I found a mole (?) running around in the house, and my cats were not really
interested in pursuing it and attacking it like they did in the
past with mice, bunnies, chipmunks. I had to pick it up and throw
it out myself. I wonder if the cats were afraid of it. Isnt it unusual
for the cats to not attack a rat-sized animal?

The supposed mole:

http://i1.tinypic.com/mm4eg5.jpg
http://i1.tinypic.com/mm4ep4.jpg