Play Areas: Play area/Floortime

[Genny]

I keep trying to come up with the best area in my house to have floor time. One of the main problems I have is that I have cats and obviously I need to be able to have a play area that the cats can't get into. I've thought about the bedrooms (we have two) but I'm not sure I can piggy proof either of them. We've tried the kitchen (making sure to block off the gaps at the side of the fridge) but I don't think my pigs are happy with the tile floor. The living room has the normal problems of things like cords and furniture to get under/stuck in.
Where is the best play area that has worked well for you?

[Jasper_Hale]

I put mine in the hallway. I block off each end with a piece of cardboard. You can just use an old frige box or something similar to that. Stores also have them for free- like electronic stores or Wal Mart. If you hallway has doors, just close all the doors. Hope this helped!

[Genny]

haha! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that! Thats a great idea! I'm going to try it today. I'll let you know how it works. I really am kind of embarassed I didn't think of this...

[blackarrow]

I got an extra box of grids and an 8' tarp, a couple of boxes and some sections of sewer piping. I zip tied the grids together in a line. When it's playtime, I put the dogs in the car (their favorite place in the world!) put the tarp down, toss some old towels over it and set up the joined grids in a circle, and attach the ends to each other with a carabiner clip. I can set this up nearly anywhere, they're safe and can't get anywhere unexpected, and cleanup is a breeze - give any wet spots a wipe, roll the towels/tarp up, take outside and shake out, fold the grids back up accordion style, and it's over with. In nice weather I do away with the towels/tarp and set up the pen under a shade tree on the lawn (they're still not used to the great big world yet but they do like hiding under a box and nibbling the fresh grass!)

[Smudge & Monkey]

Great ideas!

I have been thinking about where I can set up floor time too. We have 3 indoor cats so it needs to be in a room where we can close the door; the bedrooms & office are carpeted so thats no good (not to mention the electric cables and the tiny spaces under the beds that they could squeeze into and never be found again).

I was thinking about the bathroom which has a tiled floor, there is nothing harmful within their reach in there and the door can be closed to keep the cats away. Would this work???

They do have an outdoor hutch/run but they are too scared to leave the house part so they don't get any exercise out there.

[pigsmakemesmile]

This will be somewhat off topic but it's a beautiful day, upper 70's...I just finished building my piggies outdoor grass/floor time pen. It's gigantic...This is how I planned it, I have 5 pigs, so 2 pigs will go on each end...a 4 x 8, the center was divide for my one pig, he gets a 2 x 8. I have left over wallboard from my bathroom remodeling project that I'll be using to provide shade cover and protection from the eagles and hawks that live on our property.
They each will have a hidey, swimming bowl. I've done this every summer. I put them in it all weekend and when I come home from work. However on extremely hot days, they're indoors for heat safety where it's cool. I watch them diligently when they're outside...afterall...they're "my children" .