I love our cat Gus, I really do. But during the mornings, he can be loud when he wants to be fed. And we can get tired of that loudness very quickly.
Fortunately, Gus is a trusting kitty. So if I were to get out of bed and walk towards the bedroom door, he will head out the bedroom door and down the stairs, expecting me to follow. Which, of course, is a perfect time for me to close the bedroom door and go back to bed. Gus, not being blessed with thumbs, is left to yowl in vain outside our door.
Erin was impressed by this trick. "It works every time?!" she exclaimed incredulously.
"Apparently," I replied, shutting the door on Gus and returning to the bed for some rest while Gus yowled outside the bedroom -- in the hallway which, incidentally, includes the kids rooms.
And ten minutes later, Vivian opened the door, poked her head in on us, and said, "hi." Gus sidled in after her. And then she left and closed the door behind her.