I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, but I can move the hot mat into the little room off the kitchen. Crammed w/ cleaning equipment, but plenty of room for a hot mat.

d-uh!

would use the table, but Scamper the cat would have fun w/ it. When I took him in, her destroyed my entire african violet collection. No other cat had ever touched it. Also had to stop putting planes in my bay window. I love him, but he changed my life.

(Now I have raised beds, and I must cover them with mesh. But then any neighborhoodcat would require it.