feral cats and feline AIDS.

The Bermuda Feline Assistance Bureau is trying to colonise, spay and neuter as many cats as possible to address the worrying problem.

Last week veterinary surgeon Dr. Thomas James claimed he had seen cases of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus on the Island, spread mainly by the fighting of feral or stray cats.

Ms Loretta Weir of BFAB said: "Estimates as to the number of feral cats in Bermuda vary widely but there are many thousands of animals who do not receive any form of veterinary care, whether they be feral cats, or merely free roaming `pet' cats.

"Our recently formed charity aims to reduce the numbers of feral and semi-domestic cats by a vigorous programme of colonising (feeding), spaying and neutering these animals.

"Several hundred cats have been spayed or neutered already and in each case a small notch is taken from the ear, while under anaesthesia, to prevent them being trapped and anaesthetised a second time.'' Ms Weir said the programme had worked in the US and England. It had proved unproductive just to remove "wild cats'' from any area.

"If two hundred females are spayed this year, this means the prevention of possibly two thousand unwanted kittens by next year,'' added Ms Weir.

"If one hundred male cats are neutered the potential number of bite-transmitted FIV cases will also fall dramatically as neutered male animals are not so aggressive.'' A difficult decision had to be made by the charity because of the high cost of testing. It had to decide between testing all cats that are trapped or just those that are to be placed in homes after spaying and neutering.

BFAB is concerned that because of lack of funds it may find itself having to release untested cats which may be infected.

Ms Weir said: "BFAB needs the help of all cat owners of Bermuda in attempting to address the problems of over-population of feral and semi-domesticated cats, both for the benefit of those cats and for the safety of family pet cats.''