Noises in kitchen, absolutely shitting myself

[Kidulthood2027]

First of all, I have a huge phobia of rats. To the point I can’t function if there is one nearby. I have fainted before when seeing one as a teenager.

anyway, partner is currently out with a mate and won’t be home for a few hours. I cooked my dinner and left his portion on the kitchen counter next to microwave for him to warm up when he gets in, as I’ll likely have gone to bed by then. Went back into living room and put TV on not thinking anything of it, door to kitchen slightly ajar. I can now hear rustling noises. Really weird, the dryer and washer aren’t on and I can’t think of anything else that would explain the noise. It’s really loud though, like something has taken food from the plate and is dragging it along the kitchen floor/kitchen counter, I’m genuinely terrified and physically can’t move from the sofa to go and look. The kitchen counters are raised a few inches from the floor so would be easy for rats to be under there. I’m really frightened so please talk to me until partner gets home as I genuinely am stuck to the sofa with fear.

It’s a dragging/scuttling noise. Literally like something has grabbed one of the potato wedges of the plate and is dragging it across the kitchen

Fuck me now I’m thinking all sorts. We are in Liverpool so could it be a fecking seagull?

I genuinely am stuck to the sofa with fear.

Well the least you need to do is get up and shut the kitchen door?

I’ve just legged it upstairs

I really wouldn't leave food out on the counter. After 60 minutes at room temperature ALL non-dried, non-frozen food begins to grow bacteria. Even if there's no meat or fish, it still needs to be in the fridge

Oh that does sound scary OP. It'll be far more scared of you though. Have you slammed the kitchen door shut then banged on it hard a couple of times? Make it panic and hopefully dash out the same way it came in. Is your partner on way home yet?

I usually do put it away to be honest. Not sure why I didn’t tonight. Think I was expecting partner to be home shortly but typically he seems to have decided to stay out later

Ah I see. I'd be calling DH and telling him to come home now!

Or do you have any decent neighbours who would help?

And left the kitchen door open?

Why??

Whatever it is could be anywhere in the house now obviously.

Might be mice. I'm in the process of evicting them from my house - maybe they've relocated?🙂. Anyway, just buy some strong mouse/rat poison and put it down for a few days. That should get rid of the little blighters.

He rather conveniently isn’t answering! He goes out once in a blue moon, once every year or so! So I don’t want to keep calling and ruin it for him but I am desperate for him to walk through the door as I am terrified

It will only have access to kitchen and living room. It’s a 2-up 2-down

My guess is cat or pigeon.

Might it a be a squirrel? One raced past me into the back room, moved in behind the radiator, and took two days to remove.

I both yelled in a teams meeting when it made a noise, and at the time it first happened phoned dp in tears demanding he come home.from work to deal with it ( he didn't, reasonably really), but I can't even look at the bastards now and never leave the kitchen door open unattended anymore. Ever.

With the kitchen window being left open, I would bet my house it's a cat come in and eating your partner's salmon.

Forget about the really unlikely rat and go look at the far more likely cat? Not that you'll be able to rescue the dinner, too late for that...

Throw something into the kitchen see what happens !

I found next door's cat on my counter with its two front paws in my casserole pot helping itself. Luckily it was just cold leftovers! I'd say cat was far more likely than a rat.

Rats can climb stairs OP

Thankfully there is a door between our living room and small hallway!

Oh god! Rats are the worst. I had them in a flat years ago, barely slept for weeks 🤢
They are scared by noises and will run and hide if they hear you coming. Until you know what it is, you will be thinking the worst. I would get completely dressed - big boots on, long legs long sleeves. Grab something heavy, help you feel a bit safer. And go have a look. Even if it is a rat, I promise it won’t be as scary as you are building it up in your head.

Hoping and praying it is next doors cat!

Another here who thinks it’s a cat. This happened to me in an apartment in Spain - a cat got in through a metal gate I’d left open to provide ventilation while keeping the property secure.
Try not to worry.
Do please update us OP when it’s discovered.

The fact that the food on offer on the kitchen counter is salmon deffo implies cat but then I know rats will eat anything so it doesn’t rule rats out. the sheer level of the noises does suggest cat but it was a dragging sound, surely a cat would just eat it there and then rather than taking it away to cache?

Oh my god how horrible! Hope it’s not a rat or mouse.

I once stayed in an Air bnB in Amsterdam with friends. I was sleeping on the sofa in the living room and I heard a noise. Looked towards the kitchen area and a mouse was tearing into a packet of tobacco on the counter. I screamed and almost pissed my pants and my friends came running through thinking I was being attacked 😂 Luckily we were leaving the following morning.