Why do cats vomit on carpet?

*This post is a part of the regular "Thursday rant" series, a tongue-in-cheek look at my life."

Cats vomiting hairballs are just a part of having a cat.  I'm okay with that.  What I need someone to explain to me is why they insist on leaving them as little surprises on my carpet.

Any of you with cats know that sound.  The gurgling like a small hamster is trapped in your garbage disposal and is aware of impending doom.  From that moment, you know you have approximately 4 seconds to find the cat and herd her onto a hard surface.  Easier said than done.  When that noise is heard in my house, I immediately pick up the red phone and alert the family to Deathcon 4 protocols.  Find the cat and contain the vomit to somewhere not on the carpet.  Ah, but the cat has other plans.

There she is, eyes blazing, mouth open, standing on the carpet.

I thought I had her beat one day.  I heard the noise and saw she was in the kitchen.  Ah, tile!  Maintain cover people.  She was making her noise as she walked through the dining room.  Stand down, we're on the wood floor.  Still wretching and making her way through the foyer.  We're dangerously close to carpet, but stay on target people.  Do not engage!  Finally, the hairball, and all it's sticky bile and slime, all came up as one projectile mass and landed on the only piece of carpet even close to the cat.  Oh yeah, she's that good.

Does this happen to anyone else?