Ah. The lizards we call "Garden Lizards" here are more mouse-sized. Their interaction with cats is sort of comical, because they are quick but very, very stupid.
I should go look up what their proper nomenclature is....
Pretty sure it's either the "Forest Alligator Lizard - Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata"
or maybe the "San Francisco Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea coerulea"
Which, despite having different family names, seem to be very closely related species. How did that happen? I have also seen the "Coronado Skink - Plestiodon skiltonianus interparietalis" around here, although it is less common.