A pet tortoise and cat have developed an incredible bond - and they eat, sleep and play together.<br /><br />Animal lover Hannah Deakin, 31, has had tortoise Marley for 15 years - but introduced a moggie to the clan five years ago.<br /><br />She didn't expect her cat, Obi, six, to interact much with Marley - and for the first year they were wary of one another.<br /><br />But they began to bond eventually - and now the pair are the best of friends.<br /><br />Hannah couldn't believe it when the pair began to bond and she says the unlikely duo eat together, play together and even nap together under Marley's heat lamp.<br /><br />Hannah, who works in a dog kennels, from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, said: "Marley used to be shy, but as the years went on, he got used to Obi being around him.<br /><br />"I had no clue how they would get on before I brought Obi home but they eventually hit it off - and now they adore each other.<br /><br />"In summer they started chasing each other around the garden, and they've done that for four summers now.<br /><br />"When it gets cooler Obi goes into Marley's enclosure and sits under his heat lamp lamp with him.<br /><br />"They eat together too - Marley wanted to eat with Obi so badly that he started eating out of the cat bowl.<br /><br />"He wasn't supposed to do that - so we moved his bowl to be next to Obi's and now they eat together."<br /><br />Hannah says the pair naturally became close. <br /><br />She said: "Marley fixates on Obi and loves to chase him around, and Obi is so gentle with Marley and is happy to be chased."<br /><br />When Marley goes into the attic for his hibernation period over winter, Obi is alone.<br /><br />But Hannah said the moggie sits and watches the hatch until the day Marley comes back out.<br /><br />"He sits there howling because he knows Marley is up there," she said.<br /><br />"They're so happy when they're together - they're just the best of friends."
