A group of Buddhist monks in Thailand were holding an important five-hour-long service that marked the end of their year, when a random kitten decided to take center stage.<\/p>\n
The cat hopped up and ran over to a monk who was seated in prayer, but she kept nudging him in attempt to steal some cuddles and gain his attention. The cat tested the patience of the monk, who tried to maintain his chanting concentration. The monk gently tried to shoo away the kitten to no avail. Despite his best efforts, by the end the monk couldn’t hold back a laughter and gave in to the kittens demands.<\/p>\n
“I was trying to read the book. But I was more focused on the cat,” admits the 25-year-monk, who uses the monastic name Luang Pi Komkrit Taechachoto. He studies at the Wat Udomrangsi temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Nophayong Sookphan, who took the video, said the cat jumped on stage at around 15 minutes to midnight and wouldn\u2019t leave until after the countdown to New Year\u2019s Day. The video was originally posted on public Facebook group “Cats’ Slaves” and was soon reposted on different pages. It has gained around 300,000 views collectively and was also replayed on Thai TV.<\/p>\n
Respect for all living beings is a key tenet of Buddhism, practiced by about 95% of Thailand\u2019s population. There is a tradition of free-roaming cats at many of the Buddhist temples, and Wat Udomrangsi is home to at least a dozen stray cats who are fed by devotees each day.<\/p>\n