Real-life Calvin finds his Hobbes: Heart-melting video shows toddler in a tiger costume playing copy cat with Sumatran tiger cub at a zoo

PUBLISHED: 22:49 EST, 8 November 2013 | UPDATED: 01:48 EST, 9 November 2013

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An 'awwww'- inspiring video of a little boy in a plush tiger costume having a play date with a real-life tiger cub in a Washington state zoo has won over millions of web users in the past week.

The heart-melting footage was taped by Heath and Jackie Shaffer on Halloween, when the couple took their 2-year-old son, Marshall, to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma.

Thanks to his fluffy striped disguise, complete with a tail, the toddler hit it off right away with a 6-month-old Sumatran tiger cub named Kali who lives at the zoo.

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Mirror image: Marshall Shaffer, 2, and a 6-month-old Sumatran tiger cub named Kali took an instant liking to one another when they met face to-face at a Tacoma, Washington, zoo

Earning his stripes: Marshall was brought to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium by his parents on Halloween, which explains his feline disguise

Real-life Calvin and Hobbes play at zoo

The 2-minute video of their encounter, which as of Friday night has drawn more than 1.4million views on YouTube, shows Marshall and Kali playing a spirited game of tag.

The child was perfectly safe thanks to a thick glass wall separating him from the rambunctious feline youngster.

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In the clip, the two pals joyfully run back and forth along the barrier, with the 6-month-old Kali playfully pawing at the glass as if trying to reach out to her new friend.

Wild play date: The 2-minte video of their encounter shows Marshall and Kali playing a spirited game of tag along a glass wall

Copycat: Kali playfully paws at the glass and mirrors Marshall's every move as the two sprint back and forth

Marshall does not appear scared in the least of the big cat, which mirrors his every motion as the toddler giggles and squeals in delight.

At one point, Heath Shaffer, who was taping the adorable encounter, could be heard telling his son, 'I think you tired her out, Marshall!’ after Kali settled on the floor of her enclosure inside the tiger exhibit.

Doppelgangers: Marshall and Kali have been compared to the characters of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, which follows the antics of a boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger

The two buddies, Marshall and Kali, have been compared to the characters of the beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, which follows the funny exploits of a boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes.

The video became a viral sensation shortly after it was posted on Reddit and YouTube. Since last week, it has been featured on the Today Show, on the site of Time Magazine and Gawker.