The most effective way to keep the cats quiet

I have let the cats out on my own once in a very few while when I am at my little rented place. I am not too fond of doing that though because I do not know when I am not able to handle them and I have this fear that I may not be able to get them back to their rooms.

If it were a dog, it would be easy peazy. Cats have claws. They have attitude too. Not that my housemate's cats are that fierce. They are mild in comparison to some others.

Anyhow, when they are cooped up, Mao Mao meows non-stop. The more I tell him to stop, the more he meows. He is quite the long-winded cat, you know and he answers back. In a way, quite gentlemanly, but quite irritating at times, after a long day's work. On some days, he would stop if I did not reply but lately, the poor thing is dying to be let out.

I have found the perfect way to stop him from creating all that ruckus: Bring out the vacuum cleaner. This was an idea that my housemate gave. Recently, she was not able to mop the floor and had asked her mum over for some help and when her mum took out the vacuum cleaner, the cats went all quiet. Both hate it. Whenever we clean the house on the weekends, Mao will hide behind the washing machine while Dou will hide in one corner and start purring himself for self-comfort.

I tried it out 2 nights ago, and it worked! I brought the vacuum cleaner out, made some noise with the suction tubes (or whatever you call it) just outside their door and their was peace and quiet until my housemate came home.

Of course, once my housemate came home, Mao started to complain. We wouldn't know what he is complaining about but from the tone, anyone can recognise that he was not happy that I pulled a vacuum cleaner on him. It was almost like he was saying that it was a low down dirty trick that I pulled on him.

Oh, but there are no grudges with this cat. Once he is let out, he will walk all over the house, rub against my feet like nobody's business (like he is claiming his property) and purr away while I stroke his chin. The cutest part is when he hides behind the organza curtains, sitting very still, thinking that nobody can see him. When in actual fact, the curtains are so sheer that both of us burst out laughing just looking at his actions.