A wild monkey and a stray kitten became unlikely best friends after the feline was rescued from a car engine compartment in Thailand.

The pair are both being kept in a rescue centre in Krabi province, with officers surprised at the strong bond the two have struck up in just a few weeks.

Rescuers had pulled out the female kitten from a driver's car engine on August 15, and brought it back to the shelter for monitoring. They kept it in a cage next to Krapaoya the monkey's enclosure.

To their surprise, the kitten's meows appeared to have awakened the primate's maternal instincts.

Krapaoya would often be seen standing longingly in front of the baby cat's cage while the small animal cried, prompting the decision to keep both of them in a single cage. The kitten was even seen trying to suckle from Krapaoya, who has since 'adopted' the cat and now acts as its best friend and surrogate mother.