I have 4 cats and this is by far their favorite item in the house now. They knew right away that it was for them and were literally lining up to sit on it. They had a few tussles with each other when one cat stayed too long and another really wanted a turn. They scratch and sleep on it. They just love being on it. It sits up nice and high off the floor and I've put it underneath our occasional table so they feel very protected. It also sits in front of a heating vent, so it's really popular these winter days. 
When it first arrived, I couldn't believe how big it was- the largest scratcher I've seen! They loved it immediately though and scratched all on it, rolled and played. I wish I'd bought this sooner!
Also, it comes with a little bag of catnip, which they of course devoured the first night. This is a great, well-designed, cat-centric product, plus it doesn't look hideous.