The gate is sturdy and can take the abuse. My cats are pretty strong as I used to have a 20lb cat litter placed in front of the previous pet gate to block the big gap which they would just push out of the way. I ended up doubling up to 40lb which solved that problem but was a hassle for me when I needed to get in and out. This gate solved all my problems as the bars are close enough that they can’t squeeze through and high enough to keep them from jumping over it. Overall, very happy and wish I’ve taken the plunge sooner.