Snake problem!!! In our garden

[Nosha123]

OK.. I need some reptilian advice please!
Husband pops home from work today to find a large snake (about 2 ft long) basking on our garden path - with the cat watching it.. and when it moved into the bushes - right next to the path the cat tried to go after it!

I am now fretting about the cat getting bitten!!!! I have been gardening before and was sure I could hear hissing.. but never actually seen one and thought I was imagining it!

There is a moat at the bottom of our garden and its full of dirty water - and we saw a smaller snake swimming in there too...

Dont know what snake it is - husband thinks either adder or grass snake. What worries me is the fact file on BBC site says which ever kind - they are mating now... and will then have babies!!!!! Nest is usually somewhere warm.. like a compost heap or pile of rotting logs - BOTH OF WHICH WE HAVE!!!

What do I do - what help can you give me and can a grass snake or adder kill a cat?
What signs should I look for if he is bitten!!!
(I am going to call our vet too!)

Can I get rid of the snakes?
Are they protected species?
What does the nest look like - I have found a small hole in our garden - sort of size for a mouse or rodent... but not sure whats living in there!!!

[sn�gs]

Sorry... wrong thread... saw the title and got it mixed up with Kn0b's kn0b thread...