They can be used for “purchase” when cat is startled and jumps. Believe me I know.
My mother always insisted that only putting baby to sleep in a quiet, dark room trained baby to only be able to sleep in a quiet, dark room. She believed babies should sleep where they weren’t sheltered from the noise of the household so they got used to it and wouldn’t be light sleepers, and so they’d sleep anywhere on those occasions when a quiet, dark room wasn’t available. She always says “I used to vacuum around your cot while you were sleeping”. As I’m a heavy, not-easily-disturbed sleeper, I guess it worked. I certainly attempted the same thing with my kids, which is why I didn’t want to have to close the bedroom door every time I put them in bed.