feral feline problem.

But Bermuda Feline Assistance Bureau (BFAB) is appealing for help in their fight to lower numbers and remove diseased cats.

They met last week with Evironment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons to discuss ways in which the Government can aid their programme.

And Mr. Simons went away with a better idea of how BFAB works and will look into ways the Ministry can combat the increase in feral cats.

It is just one problem facing the Environment Minister who has also to look at growing numbers of feral chickens and rabbits.

BFAB fund raising co-ordinator Mrs. Aideen Ratteray-Pryse said wild cats on the Island are estimated at between 5-10,000.

"It is similar to the wild dog problems of the 1970s before licensing was introduced. It is a problem of that magnitude,'' she said.

"We have attempted to establish stable communities of cats that are not producing litters. We do this by neutering the ones that are worth keeping.

The diseased ones we tend to put down.

"Unlike the SPCA we catch the cats and `fix them' before returning them to the wild habitat.

"A community of cats will protect its territory and not allow other cats in.'' Recently near the Airport, BFAB caught 350 cats with American officials catching 100 on the Base. Mrs. Ratteray Pryse said: "With cats producing a number of litters a year, by fixing the cats we have caught it could prevent 3,000 kittens being born.'' BFAB needs financial help after spending $16,000 on vets fees in the first year of its existence, despite getting discounted rates.

But Mrs. Ratteray-Pryse also stressed a great need for public education to stop the increase in unwanted cats.

She said she could not understand why people allow their cats to bear kittens when they know they cannot get rid of them to good homes.

She said: "Another problem is foreign workers who buy cats and then dump them when they leave the Island rather than take them home with them.'' The Minister said he did not realise that the US Naval Air Station had its own cat-trapping group.

Mr. Simons said: "We have to look at how to deal with the long-term problem of feral cats.

"We managed to get dogs under reasonable control under the Dogs' Act, but we are still exploring the options of how to deal with the cat problem. I have also been told there are large numbers of feral chickens and rabbits.''