Catherine vs. the Evil Noise

Catherine is a very quiet cat. Pretty much the only time she ever meows is when she's "captured" a toy and is bringing it to me like prey: I hear a series of meows, getting closer, and then she comes round the corner or down the stairs with a jingle ball or catnip mouse in her mouth, drops it near me, and purrs and head-butts me while I praise her.

So at 2:00 this morning, the smoke alarm in our upstairs hallway started making that intermittent beep that smoke alarms make when they need new batteries. It woke up G, who appeared in my room to complain that "there's a noise and I can't sleep." It also really bothered Catherine, who spent the next several hours prowling the hallway, monitoring the situation. And now that it's stopped, Catherine seems to think she's singlehandedly responsible for having defeated it. I keep hearing the loud "prey presentation" meow from the hallway, and when I go out there, she's sitting directly under the smoke alarm, looking up at it as if to say, "I've got you cornered!" Then when she sees me, she runs over, purring and wanting to be petted.

I wish I knew what was going on in her furry little brain!

Also, just for kicks, here's Catherine babysitting some of G's Polly Pockets: