A NURSE from Ringwood is warning people to be vigilant after her beloved cat was poisoned with anti-freeze.

Olwen Watts from Hightown was left devastated after her eight-year-old big, ginger tom cat Buddy suffered a "horrendous death" after drinking anti-freeze from a bowl that was left on a path near the area.

Now Buddy's sister Holly is beside herself and cannot settle.

Ms Watts said: "I finished a shift from work and went to bed as usual with Buddy sleeping on my bed. In the morning Buddy wasn't interested in his breakfast and was a little bit wobbly. I thought he may have pulled a muscle but because it was my day off and I knew I had a couple of long shifts over the following days, I took him to the vet.

"Buddy died in his basket on the just as we walked into the vet at about 4.30pm. The vet resuscitated him and carried out tests.

"Buddy died four hours later after his kidneys failed. He was fitting and his back legs had continual spasms. It was horrific. The vet had no choice but to put him down."

Ms Watts was told that the vet had seen another with identical symptoms just days before.

Antifreeze is a liquid used to cool engines and can be deadly to humans and animals.

Ms Watts said: "Everyone needs to be vigilant. Anti-freeze looks like melted Slush Puppy and looks attractive to children and tastes sweet to animals.

"I just want everyone to be aware to prevent any other cat dying in the horrendous death that Buddy suffered."

A Hampshire Police spokesman said: "We received a report on April 15 from a woman who took her poorly cat to the vet, it subsequently had died and the vet had informed her that it was as a result of anti-freeze poisoning. She got in touch with us when the vet revealed that another cat had been brought in with the same symptoms.

"Officers have received no further reports and the case has been filed."

If anyone has any information about this incident they can contact local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 101 stating ref 44150126603.