Stray Cat Wanders Into California Zoo, Befriends Bear

Think of it as an Odd Couple remake.

Curiosity led a stray cat in Folsom City, California, into the black bear exhibit at Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.

According to ABC News, Sequoia, the 550-pound resident of the enclosure, welcomed the visitor with open paws. The darkly-colored pair now spend their days side-by-side. Where Sequoia goes, the feline is not far behind, earning the cat the name “Little Bear.”

Little Bear first joined the zoo several years ago, but has only recently become a staple of the facility’s black bear enclosure.

“The cat pretty much ignored female Tahoe, but apparently the female cat, now called Little Bear by a Zookeeper, is working to becoming male bear Sequoia’s new best friend,” the zoo said in a statement about the kitty’s arrival. “Often when Sequoia takes a hike through the ‘bear forest’ his cat friend walks with him. She rubs against walls and visitors can hear her raspy purr from quite a distance.”

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As a thank you for the crowds Little Bear attracts, the zoo has offered the cat a permanent residence at the sanctuary. Each morning, Little Bear wakes up with her roomies and receives a can of cat food at feeding time.