so i get a call this week from a lady who "heard this huge ruckus in the attic" then a couple of days later, the smell started. As soon as i got to the bedroom door, i could smell it and was 99% sure it was a mouse--they have a unique distinctive smell to me. Unfourtanetly for them, her husband had took a section about 3' x 5' out of the wall beside the door. Since he had already eliminated that area, i narrowed it down to the header above the door--should have called me first. I took a 4" x 4" square out tight on top of the header and the mouse was right behind it. She could not believe that it was only a mouse that "made that much noise and smelled that bad." so now she thinks a cat killed it in the attic and dropped it down the wall--which could have possibly happened

Sometimes i find it best to just agree and not give my opinion.

True that! I've had many customers who have "something big" in their attics, and there's nothing but mouse sign. Wonder if there's a snake grabbing them or they're mating.
Odors are wierd. Many factors contribute to the level of smell.

two days ago I had a call and was asked to pick up a dead muskrat. The management company called and asked if I had used poison to kill the muskrats, said no way and would be glad to go pick it up, turned out to be a very large blotted Raccoon.

largest tip I have ever got was a dead mouse job , the guy had disassembled his whole finished basement by the looks of it looking for this large animal . He had also bought lots of tools to do it with . I walked in and said well its something small . . Then asked the wife wear upstairs is the smell the strongest . Then went in the basement climb up his step ladder and there lade a half grown mouse . The guy was like that's it ,yep . I was easy money seeing he had already ripped the basement apart . He thought it was a coon at least he said . I then went upstarts and the lady handed my a check and told me how happy that this ordeal was over . I told her ,you over payed me by a hundred bucks she's oh know your worth all of that and more . I'm like ok thank you , hundred bucks it was like Xmas . I've got 10 or 20 before but never that much