It's not a $250 tree. I paid a"sale" price of I believe $85. If I would have paid the supposed full price I would have returned it. The angles don't line up, the rope is stapled on with overly obvious staples, it is unstable for larger cats to try and get to the higher large perch. Seeing that it is now marked down to $61 that seems like a fair price. Don't be fooled by the listed retail price. My personal opinion is it looks better in pictures than in reality.