WOODSFIELD — The village of Woodsfield has a problem with feral cats.

The village is experiencing a recent uptick in the number of feral cats roaming throughout the community, leading several residents to social media to voice concern and frustration.

Resident Kim Schaber commented, “We have a feral cat problem here on Eastern Avenue” in response to another resident, Jeff Rice, who plans on addressing village council at its next meeting.

Mayor Carol Hehr said she recognizes the problem but said council is struggling to find a solution.

“It definitely is a problem, there’s no question about it,” Hehr said. “It’s a difficult situation because it is my understanding you can’t just pick up an animal off the street without knowing if it belongs to somebody or not.”

She said she plans on connecting with Crossed Paws Animal Shelter, a nonprofit animal shelter in Monroe County, to construct a plan to address the problem.

Crossed Paw is at capacity with cats and has a waiting list for people needing to drop cats off at the location.

“We’re not going to say no, but we can only do so much. We’re very small and always full of cats,” Crossed Paws Animal Shelter Treasurer Marcia Stalder said when asked whether the organization plans to intervene and assist the village officials.

“We can’t take any more cats. We’ve got a waiting list of cats right now. We’ve even offered to spay and neuter them and let them back loose so they can’t reproduce, but I don’t know what her plan is.”

Hehr said this isn’t a problem that will go away overnight, and she believes council will need help from Woodsfield residents.

“No one wants to see an animal starve and I certainly don’t want that, but what we’re going to have to do about this is going to not only take council but probably Crossed Paws and some residents to figure it out,” Hehr said.

The increase in feral cats isn’t a unique issue. Belmont County also is experiencing numerous animals being dumped on the side of the road. Belmont County Animal Shelter Director Lisa Duvall said she believes the increasing cost of living is the main reason for the upswing in abandonment of animals.

“People aren’t being responsible,” she said. “People really need to think before they get a new animal: ‘Can I afford it? Do I have the time for it? Is it the right fit for a family?'” Duvall previously said.

Hehr added that she believes one of the main reasons this keeps happening is because it’s difficult for law enforcement officers to figure out who is abandoning the animals.

“It’s been an ongoing issue, but I just think people just drop cats off in places where they think people will take care of the cats,” she said. “It’s hard to find the people who are actually doing this, and the cats multiply and that’s the problem. If people don’t do something about it, those cats are going to have babies and those babies will have babies.”

She added that she also plans to contact officials in surrounding villages and cities to see if those areas also are experiencing these issues and to ask how they’re handling the issue if it is occurring in their area.

“Before the next council meeting I plan on contacting other villages to see if they have the same situation and, if so, what their resolve is,” she said.

The next Woodsfield Village Council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday.

“We are working on the problem and we ask for constructive input from the residents,” Hehr said.