Evidence of Crime?

This evening, at about 9:30, before sitting down with pumpkin pie and a Hercule Poirot movie, I called out the back door for Cheeky. He went out a little after 8:00, after I sternly told him to not stay out late. But as he so often does, given his free-spirited nature, he ignored my repeated calling. I won't let him stay out all night, though he'd love to, because we have certain creatures around that I don't trust. So I was calling him and stepped out onto the back deck. It was already dark out and I turned on the outside light.

Then I looked down at the deck and gasped slightly. For there were drops of very flesh blood sprinkled across the boards! Thoughts of wounded criminals or dangerous animals darted into my mind. My mom came out and instantly voiced the worst suggestion: that something had gotten Cheeky. Well, I couldn't imagine something swooping down and grabbing him on the back deck, so I started searching for any clues. Still feeling a little nervous (and glad I hadn't watched the mystery movie yet), I grabbed a flashlight and began walking around the house, calling for Cheeky. Nothing. There was no blood on the dirt, only on the deck. The back of the house, next to the bedroom windows, is very dark and I didn't feel like searching there. But I came back to the deck and had decided to search the dark regions when I saw it on the ground next to the deck -- the source of the fresh blood. Cheeky came up a few minutes later, I hosed off the deck, and went inside. The end.

So what was it? 100 points to the person who answers correctly!