CAT owner and Knapp resident James Warren has voiced his upset and concern after his cat Max died from poisoning last week.

Max was out and about during the day time and when he returned in the evening his owner knew something was not right when he returned to his home on the outskirts of Taunton.

After taking him to the vets on two occasions Max passed away from the poisoning. Warren said the poisoning was deliberate and the incident has left him very sad.

"I found Max drooling and covered in his own saliva, it was terrible.

"I knew something wasn't right and I believe it to be a deliberate attack, it is terrible behaviour to poison a cat, I am disgusted and so sad."

Warren believes this to be a deliberate attack because his neighbour too lost a cat last week due to poisoning.

"That makes it two cats dying of poisoning in a small village in just a week, this just isn't right," Warren said.

"It is sickening if I am honest."

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “We’re sorry to hear about cats being harmed and would ask everyone in the area to take extra care when using antifreeze and to be aware of the risk to pets and wildlife.

“If anyone has information on animals being deliberately poisoned or harmed, we’d encourage them to contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.”

They went on to provide some general advice on what cat owners can do to prevent any accidental poisonings.

“We’d also encourage people to check where they keep their pesticides and chemicals and make sure they are secure and out of the way.

“Making sure antifreeze lids are shut tightly and always cleaning up any spillages may save an animal’s life.

“If pet-owners have concerns for their cats’ wellbeing or if they are showing symptoms of poisoning, take them for veterinary treatment immediately.

“Signs of poisoning can be seen anywhere from 30 minutes after ingestion to two or three days. This can include some, or all of the following symptoms: vomiting, seeming depressed or sleepy, appearing drunk or uncoordinated, seizures and difficulty breathing."