Kind-hearted feline proves to be more useful than blank-screen car navigation system.

Cat lovers have a plethora of reasons for their feline fealty. Kitties seem to spend most of their waking moments being cute, entertaining, or simply stylish, so it’s no wonder they earn a space in so many humans’ hearts.

Unless you’re the sort that genuinely appreciates all those gifts of dead birds, though, it’s sort of unusual to see a cat you can describe as helpful. But that’s exactly the sort of cat Japanese Twitter user @zc31s_Monster met while out for a late-night drive in the mountains.

https://twitter.com/zc31s_Monster/status/960490926542962688

@zc31s_Monster and his pal had decided to do a little off-roading, but being on a dirt path instead of a proper street meant their car navigation system was now useless, as seen at the bottom right of the image below.

But luckily a cat who apparently lives in the surrounding forest was ready to guide them back to the main road.

While cynics might argue that the cat is actually just trying to run away, the leisurely pace at which it scampers down the path, along with the way it pauses and waits for the car to catch up, sure does make it look like it’s leading @zc31s_Monster back to civilization. There’s also the fact that the cat doesn’t make any real effort to escape deeper into the forest, even though it stops twice by the roadside before continuing along the dirt road. “It’s like he’s saying ‘Oh, I thought you were good from here,” theorizes @zc31s_Monster’s friend, “but if you need me to, I’ll show you the rest of the way.”

▼ A second video, showing the rest of the cat’s escort activities

Online comments included:

“I think I’ve fallen in love with this cat. He’s so cute and kind.”
“It’s adorable how the cat keeps making sure the car is still following.”
“Usually cats gat scared and run off when a car drives up, but this one makes sure you can keep up with him as he leads you out of the woods.”
“It looks really dark up in the mountains, so I wonder if the cat was lost too?”
“It probably wasn’t a cat, but a forest spirit in disguise.”

Granted, considering that there’s only one path to follow in the video, @zc31s_Monster admits he could have made it out of the woods without any help. Still, the kind-hearted, four-legged local took the initiative to lend a hand (paw) without being asked, and @zc31s_Monster reports that after the events shown in the video, he made it back to the highway safe and sound.

Source: Hachima Kiko, Twitter/@zc31s_Monster