It is said dogs are man’s best friend. But cat lovers around the world might take offence to that. And if you’re a cat person you would know, the way they curl and wind up on your lap, or purr when you caress them, they tend to etch a special place in your heart. But do what makes cats so adorable, works the same in case of their bigger cousins? Well, apparently it does. And they too love to be pampered and taken care of. One such video, of a wildcat sharing an adorable friendship with his hooman, is melting hearts online, reports the Indian Express.

When Gabriel, the cheetah, met his special friend — 50-year-old Dolph C Volker — after a year of separation, the beautiful moment was captured on camera. The video is now being shared widely online just because of it is pure, raw and loving emotion. As Volker returned at the Cheetah Experience Breeding Centre in Bloemfontein, South Africa, his friend greeted him with a big hug on his shoulder and lovingly licked his face.

An animal advocate and volunteer, he has worked with many wild predators but his bond with Gabriel is extra special. As he returned to South Africa after a year in January 2018, the wildcat recognised him almost immediately and doing thing the duo used to do together. This time too he managed to hand-feed Gabriel and spend the entire night sleeping next to him out in the open.