A colossal python that devoured a pet cat has been caught inside a resident's home in Thailand.

The massive predator had slithered into the home of Chanisara Rujinat, 33, to take shelter from a storm battering Ayutthaya on September 28.

While inside the wooden house, it pounced on a rare Khao Manee feline, swallowing it whole before being found by Chanisara, who hurriedly called rescue volunteers to deal with the beast.

The specialists arrived and found the python with a bulging belly hiding in a corner of the bedroom. They grabbed its mouth to keep it from biting, then dragged it outside to take its measures.

Rescuers said the serpent was four metres long and weighed 10 kilograms. It was later released into the wild.

Chanisara said: 'It was raining heavily when I heard a loud thud from the ceiling. I thought it was just a ceiling fan, but it turned out to be the python.

'I huddled my kids first into a separate room, then began searching for my cats. I found six of them, but my Khao Manee cat named Chao Kathi was missing.

'I remember hearing them hissing and fighting earlier. They must have been battling the python then.'

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.