problem for felines.

Feline AIDS is no longer a rarity according to Warwick veterinary surgeon Dr.

Thomas James.

He says that it is not uncommon for older cats who have been involved in fights to have been infected by the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

But Dr. James has stressed it is only a small percentage of Bermuda's total cat population.

And he says cat lovers can be fairly confident of preventing their pets from the disease by neutering and spaying.

Dr. James pointed out that cats which stray long distances are most at risk from the virus, especially if they become involved in fights.

He said: "It mainly occurs in cat fight wounds where the virus is being inoculated under the skin. It does not last long in the outer environment.

"In this way it is unlike feline leukemia which can be contracted through saliva, for example when two cats eat from the same dish.'' Dr. James said while leukemia affects younger cats FIV is more prevalent among older cats because it can take years before it kills the animal.

So far it has not been found to be passed on when a mother gives birth unless she contracted the disease during pregnancy.

And Dr. James added that while there were cases of the virus being passed on during sexual contact fights were more usually the cause.

He said: "It is certainly present on the Island. It has probably been here for years. It's just that we did not know how to test for it.

"It is relatively new as far as we are concerned. It was first discovered in the United States in 1986 but it has been found in samples of blood dating back to the 1970s. It could have been around for generations.'' He said it is similar to HIV but does not affect human beings. It means the cat's ability to cope with disease is drastically reduced.

Dr. James said the disease takes some years before it takes full effect.

Symptoms include gum infections, sinus infections, chronic nasal infections, diarrhoea and inflammation of the eye.

He said: `It is mainly caused by cat bite wounds. It's certainly affecting between about two to three percent of the population. It is mainly cats that stray or have not been neutered or spayed.

"If an old tom cat is brought into my surgery there is a good chance that it is going to be infected.

"It is affecting old cats and wild cats that is part of the reason why it has kept going in Bermuda.'' Dr. James added that because of those reasons, unless a cure is found or wild cats are removed from the Island, it is likely to be around for a long time to come.