Barbra,

I probably won't get into a detailed answer until I have a bit more time. But here are a few odds and ends:

The paper Julie mentioned is background paper, here is a link:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/1395/Other_Backgrounds_Paper_Savage_.html

As you can see, there are many colors and widths to choose from. 53" is probably wide enough for your purposes. Although you can reuse it, it is a disposable material and can get expensive if you need to discard after every use. White is the most problematic in this regard.

Helmi is using studio strobes, so her setup could get quite expensive for you. However, your hot lights may actually be preferable for your intended use because your subjects are likely much more shy and intimidated than a 'show cat' who is accustomed to being around noise, strangers, and handled by many people.

Tell us what happened when you shot with the lights/umbrellas...where did you position them and what kind of results did you get and what sort of camera settings did you use?