This was a hit before it even got fully assembled. My 6 month old kitten "helped" every step of the way, trying out the scratching posts and climbing on each level as it was built. I find him up on one of the platforms several times a day now. My older cat has started to enjoy it as well. I did have a neighbor help with the assembly because of the size and weight of the tree, but it went together easily and appears to be quite sturdy. It's already withstood several wrestling matches! This definitely gets the C.A.T. seal of approval.