head against you might be a display of ownership and territory."
