Inspectors broke the concrete floor to rescue the cat

The RSPCA was called on Wednesday when visiting Health and Safety inspectors heard the cat mewing.

It is not clear how long the cat had been trapped, but the animal charity says he is quite thin and dehydrated.

Charles Gilby, from the Health and Safety Executive, said the concrete floor was laid two months ago.

He's probably used up more than one of his nine lives Felicity Cross, RSPCA Officer

Inspectors from the executive have been carrying out construction site visits across the county in a bid to reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries in the industry.

It was on one of these routine visits that two inspectors heard the cat.

Mr Gilby said at first they could not place where the noise was coming from.

He said: "This floor had been down for two months, but they managed to break open the floor and a black cat came out.

"It was certainly the worse for wear, but not actually harmed."

Animal collection officer Felicity Cross believed the cat, which is about 10-years-old, had tried to get out.

She said: "His claws are really scuffed and broken, which suggests he's been scrabbling around trying to find a way out.

"Generally, he's very subdued. But I've been down to the site in Pentire Avenue and, if he's been there for a while, he's probably used up more than one of his nine lives."

Ms Cross said although the cat was probably local, it was possible it came to the site in one of the building construction vans.