Noises you should not hear at night

In the early hours I heard a faint but definite 'rustle, rustle, rustle, thwap, thwap, thwap, rustle.'  In that sort of half asleep daze I thought to myself, 'That sounds like evil cat has got a mouse trapped under a carrier bag.'  Rustle, thwap.  'I hope she hasn't got a mouse trapped under a carrier bag.'  Thwap, thud. 'If she has got a mouse trapped, I sort of hope it gets away to next door's feline killers who leave no evidence.'  Thud, thwap. 'If there is a mouse I don't want it hanging around and widdling on my wiring.' Rustle, rustle, rustle.  'If evil cat does catch a mouse, her teeth aren't up to disposing of it." Thwap, thud, rustle.  'I wonder where she would leave the evidence.' Rustle, rustle, rustle.  'Oh, to heck with it.' And I rolled over and went back to sleep.

All the houses in our row get mice unless they have cats.  In this weather we sometimes get mice anyway.  It is something to do with all the grass and bramble banks, the empty houses and a mysterious and bricked up building that no-one has claimed.  I don't actually wish a mouse any harm, I don't wish any animal any harm.  However unless it is invited then I have a definite objection to animals taking up residence, climbing in my cupboards and multiplying around my stores.  Cats are a great deterrent.  I just hope that evil cat's elderly deterrent will do the trick.