Odds are your pampered house cat will live considerably longer than his free-roaming kin. But the trade-off is missing the natural perks of the outdoors. So it’s up to you to help fill in the gaps.

Cats wouldn’t be cats without the chance to explore their territory. That includes opportunities to hunt — whether the prey is a stuffed mouse, a moving light or even a ball.

One dedicated cat owner has taken it a step further. First, he clicker-trained his cat to search out a small ball and return it for a snack reward. Now the cat has learned to find the ball and deposit it in a homemade machine that automatically dispenses a kibble treat.

Not everyone can build a treat dispenser — and not every cat should have constant access to treats. But you can create ways to add a wild side to your cat’s indoor life.