Visitor in the Night

I woke up sometime after 2am.  Something had changed on the boat.  This usually wakes me up so nothing new for this to happen.  Any little change - wind shift, boat direction shift, increase in waves and/or wind, decrease in waves and/or wind, weather, etc....  I wasn't concerned because we are securely tied to the dock in a very secure marina.  But I went into automatic mode none the less.  First I listened.  Where there any sounds that would tell me what had changed?  There were.  There was a faint tinkling/clinking sound - like metal but very faint.  I noticed the wind was up and thought perhaps our sun/rain shade was clinking around somehow.   I could see the sun/rain shade out the overhead hatch and it seemed ok.  Hum?  Then I heard it again and suddenly saw a dark shadow move past the open portlight in our stateroom - very close to where we sleep.  WFT was that!  In a split second my mind raced.  Was someone peeping in the windows?  They would have to lean WAY in on this portlight and thus really want to peep.  OMG!  Mind you this thinking all happened really

fast.  Then at the same time as I was getting up to investigate I saw the dark shadow move quickly past the next portlight, this one nearer to our heads therefore giving me a better look.  It had four legs - a cat.  It was a freaking cat!  The tinkling sound was it's collar/tag.  Someones cat was out for an evening stroll and decided to take a spin around our deck.  I laughed and looked over to see if any of this had awoken Tom.  Nope, dead asleep.  The cat fled leaving me to try to fall back asleep after that sudden adrenaline rush.  It didn't happen.  I guess it's good to know that not only is the marina patrolled at night by a security company (humans) but apparently we have a cat patrolling as well. 

Maybe Larry could be our guard cat?

Maybe Reba would have made a good guard cat?

Since this was their 23/7 mode I don't think either would have made a good guard cat