I recently brought my cat to Beijing from the United States. She used to be an indoor-outdoor cat as we had a backyard, but now she is living in an apartment building and is completely indoors. What can I do to keep my cat from becoming bored living indoors?

We can minimize the stress of boredom by enriching the daily life of the indoor cat to replace some of the stimulation and activity it would otherwise receive as a free roaming animal. This environmental enrichment puts complexity, unpredictability and choices into a cat’s daily life. Without these things, many animals and people become frustrated in confinement and show signs of boredom-greater reactivity, irritability and exaggerated or unusual behavior.

A cat enclosure is a great way to let your pet enjoy the atmosphere of the great outdoors while keeping her safe. You probably have an idea of whether or not you could build one on your property in Beijing, but check out Purrfect Fence or Habitat Haven for some other wonderful ideas for alternatives.

Think vertical. Cats love to climb, so give them that opportunity. Cat trees mounted floor-to-ceiling, wrapped with sisal rope and studded with platforms for perching will give your cat the chance to look down on the rest of the world. This is especially satisfying if there are dogs in the household, because what cat wouldn’t like to look down on the dog? A windowsill shelf is probably a more viable option if you live in an apartment. Even if you have no access to a backyard and can't build an enclosure, you can still place a cat shelf right next to a properly screened and secured window, allowing your cat a safe place from which to look out and check out the street. Speaking of shelves, the more cat furniture you can put up for your cat, the better. Whether you call them cat trees, cat gyms or cat condos, providing your cat with solid and stable places to climb and perch on, will add more space to her territory and more places to explore.

Add toys. Every indoor cat should have toys for batting around, chasing and hiding in. Don’t forget some of those toys ought to have catnip in them. Try a variety of toys, to see which ones your cat prefers. Keep the toy collection out of reach and provide your cat with only two to three toys at a time, rotating them every few days. Don’t just think about cat balls and fake mice here; try interactive toys such as the SmartCat Peek-A-Prize. Work-for-treats toys can be a great option for some cats. Instead of just giving out treats, leave them in a toy such as a cat ball. Interactive play is also a great way to relieve boredom while strengthening that special bond between you and your cat. 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 toys include gloves with goodies dangling from the fingertips or laser pointers that offer cats a spot of light to chase (be careful not to aim the beam in a cat’s eyes).

Catnip can be a great way to spice up kitty's day. Try it with your cat to see if he or she reacts to catnip; although not all cats enjoy the fragrant herb, those that do find it blissful in the extreme. If your cat is a catnip junkie, indulge it frequently. 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. If catnip works, you can use it in toys or just sprinkled around in a little heap. If catnip doesn't work, you may want to try honeysuckle or, in Beijing, dried sage, which is available locally at any of the wet markets. It has a similar effect.

Go green. Cats love nibbling on plants. Any decent feline reference book will list plants that should not be in a pet-friendly house or visit the Animal Poison Control Center. After getting unsafe plants out of the way, protect your decorative houseplants by hanging them or putting them out of reach. Keep cats from digging in your decorative pots by putting a layer of small, rough stones over the dirt. You can then add a collection of accessible plants for your cat to nibble on, such as grass shoots, or to rub, such as catnip, valerian or rosemary.

Provide rooms with a view. 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. If your yard is attracting other cats from the neighborhood, your cat may become frustrated by seeing them, and it can even turn that frustration into attacks on people. Blocking visiting cats from your yard or discouraging them with sprinklers may solve the problem. Otherwise, you may have to make certain windows off-limits to your own cat.

Try letting your cat watch DVDs of nature shows produced specially for cats, such as the popular Kitty Movie. 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. Not every cat responds to recorded shows, but some do find them fascinating.

Depending on your cat’s character and your neighborhood, you may consider training your cat to walk on a leash on a joint outdoors excursion. This solution is not for every cat, and the training process can take a while, but some owners and cats find it a good arrangement and there’s nothing quite like a supervised walk outside. Make sure your cat is protected against fleas and ticks before starting on your outdoor walks. Ask your veterinarian about safe and effective flea and tick preventives for cats.

Last, if you're worried about leaving your cat alone for long hours, consider getting him or her a feline playmate. Obviously, there are more aspects to be considered when it comes to the decision of whether or not to adopt a second cat. Not all cats benefit from having another cat introduced into their lives, and you could be looking at a long and demanding introduction process. Usually, this is a better solution with kittens or younger cats, but it could also enhance the life quality of some older, more sociable cats. Of course, one of the best things you can do for your indoor cat is 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.

Need advice from METRO’s pet expert? E-mail your questions to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn or our Sina Weibo @chinadailymetro. Answers supplied by the International Center for Veterinary Services  on (+8610) 8456-1939.