things that go bump

Eek! There's something alive up in my attic! I woke up at 4:00am this morning, and after tossing and turning for a while, I figured I might as well get up and get ready for work. Since no one else was awake yet, the house was really quiet. So as I'm standing in the bathroom getting ready, I hear this "scritch-scritch-scritch"-ing coming from (what sounded like) overhead. Then the scritching became more like a BUMPING and THRASHING noise! It reminded me of the sound my cats make when they're chasing and wrestling with each other during the night, so I quickly looked around the bathroom, hoping that was the case here, but NO--the cats were both sitting at my feet, staring up (in HORROR!) at the noise coming from the CEILING! I know it's probably a bird or a squirrel (or some other kind of rodent...*shudder*), but judging from the sound of the bumping, whatever it is, it's BIG! The worst part is, my spouse has an early flight out this morning, so I'm sure I won't be able to persuade him to go up there to investigate. This can't be good.

And the raven, never flitting,
still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas
just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, and the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore