Cabin fever can be the bane of an indoor cat's existence, but it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to open the door to the great outdoors to provide your cat with a more interesting life. In fact, by just looking at your home from a cat's point of view and adding a few environmental enrichments, your cat can be both safe and happy indoors. Here are five easy ways to get going:

Think vertical: Cats love to climb, so give them the opportunity. Cat trees mounted floor-to-ceiling, wrapped with sisal rope and studded with platforms for perching will give your cat the opportunity to look down on the rest of the world.

Add toys: Every indoor cat should have toys for batting around, toys for chasing, toys for hiding in and toys for interactive play. Some of those toys ought to have catnip in them. While not all cats can enjoy the fragrant herb, those who do find it blissful in the extreme. Rub fresh catnip onto cat trees or scratching posts, or stuff it into toys. It's perfectly safe for your cat to enjoy the buzz.

Some of the most enjoyable toys for both people and cats are the interactive ones. Every cat lover should have a "kitty tease" toy, typically a flexible rod with a line that ends in something furry or feathery to engage a cat's prey drive. Other interactive toys include gloves with goodies dangling from the fingertips, or laser pointers that offer cats a spot of light to chase. (Just be careful not to aim the beam in your cat's eyes.)

• Provide rooms with views: No matter how big your house, your indoor cat will know every one of its sights and sounds within just a few days. Provide a little visual stimulation by putting a bird feeder outside a window fitted with a cat-sized ledge for comfortable viewing.

Be aware, though, that a view of the world isn't always going to work for your cat. If your yard attracts other cats from the neighborhood, your own cat may become frustrated by seeing them, and he can even turn that frustration into attacks on people in the house. Block other cats from entering your yard or discourage them with sprinklers. Otherwise, you may have to make certain windows off-limits to your own cat.

If a window view isn't going to work, try a TV. A few companies offer DVDs for cats. Pop one of these in, and your cat can be entertained with a lively mix of feline-friendly images and sounds, including those of birds and rodents.

• Go green: Cats love nibbling on plants. Any decent feline reference book will provide a list of which plants should not be in a pet-friendly house, or visit the Animal Poison Control Center (www.aspca.org/apcc) for information on dangerous plants.

After you get the unsafe plants out of the way, protect your decorative houseplants by hanging them or otherwise putting them out of reach. Keep cats from digging in your decorative pots by putting a layer of small, rough stones over the dirt. Then add a collection of accessible plants for your cat to nibble on, such as grass shoots, or to enjoy rubbing, such as catnip, valerian or rosemary.

• Give face time: Of course, one of the best things you can do for your indoor cat is to spend time with him. Playing, grooming, petting or just hanging out – it's all good. Your cat loves you and loves spending time with you.

Keeping a cat indoors is one of the best ways to ensure a long and healthy life, but it won't be that happy an existence unless you're going to add some interest to the surroundings. It doesn't take much in the way of time or effort, so get going. Your cat will thank you.