This is the terrifying moment a python was caught on camera eating a resident's pet cat in Thailand.

The serpent had killed the black-and-white moggie named Todd and was preparing to devour it outside pet owner Joe Sak's home in Nonthaburi province.

CCTV footage shows the predator hauling the feline's lifeless body onto the pavement to swallow it. However, it was startled by two other cats that approached, forcing it to abandon its meal.

Joe was shocked to find the cat's corpse when he returned from work, thinking a car had killed his unfortunate pet. When he scanned through the security footage, he was stunned to see that the huge snake had been the culprit.

He said: ‘I was confused when I found Todd dead. At first I thought it was a car accident, but when I looked at the surveillance camera footage I was speechless.

'I hope other people take this as a lesson to make sure their pets are kept in a safe place.'

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.