The plight of a Witham woman whose home was crowded with cats has helped spark a major campaign by the RSPCA.
The woman, who has not been named, was found to have over forty cats living in her house. They were running wild, and breeding without control.
The RSPCA helped the owner to reduce their numbers by neutering and finding new homes for most of them.
The Witham situation was now typical, said spokesman Klare Kennet.
The cat population is so out of control throughout the country that the RSPCA is about to launch a campaign to neuter cats in Witham and the surrounding area.
One neutered female cat could be responsible for up to 50 million offspring in a 10-year lifetime, said Miss Kennett.
A mobile neutering unit is to visit the town in 2002. By neutering nine out of 10 cats the population should stabilise.
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