October is being marked by an international network of animal support groups, including the Bermuda Feline Assistance Bureau (BFAB), the SPCA, and the Bermuda Cat Fanciers Association (BCFA), as a time to educate the public about the plight of stray and feral cats, and to promote the neutering of domestic cats before another kitten season.

This year alone, the group says the number of stray kittens in Bermuda has almost reached 100, so the public needs to prevent a repeat by neutering their pets without delay. While stray or feral cats are no longer the major cause of the kitten crisis, they can still be a contributing factor where there is a population of non-neutered domestic cats.

Once you know the signs, you cannot confuse a stray cat with a feral cat, the group says: "A stray cat is one which has been lost or abandoned. Dozens of cats each year are reported missing by their owners. Typically, only a handful are reunited.

"Too many cats are abandoned when people move or relocate, and laws need be enacted to stop this practice and hold pet owners to their responsibilities. Stray cats tend to be dishevelled after a period in the wild. They will be seen in daylight hours, and can usually be approached or touched after their confidence is gained.

"Feral cats are more wary of human contact, and can only be trapped through professional means. They have a pronounced fear of confinement as one of their main defences is their ability to flee dangerous situations. If attempts are made to confine a feral cat, even one that is familiar with the feeder, the cat's confidence will rarely be regained.

"They may appear better groomed than stray cats, but feral cats are not adoptable, as are strays. Therefore, feral cats should not be taken to adoption centres such as the SPCA. Instead, call BFAB at 291-1737."

Many public health concerns often associated with feral cats are misguided. Feral cats are generally as healthy as home cats. A 2002 study by Dr. Levy of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida noted that the vast majority of feral cats were in good condition, with an average life span of 6.5 years. The main danger to their health is fighting from mating behaviour, and the strain of multiple litters.

According to the animal support groups, cats are predators of small rodents and insects. In general, birds are not the staple of their diet. Regularly-fed cats rarely bother the bird life.

One feeder has noted that over eight years and 30 plus cats, there were only two such instances. The main cause of loss of wildlife, including birds, is due to loss of habitat. More birds die from the encroachment of humanity and are killed flying into windows or being hit by cars.

Feral cats shun people and prefer to surface only for feeding in the twilight hours, when they are less visible. Some people erroneously think removal of the cats is a solution, but this creates an environment vacuum, wherein more cats of the unmanaged vintage move in.

Feral cats are ones which live without regular human contact. By managing colonies of feral cats, their numbers can be reduced, the group says. Through the colonies, they can be sterilised, provided with food, shelter and vet care.

Kittens are taken away for foster care for adoption. The remaining, sterilised felines do not engage in breeding behaviours such as fighting, yowling, and spraying. A managed colony will prevent unsterilized cats from moving in and perpetuating the cycle.

Feeding stations are a green structure, raised off the ground, and covered to give protection from the elements. This prevents rodent or pest infestation, while keeping the colony in balance.

A measured amount of food, along with a change in water, is placed each day in the feeding station by volunteers. It is measured to be consumed by the cats within an hour or so, based on the number of cats at the colony, which can number from 5 to 15.

Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programmes have proven to be cost-effective methods to ensure that feral cat populations are kept to a minimum. The Bermuda Feline Assistance Bureau is leading the way in TNR programmes in Bermuda.

This is the methodology behind management of feral cat colonies. Cats are caught by specialists, sterilised, ear-notched and returned to their territory. Agencies which have implemented TNR approaches have noticed a sharp decline in cat-related calls from the public.

The local animal support groups advise members of the public not to take matters into their own hands. The Care and Protection of Animals Act of 1975 protects wild and domestic animals.

Penalties are severe, including $1,000 fines and imprisonment. Police officers are able to arrest expected perpetrators without a warrant in instances where animal cruelty is suspected.

BFAB, which has been in existence for over ten years, is an all-volunteer organisation, which requires public support. It has trapped, neutered and released an estimated 1,000 cats per year over its history.

A spokesperson for BFAB believes that the problem now is primarily the unmanaged domestic cat population, and it is working with the SPCA to help ameliorate the problem.

"Because some cat owners do not responsibly care for their cats, they let them breed uncontrollably," the spokesperson says.

"These cat owners must be taken to task. Licensing should be required and pets should be neutered, unless the owners are a licensed breeder. Pet owners can also microchip their pets so that they are readily identifiable."

Micro-chipping is a small, readable computer chip, which is read when a cat is trapped to ascertain whether it has an owner.

The Bermuda Cat Fanciers Association (BCFA) advocates the humane treatment of all cats, including those not owned and feral.

It supports managed cat colonies as a means to sterilising and stabilising the feral cat population. The BCFA fully supports TNR programmes and the ongoing care, management, and protection of cats.

For those wishing to keep cats from their property, the animal support groups list the following organic cat repellants:

* The dried herb "Rue" sprinkled over a garden;

* Fresh orange or lemon peels, or citrus scent spray;

* coffee grounds, tobacco, mustard, or lemongrass;

* Motion-activated sprinkler;

* Ultrasonic animal repeller.