Evidence now points to rat(s). In fact there seems to be a bit of a rat problem in Ashland. Several people have mentioned seeing rats in alleys and even hearing them in walls. This could be a symptom of the relatively high vacancy rate in some areas of town. This is especially true of common-wall condos where a unit in the middle is vacant and was not fully cleaned prior to vacancy.

That a rat might have been at large in a house with two very active cats makes me grumpy and a bit nervous, too.

In other news: http://blogs.hbr.org/haque/2011/09/was_marx_right.html